Title: End attacks on minorities - Instead of excuses, government should act immediately
Author: Editorial
Publication: The Daily Star (Bangladesh)
Date: Oct 14, 2001
URL: http://www.dailystarnews.com/200110/14/n1101402.htm

Violent attacks on the minorities has become a matter of great concern. It has almost reached an alarming state now. These attacks, which began before the elections have continued unabated. Reaching beyond the national media, it's now being reported by the regional and international media with great concern. Yet the national authorities here are barely paying attention, except for giving directives and statements.

One could argue that because a full-fledged government wasn't in place between the voting and the swearing-in, the situation wasn't brought under control. But the government is fully in office now and stopping this attacks should have been its priority.

Strangely enough, the remarks made by the home minister to the BBC radio that the minority bashing is part conspiracy, part rumours and part facts is a disdainful display of failing to recognise reality. It's obvious that the present government isn't keen to take responsibility for a very sensitive situation unfolding during its own period of rule. They should act at once instead of providing bad excuses.

The national media including this paper has been reporting everyday on the situation but the response by the powers that be has been lukewarm at best. To still hang on to a conspiracy theory is a forced attempt to dilute the obvious fact and is unacceptable to all. The reaction of the home minister seems to say that the crisis is not being taken seriously. And yet nothing could be more serious. It doesn't matter who is doing it and why but the government of the day is always responsible for ending what may easily go out of hand. There is a feeling within ruling circles that this could be cooked up by the other party to embarrass the rulers but that hardly excuses the lack of action by the party in power. Our view is that such elements could, at the maximum be, 25-30 per cent. The rest 70 per cent is partisan self-seekers. They must be hit hard immediately. Whoever is responsible must be brought to book and providing safety to all is what matters. If the AL is behind the attacks they should be exposed but please do it. Don't just talk about it. But if the truth is otherwise then have the courage to face it, and fight it.

What is happening is also a slur on democracy, the voters and Bangladesh as a whole. The BNP must realise more quickly than it thinks necessary that public feelings are apt to swing quickly against ruling governments when such things happen. And attacking minorities is the safest route to lose popularity and create the ground for a political counter-attack.

The attacks are condemned, the statement of the home minister is rejected and the lack of actions to protect the minorities is protested in the severest language possible. Not excuses but action.