PRESS RELEASE June 04, 2004: Demonstrators Indentify Donald Rumsfeld as War Criminal

PRESS RELEASE : June 04, 2004

DEMAND TO PUT DONALD RUMSFELD TO GALLOWS

Protest Demonstrators Show Black Flag

RUMSFELD IDENTIFIED AS WAR CRIMINAL & PERPETRATOR OF HEINOUS CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY

Dhaka, Friday 4th June 2004. On the call of Bangladesh Khelafat Andolon, today after Juma Prayer, demonstrators burnt US flag outside the North Gate of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque. People carried Black Flag protesting against US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's ensuing visit to Dhaka tomorrow. Heavily armed BDR (Bangladesh Rifles - border security forces) and police blocked both sides of the road and thwarted the attempt of the demonstrators to bring out and procession on the street.

Outside the North Gate of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque, demonstrators held rally presided over by Maulana Zafarullah Khan, Secretary General of Bangladesh Khelafat Andolon. The rally was addressed among others by Maulana Abu Zafor Quasemi, Maulana Muzibur Rahman Hamidi, Muhammad Abdur Rakib, Maulana Muhammad Hussein and Muhammad Fakhrul Islam.

Maulana Zafrullah Khan accused US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld as a perpetrator of genocide and prison abuse in Afghanistan and Iraq. All circumstantial evidences clearly demonstrate that Donald Rumsfeld is the mastermind of cool-blooded extrajudicial killings, bombing of civilian areas, extreme maltreatment of POWs and gross violation of human rights. He is undoubtedly a War Criminal according to the values and standards set by the European and American cultures. If the Europeans and Americans have any respect for their own values and standards then it is their own obligation to put Rumsfeld to gallows.

He further warned the Bangladesh ruling government of dire consequences of welcoming Rumsfeld to Dhaka. If Bangladesh Government bends to US will and sends troops to Iraq or Afghanistan to work under the blood-thirsty US command, ruling government may suffer the fate of General Ershad who lost presidency after committing to send troops under US command in the pretext of liberating Kuwait.

Maulana Hamidi reiterated with firm faith that the great sacrifices of the Believers of Afghanistan and Iraq can not go in vain. US pride and might shall be trampled and the Divine Rise of Islam and Believers is inevitable. Whoever sides with the US hegemonies shall embrace his evil end. Maulana Quasemi - a key Ulema leader causing the downfall of previous Awami League regime - cautioned the present ruling elite of Bangladesh that they did not do a good thing by resisting procession of the demonstrators today. They are destroying themselves by aligning with the evil US Government.

Demonstrators called for showing black flag to Rumsfeld tomorrow to register their protest against US conspiracies to use Bangladesh forces for his evil end.