And the sense of entitlement to tribute money is, of course, found in the Qur'an: "Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, (even if they are) of the People of the Book, until they pay the Jizya with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued" (9:29).
"Muslim gang extorting money from minority Hindus in Bangladesh," by William Gomes for Asia News, August 10:
Dhaka (AsiaNews) – Some 20 Hindu families from the villages of Kalibari, Kajir Hat and Keramotia, in the sub-district of Sonagaji, southern Bangladesh, have become the victims of extortions and blackmail by members of the local Muslim majority, this according to representatives of the local Hindu minority. They complain that young Hindu women are being abducted to extort money from their families.
Initially Jafar, Yunus, Saiful, Ripon, and other Muslims set up a criminal gang. Their first deed was to demand 45,000 taka (US$ 650) from the family of Nitia Das, in Kalibari.
When other Hindus resisted attempts to extort money, the gang began persecuting Hindu families in the area’s villages.
They abducted one young woman, demanding a ransom of 50,000 taka (US$ 725) for her release.
In a second case a family had to pay 25,000 taka (just over US$ 360) to get the release of the young woman involved.
A local Hindu, Boloram Das, who is related to the second kidnap victim, said that more threats have been made against local Hindus.
One of the gang members, Yunus, is now threatening to marry a young Hindu woman against her will and that of her family.
“Neither villagers nor police are willing to help us,” he lamented. In addition, “at least 20 Hindu families from the area are unable to go home.”
Human rights activist Dipal Barua said that attacks against minorities are very much on the rise in Bangladesh.
Strongly condemning violence, he called on the government to “take proper actions against the extortionists as soon as possible.”
Restoring to this article a copy (made by me, dumbledoresarmy) of the comments originally made, while we were over at IntenseDebate. (I have omitted comments bearing solely on IntenseDebate's rapid collapse into a sort of Twilight Zone).
INDIAN TIGER said - The slimy green thugs at it again! The only solution is for Hindus in India to reciprocate. The green slimes only understand strength.
DUMBLEDORESARMY said - Some time ago I was conversing with a friend - a lovely lady of Anglo-Indian parentage, the wife of an Anglican priest, in a large city in Australia. Where they were then living, she had migrant neighbours - both from Bangladesh - on either side of her house. One family was Bangladeshi Muslim; the other, Bangladeshi Hindu. The Muslimah, my friend had experienced as almost ostentatiously friendly toward herself; the Hindu lady was more reserved.
My friend told me that she had initially expected that these two women, both migrants to Australia from Bangladesh, would naturally make friends with one another; but as she got to know them both, separately, she discovered to her surprise (I was not surprised!) that the Hindu lady was not simply wary of the Muslim lady - she was genuinely *terrified*.
I told my friend - "do you *know* how the Muslims in Bangladesh treat the Hindus?" I pointed out that the Hindu family would most likely have fled Bangladesh, all the way to Australia, in hopes of *escaping* the cruel Muslim harassment ...and how terrifying it must have been to find that there was no escape, that there were the Muslims, all dug in, right next door, ready to start where they left off, as soon as opportunity arose.
MUHAMMADBEAR said - This comment addresses "Bangladesh: Muslims extorting money, abducting women from Hindu minority."
The religion of extortion and violence is at it again. Forced conversions; extorting money through fear and intimidation; all in a day's work for the Umma.
HUGH FITZGERALD said (quoting) - “throughout history, Islam has demonstrated through words and deeds the possibilities of religious tolerance ..." -- Barack Obama, in his speech to the "world's Muslims" delivered in Cairo.
-RRWEST said - Only if the community believes in the supremacy of Islam and forfeits their freedom of conscience and submits to Islam. That is when they exhibit "religious tolerance" and not before.
Before then, Islamists will remain intolerant of all other religions and support jihad. And "moderate" or "liberal" Muslims will stand by and watch.
-GAYE said - Hugh, is the religious tolerance by muslims in brief periods in history only been for either of two reasons, one being that their numbers were to small to fight the infidels, and the other because the weaponry given was not large enough to do anything...
Their words mean nothing as although lying is bad for a Muslim, Muslims are allowed to in times of war, to the infidel, to further the cause of allah etc, as long as they do not mean it in their heart in other words all the time.. Mohammad lied when it suited him..
-IMNOKUFFAR said - "Throughout history, apologists for islam have demonstrated through words and deeds the endless possibilities of misrepresenting Islam as a religiously tolerant creed to a West that has been thoroughly brainwashed." Obama Balls.
GRAVENIMAGE said - This story has all the horrifying elements one has--depressingly--come to expect: extortion of non-Muslims--Hindus, in this case--accompanied by threats, kidnappings for ransom, further threats to "marry" the kidnapped women, which would involve rape and forced conversion--and, finally, the complicity of not only the entire Muslim community, but also the authorities.
We have seen similar horrors in Egypt and neighboring Pakistan.
And when they meet the smallest resistance from their non-Muslim victims, they expand the persecution. The next likely actions are outright violence and murder against the Hindus, perhaps culminating in driving them out of the village altogether. Appalling.
GREATICON said - "It's happening all over again in bangladesh.
It's a never ending process that is continuing since 1947 partition of india.
The genocide of the 1970's of Hindus and muslims by the pakistani army. During the 1970's massacre the hindu men were killed the women and children were taken as slaves and concubines.
The persecution of hindus continues after bangladesh became independent.
The laws of the country were changed to grab the lands from the hindus under Vested Property Act 1974 and given to muslims.Hindu community have lost 26 million acres of land from 1965 to 2006, while many others were forced to leave the country from 1964 to 2001 because of the communal conflicts and deprivation caused by the Act.
In case of non-compliance there was intimidation and threats to grab lands. Hindus were physically attacked, had their houses looted, temples destroyed and women were raped."
END OF ORIGINAL THREAD FOR THIS ARTICLE.