(March 03, 2010) Eight years after the massacre of some 1.500 people in western
India’s Gujarat State, “Citizens for Justice and Peace” - CJP, a group set up in the
wake of the incident to find the truth, held a prayer memorial meeting on Sunday. In
an open letter, the CJP called on national authorities and media to find out, who
was behind the violence and ensure that the guilty parties be tried. In view of the
trial hearings later this month, the letter examined the course of the investigation
and its problems. It condemned again the Gujarat government for its opposition in
recent years to an inquiry by an independent authority, even though that was the goal
of the central government and the Supreme Court. The horrible incident began on
27 February 2002 in Godhra (Gujarat), when a mob of more than 500 Muslims attacked
and set fire to a train carrying Hindu pilgrims. Some 58 people died. In retaliation,
Hindu groups went on a rampage and attacked residents in Muslim areas of the state.
Entire families were burnt alive in their homes. Muslims fought back. Hundreds of
people simply disappeared and their bodies were never found. An estimated 61,000 Muslims
and 10,000 Hindus lost their homes. In the years since the incident, the central
government and the Supreme Court have set up commissions of inquiry to look into the
matter. Currently, hearings are being held to find out, not only who was responsible
for the carnage, but also who was behind the eventual cover-up that tried to smother
the whole affair.