The group of Civil Society activists visited to Pangrio, District Badin, to condemn the inhuman act of desecrating the body of the renowned Sindhi Folk Singer, Bhoro Bheel, who had recently died in a road accident, this act was done by the religious extremists on ground as why has he been buried in the Muslim grave yard. However there are more than hundred of the Dalit Community buried in the same grave yard already. This group went under the leadership of Salahudin Mirza [Justice,Retired] those who went were, Rahat Saeed, Muneer Memon, Kaleem Durrani, Ibrar Qazi, Amar Sindhu, Irfana Malah, Madam Qureshi, Shamsudin, Syed Jaffar, Lala Rehman, Mahesh Maleerai, Zulfqar Halepoto, Jaffar Memon. Miss Qurat, Miss Zeba, Noubahar. Dodo Chandio Moin Magsi and Ajay. We highly appreciate to donation of Rupees one million Senator Karim Khawaja announced for the monument for those who have martyred in Sindh for the cause of interfaith harmony and Sufi values, such as Makhdoom Bilawal, Bhaghat Kanwar Ram, Shaheed Allah Bakhsh Soomro, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto and Bhoro Bheel. The report of the trip I Reproduce below, which is prepared by our young Ajay, as a token of encouraging him to work and devote time for this noble cause. Photos of the event are also attached Regards javed qazi 27/10/13 FORUM FOR SECULAR PAKISTAN and KARACHI CITIZENS FOR PEACE ROUTE: National Highway - Gharo -> Sajawal -> Badin -> Tando Bagho -> Pangrio -> Mir Jo Goth OBJECTIVE: Mentioned in detail in the press statement FIRST STOP: Tando Bagho Press Club - The infrastructure was in bad shape with one washroom that required complete overhaul - Short briefing was presented - The Urdu version of press statement was handed to the Tando Bagho Press representatives SECOND STOP: Mir Jo Goth - Residence of Bhooro Bheel - Met Bhooros family and the Bheel community - The speakers stressed on the importance of harmony, historical presence of Tolerance in Sindh and the fundamental rights of all communities residing in Sindh . First speaker: Muneer Memon . Second speaker: Abrar Qazi followed by two other speakers including one woman, representing AJP - Hyderabad -> They promised to contribute a sum of around Rs. 10 lakh for the purpose of erecting a monument that preserves the dignity of Bhooro Bheel and becomes a symbol for peace and harmony. . Third speaker: Justice Sallaudin -> Tolerance is the solution -> Parochial mindset must not be furthered in the Sindh territory . Fourth Speaker: Bhooros brother -> This incident is not only an attack on one individual or one community but on the respected culture of entire Sindh -> Police Officers were witness to this unfortunate incident . Fifth Speaker: Mukhi Lakhu Mul Bin, District Badin (Bhooros father in law) -> This incident is one of a kind - not a common practice -> Harmony shall prevail as we are a peaceful community -> There are around 100 bodies of the Bheel Community already buried in the same graveyard where this incident took place. Events as per the Mukhi: -> After the body of Bhooro Bheel was buried by the Bheel Community as per tradition they distributed sweets, three outside men appeared at the scene (Akbar Khoso, Zafar Araain and Khareeso Bad Virani) and stated their disapproval with a warning that they will desecrate the body. -> In response, some members of the Bheel community reported the incident to SHO in advance -> From 10 pm to 2 am on the same night, repeated announcements were made on the mike igniting the Muslims to assemble and meet at the Haji Faqeer Graveyard to desecrate the body. -> Next morning the police had cordoned of the graveyard area and Bheels graveyard was locked. When the boys was taken out the night before, some children from Bheel community managed to take video clips - showing that naked body of Bhooro Bheel with his legs and neck strangled with a rope, was thrown 60 feet away from the graveyard. Later some stranger had covered the body with a white cloth -> The SP called the Bheel community and requested them to forget the issue with a promise to allocate them 100 by 100 gaz land in the same graveyard area to them. when the community accompanied by SP went to the graveyard, the Muslim community disallowed any such allocation and the SP left the scene with anyones knowledge. -> Later Mir Haji Masood, the landlord on whose land Bheel community works allotted them some acres of his property for the purpose of their graveyard ... thus the body of Bhooro Bheel is now buried there. -> The Mukhi asserted that living with dignity is our right and the government must form a committee to ascertain facts and administer justice to avoid repetition of such incidents in the future. . Sixth Speaker: Young MPA Hasnain Mirza representing that constituency -> Majority of his speech was in English -> Called it a shameful act with no similar precedent in the history of this region. No one should challenge the writ of the state ...... and disrupt the harmony of this region -> Said, this act of discrimination was a phenomenon foreign to this community and blamed it on a political nexus of land mafia as well as the involvement of the police. It is an act of negligence by the police and state executionary. -> Stated that an impartial committee has been set up under the supervision of DIG Hyderabad -> Also would request the judiciary to constitute a committee for judicial inquiry . Issue pointed out: Recent statements made by PPP that graveyards for Hundu and Muslims should be separate. Concern: Such statement is averse to the age old practice of Sindh culture. . Response by MPA: Those statement were made in a different context and upon the request of the Bheel community itself; it requires clarification. ANOTHER SIMILAR INCIDENT DATED 2005 SHARED: . Mr. Kewal from the Kohli community: -> A female body belonging to the Kohli community was desecrated by unknown persons and the body is not found to date. -> Names of persons in authority: - Khalifa Abdul Khaliq - Pir Hamid Shah Rashdi - Minister Pappu Shah and SP, his relative . TEMPLE DESTRUCTION IN FEB, 2013 Response of MPA to both these incidents shared above: -> Same miscreant elements are responsible for all three incidents; their garb differs, using religion or other identity for purpose of exploitation and disrupting harmony. LUNCH AT TANDO BAGHO SERVED BY ISMAILI COMMUNITY -> Khwaja Community -> Venue: Shia, Imami, Ismaili Community Centre -> Very well designed and spacious community centre with proper washrooms
Posted on: Mon, 28 Oct 2013 18:00:10 +0000