SYNOPSIS
In 1996, many Afghan people, including members of religious minorities such as Hinduism, Sikhism, and Judaism, fled the country due to persecution. On March 25, 2020, ISIS raided a Sikh place of worship in Kabul, killing 25 people. There were several other attacks on other religious minorities by the radical Islamic group.
This attack started an exodus of minority communities leaving Afghanistan, which was their home for centuries. Focusing on the loss of freedom of religion and security, this document will explore the lives of those who fled due to religious persecution. This documentary features members of the Sikh, Hindu, and Jews minority communities from Afghanistan who have immigrated to the USA and Canada, now Baywatana - Without a home and a country. The documentary further explores their current life as they try to take asylum in the West, the effect of this transition on their mental health, religious persecution in the 21st century, and the healing process after losing their loved ones and roots.
WHY WE HAVE PICKED THIS TOPIC
To tell the Untold Stories of Afghan Sikhs and Hindus
Afghanistan has a long history of persecution and discrimination against religious minorities, including Hindus, Sikhs, Christians, and Jews.
Attacks on minority places of worship in Afghanistan include the bombing of a Hindu temple in Kabul in 2010, which killed at least one person and injured several others.
This situation reached a tragic climax on March 25, 2020, when ISIS attacked a Sikh place of worship, Gurudwara Guru Har Rai Sahib, in Kabul, killing 25 people.
WHO WE ARE?
We are a group of passionate high school students that are a part of the first-ever, youth-run, online TV channel - Nishkam TV We have come together to create a powerful and impactful documentary under the mentorship and guidance of Emmy Award-winning filmmaker, Harbaldeep Singh, in collaboration with the Sikh Coalition. This fundraiser is for a film being created entirely by the students of Nishkam TV. All funds raised through this page will go directly to NishkamTV for the development of this project; the Sikh Coalition is solely providing support, at the request of Nishkam TV.