[Cross posted from the Daily Kos. I sent the following letter to Senator Kennedy last night. I sent similar letters to Senators John Warner and Jim Webb, and Congressman Frank Wolf of Virginia.]
Dear Senator Kennedy,
A few months ago I wrote a diary on the Daily Kos thanking you for coming to the aid of the Bangladeshi people in our time of need more than three decades ago. I ask you today to lend the people of Bangladesh your voice once again. Though the danger last time was greater, the threat remains the same. Once again the people of Bangladesh find themselves at the mercy of the military. In 1971 the struggle was to create a secular democracy in a Muslim majority country where Bengalis, regardless of their religion, could live without fear of persecution. Having created that democracy, the struggle today is to defend that democracy, with all its flaws, against the grip of unaccountable military leaders.
Bangladesh has been under a state of emergency since January 11, 2007. Since then the military has taken control under the guise of a civilian technocratic “interim government”. Fundamental rights have been suspended, 150,000 people have been put behind bars without charge or bail, freedom of expression and press has ended, political activity has been banned, and criticism of the military government has been declared illegal. The military man in charge, General Moeen U Ahmed, has declared that Bangladesh does not need “elective democracy” – instead he suggests a new form of “democracy” based in part on Islam. The military is systematically dismantling remnants of democracy under the guise of an “anti-corruption” drive. Just over this weekend, the military has tried to forcibly send one former prime minister, and leader of one main political party, into exile while preventing another former prime minister, and leader of the other main political party, from reentering the country from England.
According to news reports, the United States Ambassador to Bangladesh, Patricia Butenis, has offered encouragement to the new military government to carry on their political purge. There has been no protest from the State Department over the dismantling of the world’s 5th largest democracy and one of the few, if not the only, examples of democracy in the Islamic world.
Bangladesh was founded on secular principles and Bangladeshis have always resisted religion based politics. However, as the New York Times pointed out in its editorial last weekend, military governments in the Islamic world tend to give power to Islamists. This has been the case in Pakistan. It was also the case in Bangladesh the last time the military wrestled power in the coup of 1975 – then the country was briefly declared to be the “Islamic Republic of Bangladesh”. That time it took the people of Bangladesh 16 years to send the military back to the barracks.
Bangladesh has not been a perfect democracy. The last government was accused of rampant corruption. Nonetheless, Bangladesh has proven that it is capable of holding its democratically elected leaders to account at the ballot box and in the courts of law. This time should have been no different. The military, however, saw their opportunity to move in to “fix” the problems of Bangladesh. In doing so, they have further corrupted the system and have set Bangladesh back once again.
Yet, it is not too late to send the military back to the barracks. The United States wields enormous influence in Bangladesh, both political and economic. I urge the United States Congress to stand with the people of Bangladesh in defending the democratic experiment there. A democratic Bangladesh surely is in the national security interest of the United States. I humbly request your help to give voice to Bangladesh’s democratic traditions because the people of Bangladesh are currently unable to voice their concern.
There are many other crises in the world. I understand that the crisis in Bangladesh is one amongst many, and certainly not the most pressing to the United States. I hope you will find the time to read this appeal for help. I was extremely humbled when you not only read, but replied to, my previous diary on Daily Kos. I hold out the hope that you will get a chance to also read this appeal. I am also forwarding a copy of this appeal directly to your office via email.
Sincerely,
Mash
Resources:
The New York Times Editorial from last weekend
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/15/opinion/15sun2.html?ex=1177387200&en=ec71cc288bf4a63f&ei=5070
The Economist article on the political purge in Bangladesh
http://www.economist.com/agenda/displaystory.cfm?story_id=9027087
My post on the military takeover
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/4/15/16911/5514
The BBC news report on the barring of the former prime minister
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6581651.stm
My previous Daily Kos diary on Senator Kennedy
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/1/10/01830/5686
Hey Mash,
you should not have tried to prove that the military is encouraging the islamists. Right now what they are doing wrong is trying to exile the two ladies forcibly. I think you should have mentioned that and a number of human rights violations done by the government/army. I understand mentioning about islamic extremism will get more help from the US, but that would be a dishonest way of getting help. I did not see anything done by the army that encourages islamists.At least not until now.
Bilash, I understand your concern. However, I think I put the human rights threat, and the lack of due process front and center.
Here is what I said in the second paragraph above:
I mentioned the NYT editorial and its thesis that military regimes enable Islamists. I do believe this to be true. I wrote about it at greater length in a post last week. Here’s the link to that post.
I think there is ample evidence that military takeovers in Islamic countries lead to Islamist revivals. In a democratic Bangladesh, where the people get to vote, everyone (including the Islamists) knows that the Islamists cannot garner enough support to be a major political force – they are relegated to minority parties. However, without the protection of democracy, Islamists are no longer at the mercy of the people to take power – they can simply partner with another undemocratic institution, the military.
That dynamic, coupled with General Moeen’s own comments (eerily reminiscent of the writings of Colonel Farook from the 1975 coup), suggest that the Islamists are gaining under this military regime.
For the reasons above, I am quite comfortable with the assertions I made in this and other posts.
I should also mention that Jamaat-e-Islami has been relatively untouched by this political purge. One should ask why that would be the case.
I typed a comment and it all disappeared because I mis-typed the security code. Feeling so frustrated!
Bilash, I’ve had problems with the Spam Check. A number of people have complained. I apologize but if I remove it, I am bombarded with hundreds of spams a day and it becomes a challenge separating comments from spam.
To avoid the spam check, you can register using the registration link on the right sidebar. You just need a valid email address to register. After that, you can stay logged in and avoid the spam check.
Thanks, Mash!
Ok, lets leave this post. Hopefully, I will be visiting your site time to time and may sometimes post comment:-)