| UPDATE (India): Updates
on death threats to human rights activists working with dalit and
marginalized group in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
UPDATE ON URGENT APPEAL UPDATE ON URGENT APPEAL
UPDATE ON URGENT APPEAL
ASIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION - URGENT APPEALS
PROGRAM
Update on Urgent Appeal
19 August 2005
[RE: UA-138-2005: INDIA: Human rights activist
facing death threats for working with Dalit and Backward Community]
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UP-100-2005: INDIA: Updates on death threats to human rights activists
working with dalit and marginalized group in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
INDIA: Intimidation of human rights defenders
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Dear friends,
The article below includes the updates regarding the death threats to
human rights activists working with dalit and marginalized group in
Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India (UA-138-2005). It shows how your support
gives an impact to improve the protection of the poor and encourage
them to participate in the movement regaining their rights.
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We
could vote after twenty seven years
"It was like getting some water and food after a long starvation. It
was like a rain after long drought…" says Ms. Bhagawathi and
Ms. Kalawathi. They could not hide their happiness after being able to
cast their vote in Belwa Village for the Village Panchayath election
held on 17 August 2005.
For the last 27 years the dalits and the backward community in Belwa
Village in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India were not able to cast their
vote in any election. The upper caste dominated village in Varanasi
District of Utter Pradesh never allowed the lower caste community to
enjoy their right to vote. The reasons are manifold. The lower caste
and the backward community is a source of free labour and faced all
sought of exploitation. The caste Hindus were afraid that if their
slaves were allowed to vote, they would capture power which might
eventually put an end to their exploitation.
For the Village Panchayath election which just concluded on 17 August
2005, Mr. S. N. Giri, an accepted figure and human rights activist
working for the dalits and the backward community filed his nomination
as a candidate. Mr. Rajendra Thiwari, the former Village Headman who
held the post unchallenged for about 25 years immediately realized the
threat to his unchallenged power. He had contested the election
formerly through his wife when the seat was reserved for a woman
candidate. Mr. Thiwari and his men threatened Mr. Giri and told him
that if he did not withdraw his nomination he and his colleague Mr.
Lenin Raghuvanshi of People’s Vigilance Committee for Human
Rights (PVCHR) and their family members would be assassinated.
On receipt of the threat Mr. Lenin of PVCHR contacted the AHRC seeking
for help to intervene in the situation. The AHRC immediately issued an
Urgent Appeal through its urgent appeals network (See further:
UA-138-2005) and also contacted various other local and international
organisations, including the UN bodies calling for immediate protection
of Mr. Giri and Mr. Lenin. The UN responded through its Special
Procedures Branch for Human Rights Defenders. The AHRC also contacted
various government bodies and foreign consulates in India seeking
support.
Due to the immense pressure from various corners, including from local
and international organisations there was a response from the state
government. The person who called Mr. Lenin and threatened him was
arrested and later released on bail. There was a huge police presence
during the immediate days prior to election and during the day of
election. The following statement by Mr. Lenin itself would show how
elections were held in the past and how it was held on 17 August 2005.
I am Dr. Lenin, and I work with the PVCHR, an ngo working for the
dalits and the backward community in Utter Pradesh. This 17th was the
election at Belwa. During the last years no other person were allowed
to file nomination here other than those approved by Mr. Rajendra
Thiwari. This time we asked Mr. S. N. Giri to file in his nomination.
We thought he could give a fair contest since the majority of the
people in this place are dalits and members from the backward
community. They never had an opportunity to participate in the
democratic process. So we thought there should be somebody whom the
members from the dalit and the backward community could trust and could
make their voice heard at places of authority. This would also help to
break the servitude.
Form the day Mr. Giri filed the nomination; we started getting threats
in various forms. Finally when somebody called me over my telephone and
categorically said that all of us involved with the work of PVCHR and
Mr. Giri would be dealt with and that Mr. Giri and myself would be
assassinated, I realized that things have gone too far from what we
could manage. I called up the Asian Human Rights Commission in Hong
Kong and updated them the situation. Later I came to know that they
have issued urgent appeals on our case calling in for support from
various corners.
Support did come in. many people contacted me over telephone and
inquired about the situation which in itself was a great relief. I mean
to say that when you understand that one is not alone, that itself is a
motivation to continue the work. The next day to all of our surprise
the person who contacted me over telephone was arrested by the local
police which had never happened in the past. Those who said that the
police would never dare to touch them and that the police is with them
found that the same police coming up against them. I am sure that it is
not because the police wanted to do so, on their own, but because that
they realized that if they did not do anything they would be exposed.
The police did something which never happened in the past. They came
with public address systems and announced at the upper caste Hindu
areas that if anyone would create confusion and commotion preventing
the dalits and the lower caste from casting their vote they would be
immediately taken into custody according to law. Similarly they went to
the lower caste houses and announced that they are free to cast their
vote and that every protection would be given for them to exercise
their right. This continued for two days immediately prior to the
election.
The day of poling was interesting. The dalits and the backward
community started pouring in from the morning. But initially many stood
behind and watched and once they were sure that no one would attack
them as in the past they formed long queues and cast their vote. One
another interesting element is that the women from the upper caste also
came in huge numbers. Probably Mr. Thiwari was convinced that unless he
let their women to exercise their right he would fail the election. The
District magistrate also came to the place early in the morning and
announced that anyone who disrupts the election proceeding would be
immediately taken into custody and those who attempt armed attack would
be shot.
At about 1 pm some people, whom we suspect are the aides of Mr. Thiwari
tried to cast vote on false names and tried playing fraud. To our
surprise they were arrested and taken into custody. To my memory, but
for this election, never was there an election here which could be
anywhere called as an election. On the election day people employed by
the upper caste candidate would come, take all the ballot papers, fix
the seal of the candidate of their choice and the put it back in the
ballot box and the entire election would be over within a matter of few
hours and those who challenged this never could live in Belwa anymore.
But this time it was different. I do not know how to thank all those
who made this possible for us. Now the question is to maintain the same
calm and peace for the counting, which is coming up next week. I hope
things will go smoothly. This is the result of a collective work.
Dr Lenin Raghuvanshi
The whole example shows when the protection of the poor improves, they
spontaneously participate in the democratic process.
Urgent Appeals Desk
The Asian Human Rights Commission
Posted on 2005-08-19
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