devika mittal – Manipur News

Save Sharmila Campaign and Mission Bhartiyam: PROTEST AGAINST RAMBAN (J&K) KILLING AT JANTAR MANTAR

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PRESS RELEASE: PROTEST AGAINST RAMBAN (J&K) KILLING AT JANTAR MANTAR New Delhi July 21: On the appeal of Save Sharmila Campaign and Mission Bhartiyam, a protest was organised against the Ramban Massacre by BSF that claimed 6 lives and injured 44 … Continue reading →

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PRESS RELEASE: PROTEST AGAINST RAMBAN (J&K) KILLING AT JANTAR MANTAR

New Delhi July 21: On the appeal of Save Sharmila Campaign and Mission Bhartiyam, a protest was organised against the Ramban Massacre by BSF that claimed 6 lives and injured 44 others.

Save Sharmila Solidarity Campaign is a nation-wide campaign in support of Irom Sharmila and for the repeal of the draconian law of AFSPA. For two years, it has been working to spread awareness, mobilise support and generate political pressure to repeal the law. It is an umbrella of many civil society organisations. The protest was joined and supported by many progressive groups namely AISA, Campus Front of India, Jamia Teachers’ Solidarity Association, NCHRO, PUCL, J&K RTI and PUDR among several others.

The BSF had opened fired on a mob that was protesting against the alleged manhandling by BSF personnel of a local imam, followed by the reported desecration of the Holy Quran the previous night. The following morning, a group of protestors had reached a BSF post in Gool in Ramban district and they were responded with a massacre.

The organisers believe that this shameful and unacceptable incident called Ramban massacre is, however, not a sudden reaction to the protest.

“The Ramban incident is a prima facie case of coercive method adopted by the security personals. It highlights the highhanded attitude of the security forces that they have acquired over a period time due to their absolute powers and the impunity granted to them”, said Ravi Nitesh, founder of Mission Bhartiyam.

“This protest is about this unacceptable massacre, it is to show our solidarity with the victims and demand justice but it has been organised to attack the root. We know that this incident is not the first incident in Kashmir. These inhuman incidents are quite frequent in Kashmir and in states of North East because draconian laws like AFSPA breed them. We are here today to appeal for humanity, to demand the repeal of AFSPA.” remarked Devika Mittal, core member of Save Sharmila Solidarity Campaign.

The organizers believe that real justice for the victims of the massacre will be to attack the “root” cause i.e. militarization and draconian laws like AFSPA that has led to fake encounters, rape and killings of civilians.

“It is unfortunate that these incidents are happening in the World’s largest “democracy”. It is unfortunate that these killings are justified in the name of upholding the ‘integrity’ of the nation. We feel that development, basic civil rights, basic amenities and justice should be used to uphold the ‘integrity’ not torture.” said V Arun Kumar of AISA.

“There is a long list of incidents where security personals of almost all wings have violated the human rights in J&K. There have been fake encounters, torture, rapes etc. in the state but nothing has been done to prosecute the culprits till now. So there is every reason to believe that like other similar incidents before, there will be no action taken by the government against security personals in Ramban massacre too. In such situation the only option left for the democratic forces to raise voice against such injustices”, said Mohammad Tanveer of Campus Front of India.

Asad Ashraf from Jamia Solidarity Students told that “unless and until there is demilitarization, the situation will not improve in J&K. We must know that dissatisfaction is a primary reason for increase in insurgent activities so it’s high time that we think about “their” welfare, not “ours”.

Kaashif who was here from Chhatra Vimarsh magazine, remarked that “How do we take pride in being the world’s largest “democracy” when democracy is not extended to all states within our own country.”

Manjit from PUDR remarked, “It is tragic that Kashmiris are looked upon as “anti-national”, as “anti-Indian”. It is true that there are anti-state slogans in Kashmir but this is because the only symbol of India i.e. the army has created hell in their land”.

The protest was supported by renowned Activists like Gautam Navlakha, Prashant Bhushan, Manisha Sethi and many others. Though they could not be present. they had The protest was joined in by many people from Kashmir and even from states of North-East.

Dr, Muzaffar Bhat of J&K chapter of RTI remarked, “This incident happened in Jammu which is seen to be more “peaceful”. So there cannot be any justification. It shows that the entire Kashmir is under attack. ”

The organisations demands the repeal of AFSPA, it demands the de-militarisation of all civilian areas in the AFSPA-imposed states, to investigate all crimes committed under it, to prosecute the guilty persons, compensate the victims and just initiatives to improve the situation in J&K and in the states of North-East. They will be submitting a memorandum to the Prime Minister, to the Home Ministry and the Ministry of Defence.

For more information, call Devika Mittal +91 9582129927

Glimpses of the event:

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An open letter to NHRC to intervene in cases of human rights violation in J&K and North East

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To, The Chairperson National Human Rights Commission Faridkot House New Delhi 110001 Subject: Request to act in the cases of human rights’ violation in North-East and Jammu & Kashmir Respected Sir, With due respect, we request you to … Continue reading →

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To,

The Chairperson

National Human Rights Commission

Faridkot House

New Delhi 110001

Subject: Request to act in the cases of human rights’ violation in North-East and Jammu & Kashmir

Respected Sir,

With due respect, we request you to kindly consider this as a letter from one human being to another. This is about a situation that NHRC is well-aware of. We know that hundreds of letters, appeals and requests have been sent to NHRC. As members of Save Sharmila Solidarity Campaign, we have met you twice regarding this issue. Sir, the issue remains the same – to save the life of people of North east and Jammu & Kashmir from the demon named AFSPA or Armed Forces Special Powers Act.

It is a fact that the world has acknowledged the struggle of eche Irom Sharmila. They salute her for her sustained faith in the democratic and non-violent way of struggle. She has been considered for the Noble Peace Prize. It is also a fact that UN has also questioned India on the validity of this law. The UN had recognised the horrendous lives that the AFSPA has granted to the unfortunate people of these states. The Government-appointed Jeevan Reddy committee had also demanded the repeal of the law. These are all facts. But these are not the grounds on which we appeal to you.

We appeal to you on a humanitarian basis. Sir, we are not from these states. But this cause does move us, for the reason that we are human beings. It is unimaginable and unacceptable to us the horror in which people of these states live. Every day is a struggle for them to save their life and honour. Sir, you know about the horrendous incidents of the Malom massacre where 11 innocent people including a 60 year old lady and a recipient of the Child Bravery award had died, the Kunan Poshpora incident of Kashmir wherein about 100 women were raped by army men, the Shopian case, the case of Manorama Devi but these are only few cases. There are everyday stories of torture. Everyday is a struggle to escape from the clutches of the army men. The landscape in these states is mapped by army check-points and camps which are impossible to pass without being interrogated. In Kashmir, failing to show the identity card can mean torture, rape or killing. But this does not mean that the house is a safe place. Any moment, the army men can come and raid the house. According to news reports and research reports (enclosed), during the search operations, there have been many reported and unreported cases of sexual assault and rape. The night is most dreadful as the armymen begin their search. In the name of searching for “millitants”, all they do is to raid into villages, break-open doors of any random house and identify the male in the house as a “suspect”. The widows of these “suspects” is also not able to get any state benefit meant for widows because their deceased husband are regarded as militants. We have enclosed several stories. According to a report entitled ‘Manipur: Memorandum on Extrajudicial Summary or Arbitrary Executions’ submitted by the Civil Society Coalition on Human Rights in Manipur and the UN to the UN Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial Summary or Arbitrary Executions reported that 1528 people, including 31 women and 98 children were killed in fake encounters by security forces in Manipur between 1979 and May, 2012.

Sir, you had said that this is the issue of Government and the Government has to take action but Sir, they are clearly not bothered. The report of the Jeevan Reddy Committee had gone to the Government. The State Governments obviously know the situation but still no-one is ready to do anything. So then what? Where do the common people go? Isin’t it the responsibility of NHRC to protect their rights? It is a matter of right to life. Why can’t NHRC do anything? NHRC is an autonomous body. If even NHRC will not take any action, where will the people go? It is not acceptable that a certain section of the population should suffer to save the “integrity” of the nation. And which integrity, Sir? And more importantly, at what cost? The people who are suffering every day, are their lives not precious? are they not human beings? What is their fault? What was the fault of those 11 civilians who were shot dead only because the Assam rifles could not shoot down the militants? Their fault was that they were not privileged like you and me and were born in these states. This was their only fault. Sir, is it acceptable?

We are proud to say that our politics has so many women politicians. We are proud to dub it as “women empowerment” but what about the rapists in army uniform who rape our sisters in Kashmir and North East India. What about Asiya, Nilofar, Manorama Devi and thousands of women who have been raped. What about Irom Sharmila? For 12 years, the lady has been on a hunger-strike and no-one cares. She is accused of committing suicide but is that the case? The lady was not even a direct victim of AFSPA but she has sacrificed her life to repeal the cause because she has seen the horrors. Aren’t you sympathetic towards her? She could have got married, have kids, would have migrated to Delhi or to some other place but she did not do that. She is under house arrest in a hospital. Today, she can’t even talk properly. When she came to Delhi, even though we had only seen her in the photographs, we were traumatized to see her condition. Today, the lady can’t even walk. She has become so weak, yet she has not lost hope. Sir, we feel helpless as we write this letter because there is really nothing that we could do for her and for these people who are suffering only because they had a hard luck of being born in these states. They are no different from me or from anyone else in this country, then why do they have to suffer? A kashmiri youth had said that, “While you people grew up playing, we grew up seeing guns.” He also said that in Kashmir, there is an increasing no. of blind youths as the army men fire pellets into their eyes if they protest against any extra-judicial killing, murder or rape.

Is this inhumanity acceptable? Should we turn blind to their sufferings? Should we turn deaf to the screams and wails of mothers, widows and children? What about our own conscience?

As about the law, is this the way to “integrate” the nation? By torturing innocent people, destroying their lives, rendering them unemployed, how are we integrating the nation? As about the militants, is this the way to deal? The Government should open talks with them, instead of punishing the innocent people for the crimes of the militants. Torturing innocent people, depriving them of basic rights, underdevelopment are also causes that do encourage people to take up arms. The Government should think of “integration” in more positive and humane ways. NHRC must break its silence and speak out.

Sir, we request you to kindly respond and act strictly and immediately on this issue. Please take action through the following ways:

*Send a fact-finding team to all AFSPA-imposed states to investigate into the cases of violence and the affected everyday life of the people.

*The report of the team should be analysed and a document on the validity of the law on account of the human rights’ violation should be made. NHRC can atleast suggest on the basis of evidence.

*The report should be sent to the Government, to the judiciary and other authorities and demand an action. It is not about a law, it is about the lives of thousands of human beings.

Sir, we request you to please intervene to save the life and honour of the people of North East and Jammu & Kashmir. If NHRC will not take action, where will the people go? Please save their lives from this draconian law. Laws can’t be bigger than people.

Hoping for a positive and immediate response.

Thanking You

Regards,

Ravi Nitesh and Devika Mittal

Volunteers of Save Sharmila Solidarity Campaign

* The open letter is being sent by Devika Mittal , contact info devikamittal31{at}gmail.com

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Save Sharmila Solidarity Campaign meets NHRC Chairman

The post Save Sharmila Solidarity Campaign meets NHRC Chairman appeared first on KanglaOnline.com.Press Release Save Sharmila Solidarity Campaign volunteers meet the NHRC Chairperson on 31st July 2012 Save Sharmila Solidarity Campaign (SSSC) is a nat…

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Press Release Save Sharmila Solidarity Campaign volunteers meet the NHRC Chairperson on 31st July 2012 Save Sharmila Solidarity Campaign (SSSC) is a nationwide protest against the neglect and suppression of Irom Sharmila. SSSC supports Irom Sharmila on democratic and humanitarian … Continue reading →

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Open letter to the Government of India on the issue of victing blaming in the cases of rape, by the society and particularly, by the police

By: Devika Mittal With due respect, I am writing this letter as a citizen of… more »

By: Devika Mittal

With due respect, I am writing this letter as a citizen of a country whose tradition accords the highest honor to women but where she is blamed for cruelty meted out to her. Lately, there has been an increase in rape and molestation cases across Delhi and NCR. But what is more shocking is the attitude that the police have shown towards these cases and the rape victims.

Through this letter, I would like to draw your attention to the attitude that people and particularly, the police have towards rape victims.

*Instead of victimizing and dishonoring the accused, the police have been blaming the victims. Sting operations conducted by many news reporters have revealed the disgusting thinking of the policemen across Delhi and NCR. The policemen have blamed the victims of having a “loose character”. They try to prove that the girl was a sex worker. They say that the woman calls it rape when it’s a dispute over money or when she is forced.

*Another general tendency has been to prove that the girl knew the accused and the intercourse was on a consent basis. They also try to raise the age of the victim, in the case of a minor.

*In the Noida case of a teenage girl being raped in a moving car, the police had even revealed the identity of the victim, putting her future in danger.

*But the most shocking and disgusting attitude has been the remark on the clothes and “behavior” of the victim. The victims have been accused of “deserving” rape. The policemen argued that the victims should have “expected” rape when they wore “inappropriate” clothes or were out in night or went to pubs. The peak of this sickening attitude was reached with the 8 PM curfew for women imposed by Gurgaon police whereby women were asked not to go out after 8.

This attitude of the police is unacceptable and nauseating. The remark about the “inappropriate” behavior by the victim leading to rape is barbaric and illogical. It shows the mental level of policemen. They should be asked to do a compulsory study on rape cases and the psychology of rapists. Studies across the world have revealed the psychology of the rapists on how they select the rape victim. The rape victim is generally a weak-looking or less-confident female. The rapist is not interested in women who would fight back. They look for women who can be easily over-powered. A woman wearing “inappropriate” clothes is far from being the less-confident female. But a more important question is the definition for the “inappropriate” clothes. What is “inappropriate”/”indecent” and who defines it? Is jeans “indecent”? If it is, then what is saree? It is a fact that today saree is the most sensuous piece of clothing. Blaming jeans for rape is not only insensible but also reveals another dimension, which I will discuss in a while. Even if we accept for a moment that jeans and other “inappropriate” clothing leads to rape then are we arguing that women in kurta pyjama do not get raped? If this is the case then there should be no rape case in rural areas because women are “fully covered” there. Women in burqas do not get raped? Then there should be no rape cases in muslim-dominated areas. But this is not true. The policemen should see the statistics, use their brain and then conclude.

Another point is that even if women wear “inappropriate” clothes, is it license enough to be raped? Is this the reality of 21^st century India? In the “modern” society, women do not even have the right to decide what they should wear. There is no connection between rape and clothes. The females in the jarawa community of Andaman and Nicobar islands have remained uncovered for centuries. Do rapes happen there? If they did then at some point of time, they would have started wearing clothes. But this hasn’t happened. It only shows that this link is a societal construct, in favor of men. It is just an excuse.

Regarding the point on the “inappropriate” behavior leading to rape. Women who go to pubs or drink should “expect” rape, according to policemen. What about men? What should they expect? Or is that ‘moral’ restrictions are only meant for women? What is the link between women drinking and rape? It is argued that women who drink or go to pubs are of “loose character”. What about men? What character do they have? What exactly is “loose character” and who defines it? If I am not wrong, some centuries back, woman going out to work was also not “proper” and meant that these women were of “loose character”. It was assumed that if they went out, they interacted with men and this interaction may also be sexual in nature. It was basically a fear. A fear that women would do what men has been socially ascribed to do. This assumption has been fading away to some extent but “Loose character” pertaining to going to pubs or drinking is still there. And the same principle applies here. Women are trying to enter into the “man’s domain”. Liberal ideas, drinking, prostitution is a man’s domain. The fear is that of equality. Women are ceasing to be submissive and sub-ordinate to men. They are doing what men do, whether it is ‘morally’ right or wrong. And this is unacceptable to males. Hence, they come up with such notions of “inappropriate” behavior and clothing. So jeans which is a symbol of modernism and liberalism became a target.

Again, the question arises. If going to pubs and drinking means rape then what about the rapes in within the domestic sphere? How will the police explain them? What about rapes in rural areas? In rural areas, women definitely do not go to pubs or drink but they still get raped.

But even if the woman was raped when she was drunk, can rape be justified? She was cheated. So is cheating justified?

The Gurgaon police came up with the “8 PM” rule? Do women get raped only after 8 PM? if, for a fraction of a second, I accept this then I want to ask, If the police knows that rapists are out after 8, then why can’t they do anything? Instead of restricting women, they should ban men from going out after 8. What about women who have to be out for work? What about women in call centres? And how can they issue such a notice in a country which is run by some prominent female politicians? Does this also apply for them?

A general tendency is to prove that the victim knew the accused. What does the police want to prove by this? Even if women knew the accused, she was cheated and then over-powered by him. What was her fault in this? What is the police trying to say? Should a woman stop speaking to men? Because rapists can be anyone – her friend, boyfriend, neighbor, brother or even her father? In date rapes, why is the victim at fault? Is it a crime to have a boyfriend? The woman was clearly cheated by her boyfriend. Isint cheating a crime? She had trusted him. So is trust a crime?

What about minor girls getting raped? Recently, there was a case where a six month old was raped. What about old women? There was a case where a 70 year old woman was raped. So how do they “invite” rape?

There is no relationship between looks, clothing, behavior and rape. They are just excuses given by rapists and the police. Rape is seen as a shameful crime but the shame is reserved only for the victim. The women first get dishonoured by the rapist and then later, when she dares to report it, by the police, the media and the society.

What is her crime? Daring to go out? Daring to work? Daring to speak? Or daring to be born?

I Request you to kindly take appropriate action to curb this barbarism in 21^st century modern India. I suggest the following actions that should be taken:-

*There should be a mechanism to complain against such policemen. The rapist should be able to complain if she meets this sickening, male-chauvinist behavior by police. And speedy and effective action should be taken against them. The policemen should also be asked to educate themselves before speaking up. They should be asked to go through a compulsory course on rape studies and psychology of rapists. Strict action should be taken against policemen who come up with misogynist directions for women.

*A mandate should be issued to the media that the news reports should carry full identity details of the accused.

*National Commission of women(NCW) or any other organization should be asked to open a wing only for rape cases wherein they would monitor the entire process from filing the report in the police station, to getting the compensation. It is practical and the need of the time.

*The compensation should be increased to minimum 10 lakhs. This is in light of the destroyed future of the victim, thanks to the police harassment and social stigma.

Rape and eve-teasing cases can be reduced by changing the attitude of the people and the police. Most of the victims do not go to the police because of their insensitive and harassing attitude. If the police becomes serious, the rape victim would atleast not be ashamed, which she should anyway not be as it is not her fault that she got raped. If the police become serious, the rape cases would definitely reduce as instead of victim blaming, they would go after the accused. Giving excuses and directions to women is not only demeaning to women but also encouraging to rapists who can easily get away with the charge.

It is a sincere request to you to kindly work in this direction. It is unacceptable that the country which is run officially by women, with the president being a woman, treats women in such a horrendous and barbaric manner.

*The Open letter is sent to KanglaOnline by Devika Mittal. She is a Student, MA (Sociology) : SAARC University; Core Member: Save Sharmila Solidarity Campaign and can be reached at devikamittal31{at}gmail{dot}com.