Expressing concern about the threat posed to democracy and human rights by theocratic groups operating in South Asia.

IV 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. RES. 160 Expressing concern about the threat posed to democracy and human rights by theocratic groups operating in South Asia. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FEBRUARY 28, 2019 Mr. BANKS submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs RESOLUTION Expressing concern about the threat posed to democracy and human rights by theocratic groups operating in South Asia. Whereas Bangladesh achieved independence in 1971 and es- tablished a secular democratic state, which is home to over 163 million Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Christians, and atheists; Whereas this freedom was won at the cost of approximately 3,000,000 deaths, more than 10,000,000 displaced, and 200,000 women raped, many at the hands of Islamist militants led by Jamaat-e-Islami; Whereas Bangladesh plays a critical role in the safe and vol- untary repatriation of over 800,000 Rohingya Muslims who have taken refuge in Bangladesh from religious and political persecution in Myanmar; VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:35 Feb 28, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR160.IH HR160 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 2 •HRES 160 IH Whereas religious minorities, including Hindus, Buddhists, Christians, and Ahamadi Muslims, have been attacked by Jamaat-e-Islami, and their subsidiary Islami Chhatra Shibir, as a result of which hundreds of homes have been damaged, shops damaged or looted, and temples vandal- ized; Whereas Jamaat-e-Islami applauded the assassination of Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer for defending the rights of Asia Bibi, a Christian woman accused of blas- phemy in Pakistan; Whereas Jamaat-e-Islami led funeral prayers for the terrorist who assassinated Salmaan Taseer, during which they prayed for the strength and power to enforce Shariah throughout the world; Whereas Jamaat-e-Islami has refused to accept the acquittal of Asia Bibi on blasphemy charges and worked to prevent her from leaving Pakistan where she faces mortal danger; Whereas Jamaat-e-Islami members have been linked with al- Qaida and the Taliban; Whereas Jamaat-e-Islami and affiliated theocratic extremist groups pose an immediate and ongoing threat to stability and secular democracy in South Asia, leaving religious minorities at grave risk of continuing violence; Whereas the European Parliament adopted a resolution urg- ing the Bangladesh Nationalist Party to unequivocally distance itself from Jamaat-e-Islami; Whereas respected Bangladeshi jurist and political opposition leader Kamal Hossain has publicly called for the Ban- gladesh Nationalist Party to sever its ties with Jamaat- e-Islami; VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:35 Feb 28, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR160.IH HR160 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 3 •HRES 160 IH Whereas various organizations in the United States that re- ceive Federal funds, such as the Islamic Circle of North America, share leadership and are openly affiliated with Jamaat-e-Islami; Whereas Helping Hand for Relief and Development, a reg- istered charitable organization in the United States, openly partnered in 2017 with Pakistan’s Falah-e- Insaniat Foundation, which the United States Govern- ment designated as a terrorist organization in 2016; Whereas repeated attacks on religious minorities, expanding religious extremism, and growing destabilization caused by radical groups, including Jamaat-e-Islami and its af- filiates, undermine United States economic and strategic interests in Bangladesh; and Whereas there is a growing trend of Islamic extremism in South Asia tied to pro-Islamic State of Iraq and Syria activity, with several arrests of Islamists linked with the terrorist group made in recent years: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 1 (1) expresses its sense that the United States 2 should more actively engage with the Government of 3 Bangladesh regarding shared interests in safe- 4 guarding human rights, religious freedom, and sec- 5 ular democracy in Bangladesh, while preventing the 6 growth of religious extremism and militancy; 7 (2) calls on the Governments of Bangladesh 8 and Pakistan to deny, disrupt, and dismantle the 9 ability of Jamaat-e-Islami and its affiliates to con- 10 VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:35 Feb 28, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\HR160.IH HR160 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 4 •HRES 160 IH tinue posing an immediate and ongoing threat to re- 1 ligious freedom and regional stability; 2 (3) urges the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and 3 all political parties to unequivocally distance them- 4 selves from Jamaat-e-Islami and other extremist or- 5 ganizations; 6 (4) calls on the United States Agency for Inter- 7 national Development, the Department of State, the 8 Department of Homeland Security, and other rel- 9 evant agencies, to halt all partnerships and funding 10 arrangements with groups affiliated with Jamaat-e- 11 Islami and its domestic affiliates, including the Is- 12 lamic Circle of North America, ICNA Relief, Help- 13 ing Hand for Relief and Development, and the Mus- 14 lim Ummah of North America; and 15 (5) calls on law enforcement to investigate the 16 activities of Helping Hand for Relief and Develop- 17 ment in Pakistan and Kashmir, including reported 18 collaboration with components of the Pakistani ter- 19 rorist network, Lashkar-e-Taiba. 20 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:35 Feb 28, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\HR160.IH HR160 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS