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Press Release: Fund Raising for Kashmiri Refugees
Press Release
The Hindu Students Council (HSC) of Atlanta (with the support of
thirteen Atlanta organizations) sponsored a Kashmir community awareness
event on September 21 as part of the HSC Community Action Network (CAN)
Project's Kashmir Awareness Campaign. The event consisted of two talks
on Kashmir as well as a performance of the play "Chandalika" which was
directed by Sasikala Penumarthi. Over 500 people attended the program.
Proceeds from the event will be sent to India to help the Kashmiri
refugees.
Mr. Wajaht Habibullah, Minister of Community Affairs at the Indian
Embassy and a former commissioner in Kashmir, was a victim of a
kidnapping event and an assassination attempt at the hands of terrorists
in Kashmir. He gave an exposition of the advent of terrorism in
Kashmir. He mentioned that the Kashmiri Hindu community had been
decimated by terrorism and that the children of the survivors had been
deprived of education due to the upheaval. He sounded hopeful that
elections in Kashmir would be a first step toward recovery.
Dr. Ashok Raina, President of the Kashmiri Overseas Association (KOA),
spoke about what led to the exodus of the Kashmiri Hindu community. He
mentioned that Kashmiri Hindus were raped, tortured, and killed, and
that their homes were looted by the terrorists. He concurred with Mr.
Habibullah that the deprivation of children's education due to the
terrorism was a real tragedy. Additionally, Dr. Raina mentioned that
calling the Kashmiri Hindus who fled the state 'migrants' was not
appropriate, "the word 'migrants' connotes that these people left of
their own volition when they were actually forced out." Dr. Raina
mentioned that the Kashmiri Hindus are, in fact, refugees.
After the two talks, the play "Chandalika" was performed. The dance
drama lasted about two hours. The dance was well received by the over
500 members of the audience. The two speakers as well as the performers
and Sasikala Penumarthi (the director of the dance) were presented with
tokens of appreciation by HSC.
HSC was supported by Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America (VHPA), Hindu
Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS), the National Federation of Indian Associations
(NFIA), the India-American Cultural Association (IACA), Cha Gam Patidar
Samaj of Atlanta, Georgia Malayalee Association, Georgia Tamil Sangam,
Hindu Temple of Atlanta, Kannada Koota, Maharashtra Mandal of Atlanta,
Sindhi Sabha of Atlanta, Shakti Mandir, and the Telugu Association of
Metro Atlanta.
For more information about HSC's Community Action Network (CAN) Project,
please email hsc-can@hindunet.org, or contact Vinod Nair at
410-666-0755.
For other information about HSC, please contact the head office at 46 #3
Irving St, Boston, MA 02114 USA, or phone (617) 227-3023
Hindu Students Council is an international forum to promote Hindu
heritage and culture, to promote SEVA (service) to the community, and to
address the issues affecting Hindus.
