Foundation Against Continuing Terrorism

DESI RTP PRESS RELEASE

Friday, July 22, 2005
Triangle, NC

For Immediate Release
Re: Kashmir Exhibition and Francois Gautier’s Talk

“A Glimpse of a Tragedy Without an End” - Kashmir Exhibition
&
Francois Gautier’s Talk

On Wednesday, July 20th and Thursday, July 21st, hundreds of residents of the Triangle, NC area took advantage of an opportunity to view a unique exhibition on Kashmir titled “A Glimpse of a Tragedy Without an End,” and hear a talk by award-winning and world-renowned journalist and author, Francois Gautier. The exhibition and talk were held at the Hindu Bhavan Cultural Hall on Wednesday, July 20th and at the Duke University’s Freeman Center on Thursday, July 21st. Both events were organized by Foundation Against Continuing Terrorism (FACT) – an organization founded by Gautier – and Develop Empower and Synergize India (DESI).

The Kashmir exhibition is an attempt to highlight the impact of terrorism on the Hindu minority in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. It depicts the plight of the 350,000 Kashmiri Hindus who were tortured, raped, killed, and ultimately ethnically-cleansed from the Kashmir Valley in 1989-1990 by Islamic terrorists. These Kashmiri Hindus have been turned into refugees in their own country and currently languish in refugee camps in Jammu and New Delhi. A highly-educated, secular and tolerant community with an ancient and distinct culture, the Kashmiri Hindus have found little support from the Indian government, human rights organizations or the international community.

Francois Gautier’s talks focused on the history and uniquely tolerant culture of the Hindus. He shared his own personal experiences, as a foreign journalist working in India, explaining how the peaceful, all-inclusive Hindu culture has influenced him. He urged Hindus living in America to take up the cause of human rights of persecuted Hindus in the Indian subcontinent and elsewhere, by highlighting the issue in mainstream American media, talking to their representatives in the Congress and Senate, and participating in non-violent protests and demonstrations. Mr. Gautier was born and raised in France, but has lived in India for the past 33 years, is married to an Indian, and works for Ouest-France, the largest circulated daily in France, and LCI, France’s 24-hour TV news channel. In addition, he writes “The French Connection” column in The Pioneer, and Indian daily, and contributes regularly to rediff.com.

FACT-USA, a registered non-profit organization in the US, is an initiative to raise awareness about the impact of terrorism on innocent people through exhibitions, conferences and other methods. DESI is a new organization in the Triangle, NC area which seeks to highlight issues related to Indian history, culture, society, economy, security and contemporary politics.

For more information about FACT and the Kashmir exhibition, please visit www.fact-india.com www.factusa.org. To learn more about Francois Gautier and his work, please visit www.francoisgautier.com. For information about DESI, please visit rtpdesi.blogspot.com, or email us at

Kashmir exhibition a success in Houston

http://www.outlookindia.com/pti_news.asp?id=319500
SEEMA HAKHU KACHRU HOUSTON, AUG 28 (PTI)

The heart rending pictures depicting the tragic plight of the Kashmiri Pandits, their selective killings, mass cremations, exodus and refugee life since 1990 due to terrorism in Kashmir drew thousands of people at an exhibition here.

The exhibition titled "A glimpse of a tragedy without an end" and designed by journalist and author Francois Gautier, covered the killings and hardships the community has undergone.

Hosted by the Foundation Against Continuing Terrorism (FACT), a non-profit organisation, for raising awareness about terrorism and its affects on the people in India and South Asia, it was on display at the George R Brown Convention Center on August 20 and August 27 and drew over 15,000 people.

The exhibits, according to organisers, had been displayed in various other countries and was brought for the first time to the United States to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the exodus of 400,000 Pandits from their roots in Kashmir.

The pictures, showcased the rich heritage of Kashmiri Hindus, and the violence they have faced due to terrorism.

Many who saw the exhibition, were appalled at the sufferings of the community.

"It is beyond my imagination, how a community can survive and hold on to their culture, especially when barely 8,000 Kashmiri Hindus are left in valley after exodus, said Ashwin Patel, a visitor.

"The scale of the Kashmir exodus was larger than in Kosovo, yet the world remained silent," FACT director Rahul Pandit told PTI. "And, in this whole conflict there is not single mention of the sufferings that these Kashmiri Pandits have faced after leaving their home and hearths back in valley," he added.

Special guests to the exhibit included Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee (Democrat-Texas), Nick Lampson, who is the Candidate for Congress, District 22, and Houston City Council members M J Khan and Gordon Quan.

Earlier, the exhibit had received approval by the House Ethics Committee in Congress prior to its premiere in the Rayburn Congressional Office Building in Washington, DC on July 11.

Terrorism cannot be fought on the streets. It must be dealt with before it affects the lives of innocent people. Kashmir (India) and Bangladesh are an example of what terrorism can do to human life. There are 350,000 Kashmiri Hindus living in camps as refugees in their own country. Bangladesh had 37% Hindu population in 1971. Today there remains hardly 10% Hindu population.



And the world Watched in Silence a Film by Ashok Pandit



And the world Watched in Silence a Film by Ashok Pandit

Foundation Against Continuing Terrorism is an initiative to raise awareness through exhibitions, conferences and awareness drives. FACT will sponsor educational programs for children suffering because of terrorism and have no access to education.
FACT has undertaken an Exhibition on Kashmir created by Francois Gautier, a French Journalist. Subsequently FACT will organize an exhibition on Bangladesh.

François Gautier,
Auromodel,
Auroville,
Tamil Nadu,
(via Pondichery) 605101,
India




FACT
P. O. Box: 540892
Houston,
TX 77254-0892
Email: contact@factusa.org