No reference to attacks on Muslim homes and property by Hindu fundamentalists and police in Surat City, Gujarat State in April 1997 could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Sources Consulted

IRB databases

LEXIS/NEXIS

News from Asia Watch

Refworld (CD-ROM)

Research Directorate. Country File April - June 1997

World News Connection

Internet sites, including:

Amnesty International

Asian Human Rights Commission

BBC

"Face to Face With Fascism: Forced Ethnic Segregation, Calculated Violence and the Blatant Misuse of Government Machinery Throttles Democracy in Gujarat" online paper by Teesta Setalvad

Gujarat Online

Hindustan Times

Human Rights Watch

Minority Rights Group

South Asia Human Rights Documentation Centre