The Alternative Press

 

PATERSON, NJ – In a move that officials say is unprecedented, the City Council on Tuesday is scheduled to vote whether to allow a private group to put a monument in a city park. In the past, the city itself built all monuments in Paterson parks, officials said.

Municipal officials have expressed their support of a request by representatives of Paterson’s Bengali community to build a “Martyrs' Monument” in Westside Park. But the proposal has run into some difficulties.

At first, the Bengali group wanted to put the monument, known as a “Shahid Minar,” in a small park on Union Avenue. That park, however, turned out to be a city veterans’ park and a leader of a local veterans’ organization objected to having a monument to non-Americans erected there.

So city officials and the Bengali community members agreed to put the monument in Westside Park. But then a dispute arose among various Bengali groups over which organization would construct the monument and get the credit for doing so.

About 30 Bengalis attended the February 7 city council meeting to weigh in on the issue. They said there were about 30 different Bengali organizations in the Paterson area.  Several of the community members spoke about the unity of the area’s various Bengali groups, but then made comments suggesting there are rivalries between them.

One of the leaders, Khairuzzaman Choudhury, warned the city council not to give the responsibility for the monument “to people who lack the true values of Shahid Minar.’’ Another speaker expressed concern that some groups might exclude others from the monument area.

Council members warned the Bengali groups that they could jeopardize the whole project if they did not iron out their differences.

“Let’s get this straight,’’ said Councilman Kenneth Morris, “nobody can be excluded from going to see this monument. You own the monument, but we own the land and we will not let one group restrict access to the monument.’’

Officials resolved the rivalry issue by saying that one group would go ahead and construct the monument, but all Bengali organizations in the area would have their names listed on a formal city council resolution on the project.

“This thing belongs to everybody,’’ said Azizur Rahman, a leader of the organization that initially proposed the monument to the city.

But then one more controversy arose. City officials told the Bengali leaders they would have to provide liability insurance in case anyone were injured at the monument. Councilman Julio Tavarez objected. “The only reason we’re making these folks pay insurance is because they are different from other folks,’’ Tavarez argued, calling the requirement unfair.

Tavarez’ comments drew swift rebuttal from his colleagues. Council members said the Bengali monument would represent the first time a private organization would be allowed to build a cultural tribute in a city park. Because of that, Morris said, it was important to sets standards, like insurance requirements, that could be applied to other groups that may want to erect monuments. The insurance requirement had nothing to do with race or culture, officials said

“Please know that you are not being treated any different,’’ said City Council President Anthony Davis.

Rahman said his group was willing to pay for the insurance and the council agreed to put the issue to a vote on February 14.

The Martyrs' Monuments, which are common in cities in Bangladesh, pay tribute to the demonstrators who were killed in 1952 by Pakistani police during protests against policies banning Bengalis from speaking their language. That was before Bangladesh had won its independence.