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'Iraq war could bring backlash on minorities in Pakistan' By Vasantha Arora, Indo-Asian News Service Washington, Mar 20 (IANS) As the attack on Iraq began, a U.S. commission urged Washington to remind foreign governments, especially Pakistan, of the need to protect minority communities. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom has told Secretary of State Colin Powell that religious extremists have tried to portray the military action against Iraq as part of an alleged U.S. attack on Islam. It said they had pledged to seek retribution against Christians, Jews and others throughout the Islamic world as well as in Western countries perceived as having some affiliation or affinity with the U.S. or its coalition partners. In a letter to Powell, commission chair Felice Gaer said the danger could be particularly acute in Pakistan where leaders of the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal have said the attack should be considered as one "on the whole Muslim world". In response, the All Pakistan Minorities Alliance has expressed fear for all minorities and urged the Pakistani government to take all precautionary measures to protect them. Gaer said: "The commission believes such fears are well founded. The government of Pakistan has worked closely with the U.S. in the war on terrorism, including finding and capturing Al Qaida leaders. "Yet since the beginning of the coalition military action in Afghanistan following the September 2001 terrorist attacks, there have been repeated attacks against Christian churches, schools and charitable and medical institutions in Pakistan, leaving scores of innocent men, women, and children dead or maimed. "Although the Musharraf government has deplored these incidents, the authorities have so far failed to bring the perpetrators to justice," she pointed out. Gaer reminded Powell that immediately after the events of September 11, President Bush made a strong statement calling on all Americans to respect the security and rights of Muslims in the U.S. In the same manner, she said, the U.S. government should take every possible measure to insist that governments of countries where minority communities are threatened make concerted efforts to protect the security and rights of those communities. The commission is an independent federal agency that advises the executive branch of the government and the U.S. Congress. --Indo-Asian News Service _______________________________________________ Goanet mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.goanet.org/mailman/listinfo/goanet
