PRESS RELEASE
Dawood Family Delegation Meets Police Minister
25th February 2005
On February 24th Representatives of the Dawood family met with the Home Office Minister responsible for Policing, the Right Honourable Hazel Blears MP. The meeting was to continue their fight for justice on behalf of their loved ones who were murdered during the Gujarat Genocide in 2002 where some 3,000 Muslims were butchered in the Indian State of Gujarat.
The meeting was arranged by Shahid Malik, who is a member of Labour's National Executive Committee which includes the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and three Ministers, including Hazel Blears.
The four person delegation included the sole survivor Imran Dawood who was 18 at the time and left for dead by a highly organised Hindu mob. His neighbour Mohammed Aswat was hacked to death and since that fateful day his uncles Saeed and Shakil Dawood have never been seen.
The other members of the delegation were Ilyas Dawood, brother of Saeed Dawood and Ismail Dawood, the brother of Imran Dawood.
After the meeting Ilyas and Imran said that they were pleased that meeting took place and found it was very useful. Ismail said:
"We cannot leave the matter because the family needs some sort of closure and justice must prevail. I am pleased that the Minister spoke to us and showed great concern for our families and committed herself to doing whatever she could to help the family. She also stated that the British Police would be more than happy to assist the Indian authorities in their investigations but could not proceed until they received a request from the Indian authorities."
Two years ago Jack Straw had offered UK Police assistance and to date the Indian Government remains unmoved, therefore this new initiative has been taken by the family to revive the process, particularly as there is a new Government at the helm in India.
Ilyas Dawood said after the meeting:
" This is a good start but we know there is a long way to go but we owe it to all those that have died not to let this rest - unlike the thousands of Muslims that were butchered we are fortunate that as British citizens, our Government can pressure the Indian government to do more."
Shahid Malik said:
"The Dawood family has shown great dignity and patience and god willing, they will get justice in the end. The family are very clear, this is not just about getting justice for their families but it's also to get justice for those thousands of families whose sons and daughters, mother and fathers, and brothers and sisters who are not British citizens. The truth is that if people are not held to account now then they will assume that they can act with impunity against 'second class' Muslims in Gujarat in the future."
The family also handed a letter to Hazel Blears for the attention of the Indian Prime Minster which Hazel Blears will arrange to be hand delivered.
The Dawood Family with the Rt Hon Hazel Blears
Front - left to right - Imran Dawood, Hazel Blears MP, Ilyas Dawood
Back - left to right - Shahid Malik, Ismail Dawood
Yusuf Dawood said:
"The key problem has been a lack of any proper investigation, furthermore the Gujarat Home Minister and Chief of Police have cases taken out against them for Genocide, so we are in the situation where the accused is also being looked upon to gain justice. With the recent change of Government in India, it is hoped that the Indian PM will remove the obstacles that have stopped a proper investigation into this case. There are witnesses out there who are too frightened to come forward, so an independent investigation is of paramount importance."
Shahid Malik added:"Amnesty International released a report only this month which stated that the Gujarat State Government had denied justice to the thousands of tortured and raped women during the riots where some 3,000 Muslims were hacked, beaten or burned to death. India is the world's largest democracy and now has a secular government led by the Congress Party. The world rightly has high expectations of this Congress Government and if democracy means anything it must mean accountability. India witnessed horrific sectarian riots in 1992, in 2002 and unless the State and Federal Governments act then Muslims will fear a repeat at some time in the future.
The family's campaign now moves to the Foreign Office where they are seeking a meeting with government Ministers to increase the pressure for a re-investigation.
Notes to Editors:
On Feb 28th, it will be the third anniversary of the Gujarat Genocide.
Human Rights groups accused the State's BJP government of turning a blind eye to the violence. According to Amnesty International, survivors say local police not only stood by as Hindu mobs torched and razed Muslim homes and butchered men, women and children, but also fired on Muslims, herded some towards the mobs and prevented other fleeing.
Background Information can be found using the following links: