Ask US Media to Cover the Mass Graves in Gujarat India

December 29, 2005

THE ISSUE

The Indian media has extensively covered the recent discovery of a mass grave in Gujarat. The grave is believed to hold the remains of some of the victims of the anti-Muslim pogroms of 2002.

Unfortunately the American media which has covered the discovery of mass graves in Bosnia and Iraq has not covered the news of the mass graves in Gujarat. The US media had covered the anti-Muslim pogrom of 2002 in Gujarat quite extensively.

IMC-USA believes that sustained pressure both from within and from outside India will help in getting justice to the victims of the Gujarat pogrom. This will also deter future massacres. This need assumes urgency in the light of disturbing news from the states of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh that the Hindutva-fascists are planning violence against the minorities

More Information
Mass grave unearthed in Gujarat

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4562356.stm

Missing riot victims in mass grave

http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/5922_1584054,0015002100000000.htm

Gujarat Govt to submit report on mass grave

http://hindustantimes.com/news/181_1584319,001301170000.htm

ACTIONS REQUESTED

1. Call/Contact your local/international media and ask for coverage on this issue
2. Send E-Mail/Call the following Media

E-Mail Call
New York Times
foreign@nytimes.com,nytnews@nytimes.com,public@nytimes.com
1-888-NYT-NEWS
1-212-556-7652

Washington Post
foreign@washpost.com,ombudsman@washpost.com
1-202-334-7400
1-703-739-5290

Chicago Tribune
bestes@tribune.com,mlebien@tribune.com,publiceditor@tribune.com
1-312-222-3348

TALKING POINTS

Request the editor to cover the news item. Remind the newspaper that the US media had covered the Gujarat pogrom extensively and that they had covered the mass graves of Iraq and Bosnia. See Sample letter below

SAMPLE LETTER

Dear Editor:

I am disappointed that you failed to cover the discovery of mass grave of riot victims in the Indian State of Gujarat.

The Indian media and BBC has extensively covered the recent discovery of a mass grave in Gujarat. The grave is believed to hold the remains of some of the victims of the anti-Muslim pogroms of 2002.

Unfortunately American media which has covered the discovery of mass graves in Bosnia and Iraq has not covered the news of the mass graves in Gujarat. The US media had covered the anti-Muslim pogrom of 2002 in Gujarat.

In the well planned pogrom thousands of Muslims were killed, raped and ethnically cleansed. The Human Rights groups such as Human Rights watch and Amnesty International hold the Gujarat government responsible for the atrocities. Recently the US State Department revoked the visa of the Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi. Economic blockade and low-level ethnic cleansing is still going on against the Muslims in Gujarat. Attacks on Christians are also quite common.

We will need sustained pressure both from within and from outside India to get justice for the victims of the Gujarat pogrom. This will also deter future massacres.

I respectfully request you to cover this important news.

Yours sincerely