Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06DHAKA6540
2006-11-02 09:56:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Dhaka
Cable title:
JAMAAT ISLAMI LEADER BLAMES AWAMI LEAGUE FOR
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C O N F I D E N T I A L DHAKA 006540
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/02/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM BG
SUBJECT: JAMAAT ISLAMI LEADER BLAMES AWAMI LEAGUE FOR
RECENT VIOLENCE
Classified By: Ambassador Patricia Butenis; Reason 1.4(d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L DHAKA 006540
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/02/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM BG
SUBJECT: JAMAAT ISLAMI LEADER BLAMES AWAMI LEAGUE FOR
RECENT VIOLENCE
Classified By: Ambassador Patricia Butenis; Reason 1.4(d)
1. (U) On November 2, the Ambassador and Poloff (notetaker)
met with Jamaat Islami (JI) Ameer and outgoing Minister for
Industry Motiur Rahman Nizami. JI Secretary General and
outgoing Minister for Social Welfare Ali Hassan Mohammed
Mujahid, Assistant Secretary General Mohammed Kamaruzzaman,
and Barrister Abdur Razzaq also attended the meeting.
2. (C) The Ambassador told Nizami the image of Bangladesh had
been badly damaged by the recent violence. She said the
priorities must be to refrain from further violence, and to
hold free and fair elections. She appealed to Nizami to be a
voice of restraint and call on his supporters not to resort
to violence.
3. (C) Nizami praised the Ambassador for speaking out against
violence. He claimed the JI had been victims of AL violence
during the disturbances on October 28 and 29. He said Awami
League (AL) supporters attacked a JI rally near the National
Mosque with oars, bombs, and firearms, and that five JI
supporters died "on that spot." He said that 13 of the 23
people killed as a result of violence over the weekend were
JI supporters. Nevertheless, he assured the Ambassador "we
are motivating our people to maximum tolerance," and stressed
that it was his "solemn duty to ask our people not to seek
retribution."
4. (C) The JI staff showed the Ambassador a graphic
ten-minute documentary video they had produced using TV
footage of the violence. The video depicted several scenes in
which oar-wielding AL demonstrators appeared to be surging
towards JI supporters. One infamous scene showed a crowd of
people beating a man on the ground to death with oars and
sticks. Other scenes depicted people, some soaked in blood,
being kicked and beaten. Another shot clearly showed a
demonstrator on the AL side of the barricades firing a small
firearm at the other side.
5. (C) At the end of the film, Nizami again assured the
Ambassador the JI is committed to non-violence. He said the
JI leadership will continue to urge supporters to refrain
from violence, saying they will only "defend themselves."
BUTENIS
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/02/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM BG
SUBJECT: JAMAAT ISLAMI LEADER BLAMES AWAMI LEAGUE FOR
RECENT VIOLENCE
Classified By: Ambassador Patricia Butenis; Reason 1.4(d)
1. (U) On November 2, the Ambassador and Poloff (notetaker)
met with Jamaat Islami (JI) Ameer and outgoing Minister for
Industry Motiur Rahman Nizami. JI Secretary General and
outgoing Minister for Social Welfare Ali Hassan Mohammed
Mujahid, Assistant Secretary General Mohammed Kamaruzzaman,
and Barrister Abdur Razzaq also attended the meeting.
2. (C) The Ambassador told Nizami the image of Bangladesh had
been badly damaged by the recent violence. She said the
priorities must be to refrain from further violence, and to
hold free and fair elections. She appealed to Nizami to be a
voice of restraint and call on his supporters not to resort
to violence.
3. (C) Nizami praised the Ambassador for speaking out against
violence. He claimed the JI had been victims of AL violence
during the disturbances on October 28 and 29. He said Awami
League (AL) supporters attacked a JI rally near the National
Mosque with oars, bombs, and firearms, and that five JI
supporters died "on that spot." He said that 13 of the 23
people killed as a result of violence over the weekend were
JI supporters. Nevertheless, he assured the Ambassador "we
are motivating our people to maximum tolerance," and stressed
that it was his "solemn duty to ask our people not to seek
retribution."
4. (C) The JI staff showed the Ambassador a graphic
ten-minute documentary video they had produced using TV
footage of the violence. The video depicted several scenes in
which oar-wielding AL demonstrators appeared to be surging
towards JI supporters. One infamous scene showed a crowd of
people beating a man on the ground to death with oars and
sticks. Other scenes depicted people, some soaked in blood,
being kicked and beaten. Another shot clearly showed a
demonstrator on the AL side of the barricades firing a small
firearm at the other side.
5. (C) At the end of the film, Nizami again assured the
Ambassador the JI is committed to non-violence. He said the
JI leadership will continue to urge supporters to refrain
from violence, saying they will only "defend themselves."
BUTENIS