Rampant tourist murders in India

By Hazel Heyer, Ruhul and Yusuf Dawood l Exclusive

Are certain parts of India more receptive to Muslims tourists than others?

In February 2002, Sakil and Saeed Dawood went to India with their childhood friend Mohammed Aswat and their 18-year-old nephew, Imran. While returning from an excursion trip to witness the beauty of the Taj Mahal, their joyful adventure turned into a nightmare.

Upon entering Gujarat, a roadblock manned by some fanatics stopped the British tourists. Mohammed Aswat, Saeed and Sakil were murdered in cold blood. Imran was stabbed but survived. The doctor who saved the young tourist has subsequently been imprisoned and then forced out of his home and medical practice.

Unfortunately, the savagery experienced by these innocent tourists was not unique. Over that month state sponsored anti-Muslim violence in Gujarat claimed the lives of more than 3,000 innocent men, women and children. Over the same period, the violence apparently triggered by the killing of 59 Hindu people in the Godra incident, has claimed the lives of more than 2,000 innocent Indian Muslims. Over 100,000 Muslims, including hundreds of raped women and injured or orphaned children, are still living in relief camps. The Dawood family has not only endured this terrible tragedy. The grief is compounded by the lack of any serious or thorough Indian police investigation. The family has had to visit the crime scene themselves, find vital clues and collate forensic evidence including the charred remains of bodies.

In September 2002, an attack on the Akshardam Temple in Gujarat killed 29. Significant terror attacks in India, as reported by the Overseas Security Advisory Council, include the March 2004 killing of 14 at a temple and rail station in Varansi; the Black Diwali attack October 2005 in Delhi which killed 66; the five-person militant attack of the Babri Mosque in Ayodha which killed a civilian, the August 2004 bomb blast in Assam which killed 16; a car bomb blast in Mumbai August 2003 killing 60, the May 2003 attack near Jammu which killed over 30, among others. Needless to mention, on July 11, 2006, seven simultaneous blasts (one defused) ripped through the Mumbai Western Railway System between 6.20 and 7 pm local time, killing 147. The Mumbai blasts occurred after suspected Islamic militants set off a series of grenade attacks in Indian Kashmir.

At the time, the country was put on high alert due to increased targeting of Indian tourists in Kashmir. There was evidence of Kashmiri extremist involvement in attacks; plots were uncovered everywhere in India. The bloody incidents were attributed to the Lashbar-e-Toiba Kashmiri Islamic extremist group who are fighting for Kashmiri autonomy. Authorities confirmed tracing their roots to Pakistan, with suspected al Qaeda links.

Were the Dawood’s collateral damaged due to the religious clashes? No one knows for sure. But, according to the US-based charity Human Rights Watch, what happened in Gujarat was not a spontaneous uprising. “It was a carefully orchestrated attack against Muslims. The attacks were planned in advance and organized with extensive participation of the police and state government officials," it said.

Since then, they have created the Dawood Family Justice Campaign from which they voiced out support for an early day motion condemning the murder of the three British tourists in Gujarat.

Later, a Parliamentary motion came out after the fifth anniversary of their murders and requests that the British government pursues justice on behalf of the family through their contacts with the Indian government. The motion comes on the eve of Foreign and Commonwealth Office minister Dr. Kim Howells’ visit to India. Howells recently met with the family and with the Indian Foreign Secretary and has called upon the Indian government to do the ‘right thing’ and carry out a proper investigation with the support of the British police.

To date, the Indian authorities have failed to respond to the UK foreign secretary and prime minister’s queries, straining relations and demonstrating a lack of sincerity. They failed to see how Howells’ initiative to take up this matter provides the Indian government with an ideal opportunity to rectify the situation.

Double standards play a role, as people see it. There are bilateral agreements between the UK and India while a history of cooperation between governments exists. The UK police flew out to India within days of the murder of British tourist Paul Wells. But a lack of investigation in the Dawood case fuels the perception of double standards.

"A proper investigation and justice are core human rights, but we haven’t even had a funeral so how can we move on? Dr. Howells has agreed to take this matter up as a humanitarian mission. We hope and pray that the Indians will do the right thing," said Ismail Dawood, brother of Imran.

The Dawood and Aswat family members deplore the decision of the Gujarat authorities not to properly investigate these horrific crimes and uphold justice by convicting those responsible. MP Shahid Malik notes that during a home affairs select committee visit Delhi, then Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran, said that he would leave no stone unturned to get justice for the Dawood family. Malik also applauds the recent decision of the United States not to grant a visa to the Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi for severe violations of religious freedoms. The chief minister of Gujarat is the subject of a civil prosecution for Genocide and Crimes against Humanity.

The campaign calls for the Indian government to accept the British government's offer of UK police and forensic assistance.

Howells continues to assist the family via meetings with the Dawoods. He also met with the Indian Foreign Minister Menon earlier this month. Howells’ forthcoming meeting with the Indian government calls upon India as the world's largest democracy and a secular country to be true to the values this campaign entails and to deliver justice for the grieving families of the innocent victims.

The campaign condemns racism in all its guises and calls for reconciliation between people of all faiths in memory of three men, the 3,000 Muslims butchered and the thousands of women raped during the Gujarat massacre, added Shahid.

As of press time, the Indian government has remained far removed from the tourism case.

Printable Version | published May 29, 2007

Important Links

» Home