Jamaat's violent political history.

In the midst of the unforeseen uprising among people of Bangladesh in Shahbag, demanding capital punishment to the convicted war criminals, Baroness Warsi visited Bangladesh as part of the England prime minister and his team's tour of south asia. The visiting British Foreign Office Minister Baroness Warsi has said she does not believe that banning a political party is the best way to win the battle of ideas but the public can decide what kind of future they want for Bangladesh. I am sure this is a diplomatic statement, but how much does she really know about the ideas of Jamaat-e-Islami and their mandate. And before we delve into the violent history of this Islam abusing political party, has she taken into account the public out-pour in Shahbag who gathered there to let the world know "what kind of future they want for Bangladesh", to quote the baroness.

Since Jamaat-e-Islami started the organization in 1941 they had been against the people of the land and tried to introduce a theology developed by Sayyid Abul A’la Maududi, which is not always reflective of Islam preached by the prophet. Since then the organzation has followed the lead of Maududi, even when he flipped 180 in 1948 to forget his declaration of never involving in politics. Since then Maududi has often declared Jihad against Qadiyani sect of Muslims (1953) and people of Bangladesh(1971), encouraging his followers to commit murder and rape of all who labeled as enemies. Pakistan govt. and political eladers has often used the angry mob led by Maududi to create hype among the muslim people to join in so called "jihad" or whatever war they needed man power in.

In 1971 Jamaat-e-Islami warranted that people who wants an independent Bangladesh are infidels and killing and rape of such population is justified in the Islam defined per their doctrine. These open warrant and encouragement resulted in 3,000,000 million people killed and 400,000 women raped by the Pakistani army aided by the peace committee members, formed by Jamaat-e Islami's senior and their student wing members. More details of these atrocities are available with documents in www.genocidebangladesh.org The numbers alone cannot portray the psychotic killing spree they undertook. After the liberation war ended Jamaat-e-Islami was banned in Bangladesh as the party that is oppose to the country's sovereignty and their top leaders citizenship cancelled.

Turns of political events saw Jamat-e-Islami leaders allowed to return to Bangladesh and reestablish their political organization in 1978. Within 3 years of being allowed as a political party, they resumed their practice of violence. In March of 1981, Shibir activists, sudent wing of Jamaat-e- Islami hacks to death the newly elected AGS of Chhatra league of Chittagong City College. As he cried for water with his last few breath, one of the killers pissed on his face. This was just the beginning, as in the following years Shibir cadres murdered 33 persons and mutilated nearly 200 persons, as chronicled in these investigative reports and well researched blog entries (সহীহ শিবিরনামা , translation avaialble in Shibir-Unveiled) . One can note from the documented killings that often their favorite method of killing was slaughtering, which clearly indicates these were no crimes of heated moments, but carried out with precise planning and efficiency, so as to use minimal resource to maximize the terror. They operated on an ideology they believed is to help them achieve a reign of terror as they vehemently carried out their killing in public in front of countess witnesses or proudly paraded around with limbs they cut off from their victims.
The other common mutilation technique associated with Jamaat Shibir is vein-cutting. Often this is carried out by the Shibir cadres with the intention to kill the person by bleeding them to death, which has often been the case. Even if the victim survives they are paralyzed forever. To depict a few of such attacks, quoting the blog "Sept 19,1999: A talented cricket player and Chatra Moitri leader Jubayed ChowdhuryRimu was killed by outsider Shibir cadres in Rajshahi University as they cut his veins andstabbed multiple times. " or "1994:Shibir activists cut away the wrist of Chatra Moitri leader Prodyut Rudra as he was walkingin front of the 3rdScience building to sit for an examination".

In addition to these atrocities in post-war Bangladesh, Jamaat Shibir was also actively involved with illegal arms buisness, which came to light when one such large supply was caught red handed in April, 2004. Jamaat leader Matiur Rahman Nijami has been implicated and held behind bars(Daily Star report ) in the case famously known as " 10-truck arms haul case" where at least ~5000 sophisticated firearms, 27000 hand grenades, 800 rocket launchers and over 10 million rounds of ammunition were being transported to the terrorist group 'United Liberation Front of Asom' (ULFA). Even in the recent days they have staged protests where they directly carried out targeted attack on law enforcement officials.

The fact scarier than the actual act of violence is that the persons, i.e. the Shibir cadres committing this violence are led to believe by the leaders that it is not a crime but an action worthy of praise to uphold Islam(?). Jamaat-e-Islami's manifesto published for the 2008 election mentions that Madrassa based Islamic education will be prevalent and military training to be provided to the young and students to execute upon the 'blasphemy' law. The question is whether a political party that believes in killing, mutilation and rape as a valid measure to spread their ideas can be considered safe for a civilized community. If a political party is so convoluted in their ideas as to support inhuman acts as part of their agenda should they be allowed for the sake of democracy to practice such violent acts or should they be banned for the safety of people, especially when people has extensively spoken out through election as well as protests that they do no want to see such political parties in action.

Reference:
1. Qadiyani Killing of 1953. http://www.thepersecution.org/dl/report_1953.pdf
2. www.genocidebangladesh.org
3. Investigative report on Shibir atrocities: http://www.banglanews24.com/detailsnews.php?nssl=6416a95ebffc360923c5afba37556b62
4. Chronicle of Shibir's killing: http://www.nagorikblog.com/node/248
5. Shbir Unveilied: http://www.scribd.com/doc/125920118/Shibir-Unveiled
6. Report on 10 truck arms- haul case: http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=78433
7. Jamaat manifesto, 2008: http://www.jamaat-e-islami.org/en/articlepdf/110_manifesto%20in%20english.pdf
8. News on Jamaat's promised military training: http://www.newstrackindia.com/newsdetails/48292
9. Recent atrocities by Jamaat-Shibir: http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/countries/bangladesh/terroristoutfits/ics_tl.htm