|
|
|
|
|
|
|
DHARMA and HUMAN RIGHTS
|
|
|
|
Dharma and human rights
are closely related ideas for Hindus. Since ancient times, Hindus have believed
that human beings should have a code of conduct, regardless of natural differences,
that facilitates the harmonious existence and functioning of society. Hindus called
this code of conduct by the name “Dharma”. Any type of physical, emotional, or spiritual
injury to other human beings is forbidden by Dharma. Hence, there was a strong foundation
which naturally protected the rights of every human being. Since Dharma emphasized
“individual duties”, ordinary citizens within Hindu populations around the world
benefited from the protection this system provided. It became the best safeguard
against those who were potential violators of “individual rights”. In other words,
when everyone acts according to Dharma, the individual rights of everyone are naturally
protected. Hindus were always reminded of their obligation to protect and practice
Dharma and believed in the age old dictum “prevention is better than cure”. It is
no wonder that the types of human rights abuses prevalent around the world, especially
in Europe and the Middle East, were non-existent in India and other Hindu countries.
This practice of constructing individual behavior within the norms of Dharma resulted
in the most ancient and genuine pluralistic tradition in the world.
|
|
|
|
Human rights are of
great importance to everyone, especially Hindus. We, therefore, urge all elected
officials to lay substantial stress on human rights around the world. The US must
pay greater attention to communist countries such as China, North Korea, Cuba, European
countries such as Romania, Russia, and France, and all Islamic countries, which
are notorious for their human rights record.
|
|
|
|
It is indeed an irony
that Hindus, having established Dharma in the world, constitute the largest number
of victims of human rights abuse. When the human rights of Hindus are violated,
the United States can no longer close its eyes. Hindus demand that elected officials
acknowledge the plight of Hindus in Kashmir who have been driven out of their ancestral
land merely because of their religion. The US must provide moral and political support
to those who have been victims of this ethnic cleansing. We also wish to draw the
attention of the government to the atrocities being perpetrated by the governments
of Bangladesh and Pakistan on Hindus, Buddhists, and Christians. The minorities
in these two countries are living under constant fear. Their lives and property
are under threat from fundamentalist and militant Islamic groups with the active
support of their respective governments. A Time magazine investigation in 2004 had
even revealed startling truths about the rise of radical Islam and cautioned the
prospect of Bangladesh becoming another Afghanistan.
|
|
|
|
The US must ensure
that the governments in Trinidad, Guyana, and Fiji protect the rights of its minorities.
Hindus constitute a significant percentage of the population in these countries
where human rights violations are rampant. We urge the State Department to pay adequate
attention to these countries in monitoring rights violations.
|
|
|
|
In addition, we seek
the attention of law makers to the plight of Romas (mislabeled by the world as “Gypsies”).
For more than 1,300 years, these nomadic Hindus from India were mistreated by Islamic
countries and European Countries - especially by Nazi Germany. Hitler killed more
than half a million Romas along with 6 million Jews. The Soviet Union and other
communist countries also mistreated them, and even the collapse of communism in
Eastern Europe has not brought full freedom for the 13 million Romas. In fact, it
is a shame that even today Romas are burnt alive in Romania. Hindus demand special
recognition of their by the US government and aggressive monitoring of rights violations.
|
|
|
|
|
|