Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource "Voices That Must Be Heard" Articles Description An account of the resource The Independent Press Association (IPA) translates articles from the ethnic press (when necessary) and distributes them via web and fax newsletter to mainstream and ethnic press, government offices, nonprofits, and interested individuals. Voices That Must be Heard was designed by the Independent Press Association staff in New York City in response to the horrifying events of September 11. After Sept. 11th, Voices focused on the South Asian, Arab and Middle Eastern communities in New York. Since February 2002, the project has expanded, selecting articles from the broad range of ethnic and community newspapers throughout the city. Here, the Archive has preserved the Voices collection from its inception until November 2002. VTMBH Article VTMBH Article: Edition 34 VTMBH Article: Article Order 2 VTMBH Article: Title People of Pakistani origin living across the United States feel isolated, and fear arrest and deportation VTMBH Article: Author M. R. Farrukh, Aliya Khan, Javed Kausar, Rana Afza VTMBH Article: Publication Pakistan Post VTMBH Article: Original Language Urdu VTMBH Article: Translator Rehan Ansari VTMBH Article: Section briefs VTMBH Article: Blurb VTMBH Article: Keywords VTMBH Article: Body On the anniversary of September 11th, Pakistan Post surveyed Pakistanis from different walks of life, in different states, seeking comments on being a Pakistani-American today. Many said that the Pakistani community should not hope that the Pakistani government would advocate on the communitys behalf with the Bush administration. Moreover, many said that the community should organize and take its case to the American public, intellectuals and the U.S. government. Other common comments included alienation from this society for the first time; disappointment in the Bush Administration's and the public's abandonment of the principles of democracy; and a deafening silence from all community leaders, particularly religious leaders, who always called for voting Republican. In the year since September 11th, American Pakistanis say, overwhelmingly, that their community is facing an identity crisis. They say that their civil rights issues are similar to those of African Americans in the era before the Civil Rights Movement. Not only are all Pakistani-Americans against terrorism, and none of those arrested has been convicted of such, but their country of origin, Pakistan, is the key ally in the international war against terrorism. Yet, the Bush administration is discriminating against them. How have the events of September 11th affected your lives? is the title of the survey, conducted by the Pakistan Post. One respondent said, Americans should be ashamed at how they are treating people who are allied with them in this cause. It is the blue-collar worker, the unskilled worker, the new immigrant, all members of the working class in the Pakistani community who are being arrested, held for indefinite periods and then deported. Muslims in general are being badmouthed in the media. Those surveyed were very critical of General Pervez Musharraf. Obviously his unstinting support of Bush is self-serving, and it reveals his anti-democratic nature. He has said nothing to Bush about not making American Pakistanis victims of the war on terror. Dr. Arif Muslim, vice president of Pakistani American Association of North America (PAANA) said that all Pakistanis living in the United States are against terrorism, and it is terrible that they are being discriminated against by the administration. Arif Butt, of the Pakistan League of America, said, The events of September 11th were a terrible crime in which tragic numbers of innocents lost their lives. However, innocent Pakistanis are being made to pay a price. Dr. Hussain Shahzeb, of New Jersey, said, September 11th seems to be affecting the Pakistani community more than any other. Discrimination is rising, and Muslims are being looked upon with suspicion. From Houston, Ashraf Abbas said, Pakistanis are with the United States in their war, but somehow the message is not getting through to the administration. The Pakistani community must make greater efforts at communication. A well-known Urdu journalist in New York, Fareedullah Husseini, said, Muslims in America are feeling a sense of unreality, as if there has been a lapse in the rhythm of their everyday life. We were living with confidence here in the United States and now we are not. In Chicago, poet and activist Ifti Nasim says that he is amazed at the administration's targeting of Pakistanis. Shaukat Hayat, a contractor in the construction business in New Jersey, complained of racial discrimination and said that Muslims are facing an identity crisis. Chaudhry Akbar, a limousine driver in Brooklyn, says that he has not felt this alienated in 25 years of living in the United States. We will have to work hard and honorably to prove ourselves to the public, he said. Dilawar Cheema, a cab driver in Washington, D.C., talked of facing discrimination in his work taking fares to the airport. He also said Islam is a religion of peace. An owner of an electronic goods store on Coney Island Avenue, Zulfiqar Ahmed Qiyani, said, The freedom that was the beauty of living in America for me now appears lost. Ahsan Bobby, a human rights activist in New York, says that his American dream has ended. Here too it feels like martial law. He feels brokenhearted after the intense shakedown of the Pakistani community in Brooklyn and Queens by the authorities, a drive which did not lead to a single terrorist conviction. Thousands of Pakistanis livelihoods and living have been affected. Jabbar Malik, chief executive of the Pakistan Association, asked, Why are Pakistanis being targeted out of millions of other illegal immigrants? Farid Khan, resident of Jackson Heights in Queens, said, I used to be in awe of the buildings of Manhattan, I used to look out for them everyday. Now I feel spied upon! Izaz Akhtar of Jamaica-Hillside wishes he had never come to the US. But it is difficult to go back after having spent so many years here, he said. Farzana Jamil of Long Island said, I am afraid for my children as never before. She fears hate crimes, and she is fearful of discrimination in schools and colleges. Aliya Jamaal of Brooklyn said, It is shameful that this country, which champions human rights in the world, should behave this way towards innocents who live within its own borders. Razia Iqbal of Jamaica says that she wishes September 11th was a nightmare she could wake up from. VTMBH Article: Line Breaks 1 VTMBH Article: Date 2002-09-11 VTMBH Article: Thumb VTMBH Article: Article File VTMBH Article: Hit Count 112 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource People of Pakistani origin living across the United States feel isolated, and fear arrest and deport 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. unknown Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. article Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-09-11