On May 23rd 2001 the Taleban authorities in Afghanistan confirmed that
all Hindus will be required to wear a strip of yellow cloth sewn onto a
shirt pocket in order to identify themselves. They claim that the
measure is for their "protection". The world has faced this before, in
1939 the world was required, at great cost, to rid itself of Hitler's
tyranny, it is not hard to spot his child. Those who fail to learn from
history are condemned to relive it. The Taleban's record on respecting
other religions gives great cause for concern that their ultimate aim,
upon which they are intent, is "religious cleansing". They have already
demonstrated their disdain and intolerance for other religions and
traditions by the desecration and destruction of the ancient Buddhist
statues, our collective heritage, within Afghanistan. Whatever your
religion, or even if you have none, we hope that you will agree that
this fundamentally wrong. Remember, "All it takes for evil to triumph
is for good men to do nothing". Please do not do nothing, add your voice

DIRECTIONS: PLEASE COPY this into a new email message, add your
name at the bottom of this message and forward it to everyone on your
distribution list. If you receive this petition and you find that you will be
the 251st name on it, please e-mail a copy of it to: alastair@om-int.com.
It will then be forwarded to the United Nations.

To The Secretary General, Security Council and General Assembly of the
United Nations.

We the undersigned are appalled by the decision of the Taleban
government of Afghanistan to require all Hindus to wear a piece of
yellow cloth sewn onto a shirt pocket in order to identify themselves.
An individual's communion with God, however they find him, is a matter
of personal conscience and must not be the subject of intimidation or
persecution. The right of everyone to worship as they wish is
fundamental and inalienable. The United Nations was founded in order to
defeat Hitler and his henchmen who required the same from another
religion with all its horrific consequences. It is completely
unacceptable that nearly 60 years later history is repeating itself. We
ask the following:

1. That the Taleban government is made aware in the strongest possible
terms that the world will not countenance this perversion of human
rights

2. That prior to the United Nations and/or its constituent members
granting recognition of the Taleban government this obscene policy is
reversed

3. That the United Nations widen the terms of the trade sanctions
currently in force

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