FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 6, 2002

Contact: 
Lawrence J. Goodrich, Communications Director, (202) 523-3240, ext. 27
 

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, an independent government agency advising the Administration and Congress, will hold a hearing on Monday, June 10 in Washington, D.C., on "Recent Communal Violence in Gujarat, India, and the U.S. Response." The hearing is scheduled from 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in the Longworth House Office Building, Room 1302.

Background

Recent communal violence in the Indian state of Gujarat has killed at least 1,000 people, the majority of them Muslims. The Commission is holding a hearing to examine evidence suggesting that the violence was carefully planned and involved the state government's officials and police. The information gathered from witnesses at this hearing will assist the Commission in developing further recommendations for U.S. policy.

To date, the confirmed witnesses and schedule are as follows:

9:00-9:15 Welcome and Introductory Remarks by Felice D. Gaer, Commissioner

Panel I:

9:15-10:20 Events on the Ground in Gujarat

Najid Hussain, University of Delaware

Kamal Mitra Chenoy, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi

10:20-10:25 Break

Panel II:

10:25-11:30 The Future of Communal Relations in India and the U.S Policy Response

Sumit Ganguly, University of Texas

Robert Hathaway, Woodrow Wilson International Center