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< Back to current issue of Immigrant's Weekly Dear Editor, Your notes in the Immigration Weekly dated Dec 16 regarding atrocities meted out to "illegal" pregnant women immigrants in the name of national security by the government officials in the US makes a very sad reading. Most of the third world countries have practiced and some of them still practice senseless violence and cruelty against their women folks in the name of religion, culture, tradition, chastity etc. India for instance is known for burning widows along with their dead husbands on the holy pyres. The practice is continuing even now in remote backward regions inspie of the laws to the contrary. The women in some countries in Africa are traditionally mutilated in their private parts in the name of sexual purity. The cruel treatment and social restrictions officially imposed on Afghan women under the barbaric Taliban is still fresh in the memories of the civilised world. It was during the years of colonialism that the countries in Asia, Africa and the south America were exposed to Industrial revolution, religious toleramce, democratic principles, Human rights, Political equality, scientific thinking etc.etc. Whatever be the history of loot and plunder by the European colonists in the erstwhile colonies, what is important in today's context is that the third world countries are less barbaric and more civilised today. But it looks the trend is reversing now. The religious fanaticism and fundamentalism is spreading from the third world countries to the Western nations, including the US. Growing Number of instances of violence against the Indians, particularly the Sikhs after 9/11in the US is indication of barbarism spreading from the third world to the Western countries based on prejudices and mistaken identities. Even the Immigration Officers of the US government manning the ports of entry have become particularly harsh and meddlesome against "brown" businessmen visiting the US on their business with valid visas. Even Mr. Hasim Premji, the CEO of Wipro, India's leading IT company, and only two years ago counted as the second richest man in the world, second to Bill Gates ( during the peak of the bull run on the NASDAQ ), was recently harassed at an US port of entry by the immigration officers only because of his brown skin and his first name.It seems a new kind of "apartheid" is taking roots in the US now, when the prejudicial white-black behaviour has become a matter of history. Sir, the instance of barbaric treatment of the immigrant woman by the US authority commented by you is one more instance of the evil now invading the civilised US. The USA has become a beacon of light and hope to freedom loving minorities in the third world countries who do not know how to fight their autocratic governments. Do not let them down. Do not destroy their hopes and aspirations. Do not allow the barbarism of the third world to spread in the US. The words of Pastor Martin Niemoeller quoted by you are very apt. It is sincerely hoped that the powers that be in the US take cognizance of the wisdom behind these words and curb and crush this new evil of cruelty and violence before it digs its roots.
Sameer Kumar Copyright © 1999-2002 American Immigration LLC, ILW.COM
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