NewYork, 28th August 2000

Ambedkar Centre for Justice and Peace, Human Rights Organisation based in Canada with chapters in US and around the world had successfully protested before UN against the so called spiritual conference organised and funded by VHP hardliners, a hindu fundamentalist group responsible for the destruction of Babri Mosque in 1992 December and killings of 2000 muslims in Bombay and hundreds of Dalits throughout India year after year.

The Aim of the NGO was to highlight the hypocracy of the organisors (95% VHP supported Hindu Gurus) talking about the peace in the world on one hand and being responsible for hate crimes against Muslims, Christians, and Dalits, for their killings, destruction, and rapes of their women, child labour-bonded labour in the name of hindu caste system.

Hundreds of signed petitions were sent by Dalit-EGroups network to Kofi Annan protesting that UN should not have got involved into sponsoring such groups like VHP whose aims contradict the UN fundamental human rights instruments.

5 Activists of NewYork area were protesting at 47th street and First Avenue between 12 noon to 4 pm in spite of heavy rain.They hanged the boards front and back mentioning the atrocities committed by the hindus on Dalits in India.

Many copies of Petition were circulated to the people around the UN. This started at 12 noon. Around 1-30 pm a Holland journalist came and interviewed Seema and Ajay Thool. She wanted to know why they were protesting and which organisation they represented. They explained that they belonged to Ambedkar Centre for Justice and Peace and VHP people were totally hypocrites. They were the principal exploiters of Dalits in the name of caste system and practice of untouchability. They are killings dalits, exploit dalit children as a child labour, rape dalit women, all in the name of caste system in India and here they are talking about world peace.

Utpal Bele and Santosh Bhavar and his wife Jotsna were also busy distributing petition copies. There was lot of interest among the UN visitors.

At 2-30 pm another chinese looking journalist came to interview Seema and Ajay Thool. She had also spoken to Tibetian group, nearby protesters for Dalai Lama who could not attend this UN conference due to China's objection.

At about 4pm Ajay approched Gate-Police to submit the copy to Kofi Annan, Secretary General,UN. They were stopped there and were told that his office was closed for 1 week and they should try the next week. This silent protest ended by 4pm.

www.ambedkar.org