CAA Retrospective: International Perspective

Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 has divided the international community just as it did the Indian junta. From concerns about potential threat to Muslims and about police atrocities to geopolitical indifference, different nations have had varied views. Despite everything, a call for peace and resolution through dialogue reverberated.

Crux of the Matter

Bangladesh on Both Sides of the Fence Bangladesh seems likely to be on its feet at the announcement of the CAA and NRC in India as illegal migrants from Bangladesh have been settling in India for long. The exercise of NRC in Assam has rendered many illegal Bangladeshis ‘foreigners‘. Drawing from history, Bangladesh’s PM Sheikh Hasina has voiced concerns over potential violence and cross-border migration as the repercussions of the implementation of CAA and NRC. Attack on Bangladeshi migrants in India has culminated in Bangladeshi people questioning PM Hasina’s stance on CAA. On the flip side, minority and ethical groups of Bangladesh have welcomed this move. There has been a striking decrease in the number of minorities due to religious persecution. The move to inculcate minorities that are religiously persecuted was considered a fulfillment of India’s duty as per several expatriate organizations like Bangladesh Hindu Coalition (USA), Bangladesh Minority Rights Alliance (Canada), Bangladesh Minority Coalition (USA), Bangladesh Minority Council (Switzerland), etc.

Pakistan Tries Nuclear Hyperbole In a very clear stance on CAA, Pakistan PM Imran Khan said the country would not allow Muslim Refugees that flee India if India implements CAA and NRC. He said CAA-NRC would result in refugee crisis and might escalate the tensions between the two nuclear-armed nations. He also said that CAA was not in tandem with the bilateral ties both the government has agreed upon. As a matter of fact, the minority population in Pakistan has dropped from 23% to 3% since 1947. In the backdrop of heavy religious persecution of minorities in Pakistan, Imran Khan’s comments on CAA have been criticized by India. The Sikh community of Pakistan criticized the law citing it as a divisive one. Hindu lawmakers from Pakistan have lashed the government’s move as a political agenda. They said the Indian government must not start the refugee crisis.

China on CAA Chinese Consulate General stated that CAA was India’s internal matter. One of China’s newspaper said that the Indian government’s approach of shutting down the internet and mobile phone services were their usual way. The Chinese government has recently been criticized for the persecution of Uighur Muslims, who are in minority in China. China has adopted ways like concentration camps and state-sponsored genetic dilution through forced interbreeding as weapons of persecution.

USA’s Stance on CAA United States’ State Department was of a view that India is a vibrant democracy and discussions and debate on such a sensitive issue was a mark of a democracy that is open and public. State Department had asked the protestors to not indulge in violence and appealed the government to respect and protect the protestors’ right to protest and assemble peacefully. Secretary of State, USA, Mike Pompeo said, “We care deeply and always will about protecting minorities and religious rights everywhere. We honour Indian democracy as they have a robust debate on the issue that you raised.”. United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) raised an objection on the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 on the grounds that the criteria of religion for citizenship contradicts India’s Constitution and secular pluralism. It also asked US to issue sanctions on top leaders of India if the Bill passed in both the Houses. USCIRF had raised concerns when NRC was carried out in Assam and had said that it created a negative and apprehensive atmosphere for the Muslim community in India. Owing to that, USCIRF, like many other opposers of the Act, also was anxious about the speculation that the combination of CAA and NRC might strip the citizenship of many Muslims.

Russia’s Stance on CAA Russia considered CAA as an internal matter of India and appealed to people and authorities to resolve any conflicts through dialogue. It had also issued a travel advisory for people travelling to India and asked people to either postpone their travel or be careful if they are travelling to protest-hit areas.

Middle East Closely Following CAA Saudi Arabia and UAE, heads of the Organisation for Islamic Cooperation (OIC), had raised concerns over India’s decision to pass CAA. The upcoming OIC meeting would also discuss the protection of Muslim community in India, abrogation of Article 370, and CAA-NRC.

United Nations Criticizes CAA & Violent Protest United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres showed apprehension over violent protests and the use of force by police authorities on protestors. The spokesperson of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said that CAA was ‘fundamentally discriminatory in nature‘ and added that India was not following the commitment of equality it’s Constitution outlines – that racial, ethnic, or religious discrimination is prohibited.

NRIs on CAA Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) have had a split opinion on CAA. Many NRIs in educational institutes in USA, Germany, etc. have shown concerns over the Act by citing it as a discriminatory one and have condemned police brutality. However, Indian-Americans flocked at Times Square, New York to show their support towards CAA. Pro CAA demonstrators were held in various cities across US to ‘dispel the misinformation and myths‘ on the law.

Curiopedia

Religious Persecution Persecution of Hindus – Hindus have been one of the targeted and persecuted minorities in Pakistan. Militancy and sectarianism has been rising in Pakistan since the 1990s, and the religious minorities have “borne the brunt of the Islamist’s ferocity” suffering “greater persecution than in any earlier decade”. Similar concerns about religious persecution of Hindu and other minorities in Bangladesh have also been expressed. The USCIRF notes hundreds of cases of “killings, attempted killings, death threats, assaults, rapes, kidnappings, and attacks on homes, businesses, and places of worship” on religious minorities in 2017. Since the 1990s, Hindus have been a persecuted minority in Afghanistan, and a subject of “intense hate” with the rise of religious fundamentalism in Afghanistan. Hindus also became the victim of the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War. In USA, a series of attacks were made on people Indian origin by a street gang called the “Dotbusters” in New Jersey in 1987, the dot signifying the Bindi dot sticker worn on the forehead by Indian women. More Info Persecution of Buddhists – Persecution of Buddhists was a widespread phenomenon throughout the history of Buddhism lasting to this day. Anti-Buddhist sentiments in Imperial China between the 5th and 10th century led to the Four Buddhist Persecutions in China of which the Great Anti-Buddhist Persecution of 845 was probably the most severe. In the 20th century Buddhists were persecuted by Asian communist states and parties, Imperial Japan and by the Kuomintang among others. Afghanistan’s Bamiyan Buddhas were attacked by Taliban. Heavy bombing and advanced artillery was used to destroy their sites More Info Persecution of Christians – Even from the beginnings of the religion as a movement within Judaism, Early Christians were persecuted for their faith at the hands of both Jews and the Roman Empire. This continued from the first century until the early fourth, when the religion was legalised by the Edict of Milan, eventually becoming the State church of the Roman Empire. Today, Christians are persecuted in Iran for proselytising. More Info Persecution of Muslims – It is the religious persecution that is inflicted upon followers of the Islamic faith. In the early days of Islam at Mecca, the new Muslims were often subjected to abuse and persecution by the pagan Meccans. Muslims have been targeted for persecution ever since the emergence of Islam, sometimes to the point of being martyred for their faith. In the 20th century, Muslims were persecuted by various governments including Myanmar, France, Italy, China, and many more. More Info

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CAA Retrospective: International Perspective

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