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(New York, May 19, 2003) -- Human Rights Watch welcomes the introduction of Senate Resolution 133 as an important affirmation of the need to combat bigotry and bias-motivated crime against Muslims, Arabs, and those perceived to be Muslim or Arab. We hope other members of the U.S. Senate will join this effort to bring attention to bias violence against these vulnerable communities.
As we documented in our report, We Are Not the Enemy: Hate Crimes Against Arabs, Muslims and Those Perceived to be Arab or Muslim after September 11, in the aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attacks, Arabs and Muslims in the United States, and those mistakenly perceived to be Arab or Muslim, became victims of a severe wave of backlash violence, including murder, beatings, arson, and attacks on mosques. This violence was not unprecedented. Over the past twenty years, spates of backlash hate crimes against Arabs and Muslims have been triggered by acts of terrorism associated with Arabs or Muslims and conflict in the Middle East. Indeed, as stated in the resolution, the period of combat operations during the most recent war in Iraq saw a significant increase in anti-Arab and anti-Muslim violence.
Ultimately, prevention of anti-Arab and anti-Muslim violence will require a societal commitment to tolerance and recognition that "guilt by association" has no place in a democracy based on the rule of law. In the meantime, public officials face the challenge -- and the responsibility -- of combating such violence by private individuals.
Official recognition of the existence and heinousness of hate crimes, such as the Senate Resolution, is important. But there are many additional steps that federal, state, and local officials can take to prevent such crimes from occurring. As we recommend in our report on September 11-related hate crimes, law enforcement authorities seeking to prevent anti-Arab and anti-Muslim violence should:
1. Prepare a concrete "backlash emergency mitigation plan" that may be implemented immediately after events that are likely to trigger backlash violence;
2. Increase police presence in areas vulnerable to bias-motivated crime during heightened periods of danger;
3. Create public service announcements urging tolerance; these are especially important during periods of heightened risk of backlash violence;
4. Develop and maintain continuous and open channels of communication with affected communities;
5. Ensure that communities affected by backlash violence are aware of the agencies within their jurisdiction that combat bias-motivated violence and know whom to contact within their jurisdiction in case of hate crimes.
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