Compounding Injustice

The Government's Failure to Redress Massacres in
Gujarat

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Afsara, a Muslim woman in her forties, clutches a photo of family members killed in the February-March 2002 communal violence in Gujarat. Five of her close family members were murdered, including her daughter. Afsara's two remaining children survived but suffered serious burn injuries. Afsara filed a complaint with the police but believes that the police released those that she identified, along with many others. Like thousands of others in Gujarat she has little faith in getting justice and has few resources with which to rebuild her life. ©2003 Smita Narula/Human Rights Watch Supplementary Materials India: Gujarat Massacre Cases Sabotaged Press Release, July 1, 2003" "We Have No Orders to Save You": State Participation and Complicity in Communal Violence in Gujarat HRW Report, April 2002 Photo Gallery

Table of Contents

Preface

I. Summary

Impunity for Attacks Against Muslims
Inadequate Assistance for Victims and Continued Anti-Muslim Discrimination
Communalism as a Political Strategy

II. Main Recommendations to Indian Authorities

To the State Government of Gujarat
To the Government of India

III. Background to the Violence

Overview of the Violence
State Complicity in the Attacks
The Sangh Parivar
Distribution of Weapons and Training by the Sangh Parivar
Foreign Funding of Sangh Parivar Activities

IV. Impunity for Attacks against Muslims

The Naroda Patia Case
The Gulbarg Society Case
Non-Prosecution of Rape Cases
Bias in the Courts
The Shah-Nanavati Commission of Inquiry

V. Police Shootings and False Charges against Victims

Police Shootings
False Charges Against Victims

VI. The Godhra Investigation

The Godhra Massacre
The Prevention of Terrorism Act
Uses of "Terrorism"
Godhra's victims

VII. Attack on Akshardham

VIII. Inadequate Relief to Victims

Failure to Provide Humanitarian Assistance
The Forcible Closure of Relief Camps
Ongoing Insecurity of Returnees

IX. Lack of Government Compensation for Victims

Compensation Guidelines
Compensation for Damages to Homes
Compensation for the Death of Family Members

X. Economic Marginalization of Muslims

"Ghettoization"
Discriminatory Economic Boycotts
The Effect on Children's Education and Identity

XI. Communalism as a Political Strategy

The BJP Victory in Gujarat State Elections
Criminal cases against elected officials
Post-election violence in Gujarat
The Targeting of Christians in Gujarat
Anti-conversion legislation
Government-sponsored surveys of Christians
Renewed attacks against Christians
The Recruitment and Targeting of Dalits and Tribals
The Sangh Parivar's recruitment of Dalits and tribals
Attacks against Dalits
Replicating the "Gujarat Experiment" in Other States
The Ram Temple Campaign in Ayodhya

XII. Recommendations to Indian Authorities and the International Community

To the State Government of Gujarat
Justice
Relief and rehabilitation
Legislative and administrative reforms
Security
To the Government of India
To India's Donors and Trading Partners
To International Lending Institutions
To United Nations Agencies and International Humanitarian Organizations
To the Indian Diaspora

Acknowledgments