By far the crowning event of my recent visit to Pakistan was a meeting with Julius Salik. A towering figure in the history of Pakistani activism, J Salik has fought all his life for the rights of the poor and the weak. He has now launched a more ambitious and revolutionary project: The World Minorities Alliance.
Simply focused on the rights of minorities all over the world, WMA describes its mission in the following words:
The World Minorities Alliance would be a single such platform that gives thought to the problems of all minorities and seeks their solution. It aims at projecting the issues irritating the minorities in the very same country they lived in. Every individual living anywhere in the world can become a member of the World Minorities Alliance.
As we sat and talked about the possibilities of this organization, over a cup of tea, I could see that J Salik has finally launched a project which, if successful, would become his ultimate legacy. Imagine the possibilities: anyone living in a minority status anywhere in the world would not only get a global platform and representation but would also be able to voice his or her opinions in the world affairs, a world system so obviously defined and perpetuated by the majority populations of nation-states.
In my conversation with J Salik while I was deeply impressed with his committment and his vision, I was also aware the a lot of resources would be necessary to launch and sustain this project. While I have no doubt that he will see this through–he is famous for his resilience–I do hope that those of us who are interested in the issues of minority rights and issues of social justice would also step up and support this important cause.
Personally, I have already done a bit of what I can do and would continue to do more and I implore all of you to support this important organization during its fledgling phase. You can help in may ways:
- Join the organization as members and patrons.
- Pass the word around on your blogs and websites.
- Contribute financially (Contact us for details on this).
Links:
- J Salik: World Minority Alliance.
- J. Salik: Facebook Page.
We will keep posting further updates on this. Meanwhile, please feel free to pass this on and add your comments of support. Thank you all in advance.
Related articles
- Julius Salik: A National Icon (thepakistanforum.net)
- Christian protest on death of Sikander Masih in Islamabad (mumbailaity.wordpress.com)
- Human Rights Council Holds Panel Discussion to Commemorate the Twentieth Anniversary of the Declaration on the Rights of Minorities (indigenousissuesinasia.wordpress.com)
