On Saturday, April 14, a rally will be held in support of human rights and dignity for Hindus and Christians in Pakistan. The event will be from 1:30 to 3:30 PM at 1615 H Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20062 – in front of the U.S.-Pakistan Business Council and across the street from Lafayette Square Park. It is a short walking distance from either the Farragut West or Farragut North Metro subway stops. The part of H Street we will be on will be between 16th St NW and 17 St NW, however, the closest intersection will be H Street and Connecticut Ave/Jackson Place.
U.S.-Pakistan Business Council, 1615 H Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20062
The coalition supports our Universal Human Rights for all people, including freedom of conscience for all people in every part of the world.
Organizations represented will include: Pakistan Christian Congress, Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.), American Friends of Balochistan, and other activist groups and individual human rights activists. R.E.A.L. has submitted an Assembly Notification to the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia.
The coalition objects to the efforts to deny universal human rights and dignity to religious minorities in Pakistan. As reported by human rights groups, there are hundreds of abductions and forced conversion cases of Hindus and Christian women every year in Pakistan which go unreported.
You can find out more on these issues at the Pakistan Hindu Post and Pakistan Christian Post.
Recent news has reported on a Hindu family reporting the kidnapping of a 19 year old Hindu girl in Sindh, Rinkle Kumari, who was forced to convert from her religion. The Hindu American Foundation has reported on this as well and the Pakistan Hindu Post issued an online petition to U.S. Secretary of State Clinton, for those concerned about human rights to sign, calling for the U.S. Government to intervene on behalf of Hindu girls kidnapped and forced to deny their religious beliefs.
According to the BBC report, “Human rights activists say that other reported abductions of members of minority communities in Pakistan, which is overwhelmingly Muslim, have not been properly investigated by the authorities.” The Pakistan Tribune also reports on Hindu and Christian girls who have been forcibly converted to Islam.
The Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) coalition calls for the universal human rights of all people, including their freedom, their freedom of conscience, and their right to human dignity. We urge the Government, courts, and the people of Pakistan to act immediately to end abuse of religious minorities, to stop and punish the ongoing kidnappings, and to stop and punish those who would forcibly deny anyone their universal human right of religious freedom and freedom of conscience.
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Event Logistics
Date: Saturday, April 14
Time: 1:30 to 3:30 PM
Location: on the sidewalk area outside 1615 H Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20062 – in front of the U.S.-Pakistan Business Council and across the street from Lafayette Square Park. The part of H Street we will be on will be between 16th St NW and 17 St NW, however, the closest intersection will be H Street and Connecticut Ave/Jackson Place. There is a Starbucks coffee shop near H Street and 18th St NW at 801 18th Street.
Subway / Travel: It is a short walking distance from either the Farragut West or Farragut North Metro subway stops.
Walking Directions from Farragut West Metro
FARRAGUT WEST METRO STATION to H ST NW:
Exit station through 18TH & I (EYE) ST NW entrance.
Walk approx. 2 blocks E on I St NW.
Turn right on Connecticut Ave NW.
Walk approx. 1 block S on Connecticut Ave NW.
Walking Directions from Farragut North Metro
FARRAGUT NORTH METRO STATION to H ST NW:
Exit station through CONNECTICUT AVE & K ST NW entrance.
Walk a short distance S on Connecticut Ave NW.
Bear left on Unnamed.
Walk approx. 1 block SE on Unnamed.
Turn left on I St NW.
Walk a short distance E on I St NW.
Turn right on Connecticut Ave NW.
Walk approx. 1 block S on Connecticut Ave NW.
The part of H Street we will be on will be between 16th St NW and 17 St NW, however, the closest intersection will be H Street and Connecticut Ave/Jackson Place.
Driving and Other Directions and Parking from U.S. Chamber of Commerce Website
Via Metro:
Orange/Blue Line
Get off at the Farragut West Stop
Exit onto 17th Street
Walk towards the Park Place Gourmet (down I Street)
Take a right onto Connecticut Avenue one block to H Street, make a left
U.S. Chamber is on your left (Corner of Connecticut and H Streets)
Red Line
Get off at the Farragut North Stop
Exit onto K Street
Walk across K Street to Farragut Park
Walk south across the park toward the White House
At the Corner of Connecticut and I Streets walk 1 block south to H Street, make a left
U.S. Chamber of Commerce Building will be on your left (Corner of Connecticut and H Streets)
From Virginia:
From 95
Take 95 North (stay in left lane) across the 14th Street Bridge
Stay on 14th Street until I Street
Left on I Street
Left on Connecticut Avenue
Left on H Street
U.S. Chamber of Commerce will be on your left (Parking on I Street)
From Fairfax/Falls Church Area
Take I-66 East to Constitution Avenue
Left on 17th Street
Right on H Street
U.S. Chamber of Commerce will be on your left
From Maryland:
From Silver Spring Area (495) Take 16th Street to DC
Right on I Street
Left on Connecticut Avenue
Left on H Street
U.S. Chamber of Commerce will be on your left on corner (Parking on I Street)
From Bethesda Area
Take Connecticut Avenue to DC
Connecticut turns into 17th Street
Left on H Street
U.S. Chamber will be on your left (Parking on H Street)
From Southern Maryland Area
Take South Capital Street
Left on Independence
Right on 3rd Street
Left on Pennsylvania Avenue
Right on 15th Street
Left on I Street
Left on Connecticut Avenue
Left on H Street
U.S. Chamber will be on the corner (Parking on I Street)
From Baltimore Washington Parkway
Take New York Avenue exit West (Route 50) toward DC
Left on 6th Street (Route 1)
Right on Pennsylvania Avenue
Right on 15th Street
Left on I Street
Left on Connecticut Avenue
Left on H Street
U.S. Chamber of Commerce will be on the corner (Parking on I Street)
Parking Research
For those driving, note that some garages are not open on Saturday.
I have found the following nearby Parking garages state they have Saturday hours:
— COLONIAL Parking. 1620 I St NW (bet. 16th St NW-17th St NW) – 202-295-8200 – I talked to them and confirmed this on the phone
— MID-TOWN Parking. 1750 K St NW (bet. 17th St NW-18th St NW) — NOTE: they close at 4 PM. 202-775-8819 – I talked to them and confirmed this on the phone
— CENTRAL Parking System. 1625 I St NW (bet. 16th St NW-17th St NW)
— I am also told there is another COLONIAL Parking lot at 1775 I St NW (bet. 17th St NW-18th St NW) – I spoke to a COLONIAL Parking attendant on the telephone that says it is open, but the Internet site for it says that it is not open
