By IndiaTomorrow.net,
New Delhi, 19 August 2014: Around 100 eminent Indian Muslims cutting across sectarian, ideological and political lines came together on Tuesday and strongly condemned the over month-long brutal violence by ISIS militant group (Islamic State of Syria and Iraq) against religious and sectarian minorities in the two Arab countries. They appealed to common people to register protest against it.
More than 80 activists, academicians, lawyers, journalists, techies and community leaders have signed a joint statement condemning ISIS violence and sought United Nations intervention and global effort to end the crisis. Given the brutal and inhuman violent acts of ISIS militants against men, women and children in Iraq and Syria, the signatories of the statement said these people belonging to ISIS are not practicing Islam, rather they are defaming Islam.
“Indian Muslims are shocked and pained by the brutality and atrocities being perpetrated by ISIS against Christians, Shias, Kurds, Yazidis and other minorities in the regions now under their control. We strongly condemn such barbarism which is against the teachings of Islam,” reads the joint statement released today at a press conference here at Indian Women Press Corps office.
“We express our heart-felt sympathies and solidarity with the survivors of those whose near and dear ones have been mercilessly butchered, and the tens of thousands of Iraq’s minorities who have been dispossessed, forced to flee their homes and are now living in extremely difficult circumstances,” it added.
They urged the United Nations to intervene in the ongoing crisis in Iraq and Syria.
“We appeal to the United Nations to urgently intervene, create the circumstances where those forced to flee feel secure enough to return to their homes and cities with full honour and dignity, and hold the ISIS accountable for its heinous acts,” they demanded.
They also criticized role of the United States, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Kuwait in the crisis. They said that even during the tenure of dictator like Saddam Husain 1.4 million Christians were safe and free to practice according to their belief.
The press conference was addressed by eminent social activists Shabnam Hashmi, Navaid Hamid and Christian leader John Dyal. In one voice, they condemned the violence against minorities in Iraq and Syria. Similar press conference was also held in Mumbai on Tuesday.
The joint statement was endorsed by more than 80 eminent Muslims including Dr. Zafarul Islam Khan, Mujtaba Farooq, Shabana Azmi, Dr. Waris Mazhari and Prof. Zoya Hasan.
