IMC-USA: Thank US Congresspersons for resolution condemning Modi and his visa revocation

March 19, 2004

The US Congress had introduced Resolution 156 and 160 condemning the persecution of Muslims and Christians by Narendra Modi, the Chief Minister of the Indian state of Gujarat. The resolution was sponsored by Congressmen John Conyers (D, MI-14) and Joseph Pitts (R, PA-16). Subsequently, the American State department denied Narendra Modi, the chief architect of the Gujarat pogrom of 2002, a diplomatic visa and revoked his existing tourist/business visa based on the International Religious Freedom Act.

The resolution and Modi's visa revocation are landmark victories for the Coalition Against Genocide (CAG), of which IMC-USA is a founding member. CAG, a broad-based coalition of more than 35 organizations had led a focused campaign to educate and inform the American public and policymakers about Narendra Modi's complicity in the 2002 Gujarat pogrom and in preventing justice being delivered to the victims of the pogroms. Mr. Modi was invited by his supporters to be honored at the convention of the Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA) in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

CAG's publicity and outreach actions included letters to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, a campaign to inform members of the U.S. Congress, and a phone and fax campaign against MSNBC host Chris Matthews, American Express and the California State University, Long Beach, who were sponsoring and participating events honoring Mr. Modi legitimation during his U.S. visit.

CAG's first success came when Chris Matthews withdrew from the AAHOA convention. Next Congressman Kendrick Meek's (D-FL 17th) withdrew from hosting the dinner reception for Mr. Modi in the convention. Further, the CAG campaign moved Rep. Conyers to introduce Resolution 156 in Congress condemning Mr. Modi and finally led to the denial/revocation of the visas by the State department.

As a follow up to these accomplishments, please call/email/fax the Congresspersons who helped in denying Narendra Modi entry to US. Please also thank Chris Matthews and Congressman Meek for withdrawing from AAHOA's convention honoring Mr. Modi.

ACTIONS REQUESTED
# Contact Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and thank her for denying a visa to Narendra Modi.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
Department of State, 2201 C St NW, Washington, DC 20520
E-Mail: http://contact-us.state.gov/ask_form_cat/ask_form_secretary.html, president@whitehouse.gov
Web Site: http://www.state.gov
Phone: (202) 647-4000; Fax: (202) 647-2283

# Contact Congresspersons Conyers and Pitts and thank them for sponsoring the resolution condemning Modi.

Congressman John Conyers, Jr
DCC Building, Suite 257, 15100 Northline Road, Southgate, MI 48195
E-Mail: John.Conyers@mail.house.gov
Website: http://www.house.gov/conyers/
Phone: (734) 285-5624; Fax: (734) 285-5943

Congressman Joseph R. Pitts
Post Office Box 837, Unionville, PA 19375
E-mail: http://www.house.gov/pitts/service/correspond.htm
Website: http://www.house.gov/pitts/
Phone: 610 444-4581; Fax: 610 444-5750

# Contact and thank Congressman Kendrick Meeks for withdrawing from AAHOA convention

Congressman Kendrick Meeks
111 N.W. 183rd Street, Suite 315, Miami Gardens, FL 33169
E-Mail: http://kendrickmeek.house.gov/contact1.shtml
Website: http://kendrickmeek.house.gov/
Phone: 305-690-5905; Fax: 305-690-5951

# Contact and thank Chris Matthews for withdrawing from AAHOA convention honoring Modi

One MSNBC Plaza, Secaucus, NJ 07094
E-mail: Chris.matthews@msnbc.com, cjamison@msnbc.com
Phone: (201) 583-5000; Fax: (201) 583-5453

# Write to your Representative, talk to them about Resolution 156, 160 and ask them to support Modi's visa revocation.

http://www.house.gov/writerep/

# Please also contact American Express and request them to withdraw their sponsorship of the AAHOA convention

http://www.imc-usa.org/cgi-bin/cfm/actionAlert.cfm?AAID=29

Send copies of correspondence to info@coalitionagainstgenocide.org
Please copy and distribute this alert.

TALKING POINTS

# Congratulate and thank the recipient for taking a moral stand against religious hatred and pogroms and request them investigate the activities of Hindutva hate groups in the US.

# Narendra Modi is the Chief Executive of the Gujarat State Government that was complicit in the massacres and rapes of thousands of people as documented by Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and the Indian National Human Rights Commission (NHRC). The Supreme Court of India's bench statement has rebuked him calling him a 'modern day Nero' for his actions during the pogroms.

# The 2002 Gujarat pogroms specifically targeted women and children and used sexual mutilation as an ethnic cleansing tool.

# Narendra Modi's Government is still persecuting religious and ethnic minorities in Gujarat. Mr. Modi has utilized his position as Chief Minister to foment hatred, mobilize violence, organize police, and intimidate the press.

SEE ALSO:
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c109:H.RES.156:
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/D?d109:1:./temp/~bdsEDT:@@@L&summ2=m&|/bss/d109query.html