Bangladesh: Pro-Islam PartyActivists Attack ex-Muslim Journalist, and Human Rights Activist
Submitted by William Gomes on Fri, 09/25/2009 - 02:54
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William Gomes
Picture: William Gomes Interviewing
I am William Gomes from Dhaka, Bangladesh. I am former Muslim, now a Christian. I work as a freelance journalist and human rights activist. I monitor incidents of violence on minorities in Bangladesh, and work toward protection of their human rights.
On Wednesday evening, 23 September 2009, the local leader of pro-Islam Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) suddenly attacked my cousin Mohammed Faruk, who came to visit us with his wife. When my father and mother ran to save him, they hurt them as well.
When I ran to the place, they started threatening me that since I have converted to Christianity, I cannot live in that place; I must leave the area now; otherwise, they will kill me. Before for my conversion to Christianity, the people were telling around that they would to kill me if I converted.
I ran from there to my house, and called the local police. The police came to my place. And within a moment, more than 100 thugs came with the local BNP leaders, Mohammed Mijan Bandari and Mohammed Mojibar, and entered my house. I urged the police to make them leave my house, but they ignored my request. The crowd stood their ground in my house, and continued threatening me.
Finally, to save myself from the angry crowd, I followed the police to police station. There I filed a general diary (G.D.). Later on, the perpetrators came with a huge crowd threatening my parents, and forced them to file a memorandum saying that everything has been settled.
Picture:William Gomes with the Vatican Secretary
The police played a silent spectator in this incident. My family and I remain in fear of persecution and violence by the local Muslim thugs. We feel helpless.
I appeal to Bangladesh government and international community to work toward protection of minorities in Bangladesh, and ensure their rights.
As being a journalist, Mr.
As being a journalist, Mr. William Gomes, is supposed to be familiar with the very mentality and action/reaction of Islamic thugs in Bangladesh in this open challenge! Yes, I read your many write-ups and reports on persecution of minority in Bangladesh and this has already tainted otherwise "peaceful" version of Islam and their propaganda in the West. Please don't forget what these thugs did to Dr. Gani Mondol. Yes, any naive Westerner will laud and encourage your challenge but as a Bangladeshi, more likely you already heard that "don't play with fire and snake". But anyway, I wish you all the best and pray for your safety.
JESUS BLESS YOU GOMES....
JESUS BLESS YOU GOMES.... Spread the truth,,,
go to hell idiot muslims!! allahxxxx
Your Interest in exposing the
Your Interest in exposing the problems encountered by minorities in Bangladesh is praiseworthy. Fundamentalist ideas regarding faith is the outcome of these abrahamic religions (Christianity and Islam) . If you analyse the world history you will find the barbaric and fundamentalist approach of the rulers who followed these faiths. But the need of the hour is the freedom to follow any path he wants for his spiritual upliftment or spiritual urge to communicate with the ALMIGHTY. You may be astonished by the way people and rulers of Bharathvarsha (Indian Sub-Continent or SAARC Countries) treated religious faith from time immemorial and until Christianity and Islam came. These abrahamic religious faiths try to convert somebody's faith and his religious practices by using unethical means and create enemies within a sect or sub-sect / group of peole following a particular faith. I hope you agree with me that following a particular path for anybody's spiritual salvation should be his/her own choice and should not be influenced by any political or business motive. Even those countries where Islam is the only religious faith of the people, are not free from religious violence and bloody conflicts.