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URGENT ACTION URGENT ACTION URGENT ACTION URGENT
ACTION
ASIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION - URGENT APPEALS
PROGRAM
9 Aug 2005
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UA-138-2005: INDIA: Human rights activist facing death threats for
working with Dalit and Backward Community
INDIA: Human rights defenders;
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Dear friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to bring to your
immediate attention the situation faced by Dr. Lenin Raghuvanshi, a
human rights activist working for the Dalits and the backward class in
Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India. Dr Lenin and his colleagues have been
subjected to death threats from the upper castes to stop working for
the dalit and backward classes.
Dr Lenin has been working in Belwa village, largely
to provide education to children from the dalit and backward class who
have been denied this right by the upper castes. The state government
has not provided schooling for this community despite their
long-standing demand.
The backward classes and the dalits have also been
denied the right to vote. Belwa village and its surrounding areas are
known for booth capturing and election related fraud. During the
February 2002 election, people from these communities were brutally
assaulted when they went to vote. Belwa will hold another election on
17 August 2005. Mr Giri, Dr Lenin's associate has filed his nomination
and is expected to be a strong contender due to his popularity amongst
the backward community.
On August 5, Mr.Rama Sharay Singh called Dr Lenin
on his mobile phone (No: 9415810955) and demanded that Mr. Giri
withdraw his nomination. Around the same time, Mr.Giri also received
death threats in the village where he was working. Once again, on
August 7, Mr Singh called up Dr. Lenin and said that if the nomination
was not withdrawn, Mr Giri and his family would be shot dead.
Dr. Lenin recorded the conversation, made copies of
it and is now meeting the Senior Superintendent of Police, Mr. Brij
Bushan and the District Magistrate, Mr. Gokaran to lodge his complaint.
Dr. Lenin has also faxed a complaint to the Chief Minister of the state
regarding the incident.
In this context, the AHRC requests you to intervene
and call upon the Government of India and the State Administration of
Uttar Pradesh in particular, to provide full protection to Dr. Lenin,
Mr. S. N. Giri and their families. An impartial inquiry into the
incident must also be conducted immediately. Please also urge the State
Human Rights Commission to conduct an independent inquiry into the
incident and make public its report and findings. The district
administration should immediately consider the long pending request of
the Dalit and backward community of Belwa to open a public school for
the children. The National Commission for Scheduled Castes and Backward
Community should also look into the incident, conduct an inquiry into
the situation of Dalits and backward community in Uttar Pradesh and
recommend effective measures to the State as well as the Central
Government in order to put an end to the existing caste based
oppression and discrimination. And finally, the State as well as
National Election Commission should inquire into the incident and take
appropriate action against those who are threatening Mr. S. N. Giri to
withdraw his candidature.
Urgent Appeals Desk
Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC)
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Case Details:
Since 2000, Dr. Lenin has been working with the
dalits and the backward community in Belwa village, under the
jurisdiction of the Phoolpur police station in Varanasi. One of the
issues Dr. Lenin focuses on is education for children from the Dalit
and backward community and the right to self determination for these
community members. Dr. Lenin’s colleague, Mr. S. N. Giri is
also involved in this work. Mr. Giri is an accepted person among the
Dalits and the backward community in the village.
To provide education to the children from these communities, Dr. Lenin
with the help of the benefactor families and with financial assistance
from CRY, an international organisation, has started a local school
where approximately 200 children receive primary education. It is
alleged that the local village head Mr. Ranjedra Thiwari, who has held
this position for the last 27 years, is opposed to the presence of this
school. Since the post of the village head has been reserved for a
woman, Mr. Thiwari’s wife is holding the post. It is also
alleged that Mr. Thiwari in the past has publicly declared that the
children from the Dalit and backward community do not have a right to
education and that no one from this community has the right to cast
their vote in any election. Mr. Thiwari comes from the upper Brahmin
caste.
It is alleged that owing allegiance to the pressure from the upper
caste community, the state government has not provided any school for
the lower caste and backward community in this village despite their
long pending demand. These children are also not permitted to attend
other schools. On 26 August 2003, Dr. Lenin and his colleagues,
together with the support from the local lower caste and backward
community, organised a protest before the Sub Divisional Magistrate in
Varanasi. Dr. Lenin was immediately arrested and detained by the
authorities. The Sub Divisional Magistrate also comes from the same
caste as Mr. Thiwari. Dr. Lenin was released after four hours of
detention following a huge outcry from individuals and groups within
the national and international community.
This village and its surrounding places are known
for booth capturing and election fraud. In 2001, a people’s
tribunal headed by Mr. Justice Sukumaran concluded after a public
hearing that there is a clear denial of the right to vote for Dalits
and the backward community. The tribunal in its report categorically
stated that the police, administration and even the judiciary is biased
against the Dalits and the backward community. Belwa was also in the
news when there was rampant booth capturing during the 21 February 2002
election in which Mr. Ajay Rai was declared elected to the state
legislative assembly. During this election, many people from the Dalit
and backward community were brutally assaulted when they came to cast
their vote. It is alleged that Mr. Rai is known for his involvement in
numerous criminal activities.
Belwa will hold another election on 17 August 2005. Mr. Giri, Dr.
Lenin’s associate has filed a nomination from Belwa and it is
expected that he will be a strong contender in the election owing to
his popularity amongst the poor, Dalits and the backward community. On
August 5 at about 8 am, a Mr. Rama Sharay Singh called Dr. Lenin on his
mobile phone (number 9415810955) and demanded that Mr. Giri withdraw
his nomination. Dr. Lenin responded that to file the nomination and to
stand for election is Mr. Giri’s right and that no one can
object to that. Around the same time, Mr. Giri also received threats in
the village where he was working and therefore immediately went to Dr.
Lenin’s office in Varanasi. At about 8.35 p.m. on August 7,
Mr. Singh again called Dr. Lenin on the same number and threatened that
if Mr. Giri did not withdraw his nomination, Dr. Lenin and his family
and Mr. Giri will be shot dead.
This is not the first time that Dr. Lenin and his colleagues have come
under the line of fire of the upper castes. On 13 November 2001, Mrs.
Durga, an activist associated with Dr. Lenin’s organisation
and her husband Mr. Adya Prasad were attacked by Mr. Thiwari and his
armed men. A month ago, on October 23, Dr. Lenin and his wife Mrs.
Shruti were attacked by Mr. Thiwari’s men for organising an
educational campaign. Immediately after the incident, Mr. Thiwari
called Dr. Lenin and informed him that he would be murdered along with
his family if he continued his work. Mr. Thiwari has also threatened
that he would kill Ms. Asha Devi, a teacher in the local school for
educating Dalit children.
This incident is yet another glaring example of how the upper caste
dominates the lower caste and the backward community in India and
exposes the poor defence that the Government of India continues to use
when challenged on caste issues.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Varanasi and the surrounding region was, in the
past, known for Lord Buddha’s work and his early activities.
However, this region is now known for hardcore and often fanatic upper
caste Hindu religious activities and propaganda. The region is infamous
for upper caste atrocities against the lower and backward castes such
as bonded labour, systematic oppression, feudal systems of punishment
where the entire village is punished in the most inhuman way for
alleged acts of disrespect by the members of lower caste and also for
destruction of statues of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, in Dalit and backward
class villages.
For centuries, education has been denied to the
children from the Dalit and the backward community. Even political
leaders who have been elected in this region have publicly stated that
the children from these communities must not be provided education and
members from this community should not be allowed to participate in
elections. It is within this environment that Dr. Lenin and his
colleagues are working for the Dalits and the backward class.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please send a letter to the following people urging
them to immediately order an impartial investigation into this
incident.
Sample letter:
Dear ___________,
Re: Human
rights activist facing death threats for working with the Dalits and
backward community
I am deeply concerned with the situation faced by
Dr. Lenin Raghuvanshi, a human rights activist working for the Dalits
and the backward class in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India. Dr Lenin and
his colleagues have been subjected to death threats from the upper
castes to stop working for the Dalit and backward classes.
Dr Lenin has been working in Belwa village, largely
to provide education to children from the Dalit and backward class who
have been denied this right by the upper castes. The state government
has not provided schooling for this community despite their
long-standing demand.
The Dalits and backward classes have also been
denied the right to vote. Belwa village and its surrounding areas are
known for booth capturing and election related fraud. During the
February 2002 election, people from these communities were brutally
assaulted when they went to vote. Belwa will hold another election on
17 August 2005. Mr Giri, Dr Lenin's associate has filed his nomination
and is expected to be a strong contender due to his popularity amongst
the backward community.
On August 5, Mr. Rama Sharay Singh called Dr Lenin
on his mobile phone (No: 9415810955) and demanded that Mr. Giri
withdraw his nomination. Around the same time, Mr.Giri also received
death threats in the village where he was working. Once again, on
August 7, Mr Singh called up Dr. Lenin and said that if the nomination
was not withdrawn, Mr Giri and his family would be shot dead.
Dr. Lenin recorded the conversation, made copies of
it and is now meeting the Senior Superintendent of Police, Mr. Brij
Bushan and the District Magistrate, Mr. Gokaran to lodge his complaint.
Dr. Lenin has also faxed a complaint to the Chief Minister of the state
regarding the incident.
I thereby call for your urgent intervention. Please
provide full protection to Dr. Lenin, Mr. S. N. Giri and their families
and immediately conduct an impartial inquiry into the incident. The
State Human Rights Commission should also conduct an independent
inquiry into the incident and make public its report and findings. The
district administration should immediately consider the long pending
request of the Dalit and backward community of Belwa to open a public
school for the children. The National Commission for Scheduled Castes
and backward community should also look into the incident, conduct an
inquiry into the situation of Dalits and backward community in Uttar
Pradesh and recommend effective measures to the State as well as the
Central Government in order to put an end to the existing caste based
oppression and discrimination. And finally, the State as well as
National Election Commission should inquire into the incident and take
appropriate action against those who are threatening Mr. S. N. Giri to
withdraw his candidature.
Yours sincerely,
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SEND A LETTER TO:
1. Senior Superintendent of Police
Mr. Brij Bushan
S.S.P Varanasi
INDIA
Tel: + 91 542 2500441/ + 91 542 2501450
2. Mr. Gokaran
District Magistrate
Varanasi
INDIA
Tel: + 91 542 2508585
3. Mr. Mulayam Singh Yadav
Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh
Chief Minister's Secretariat
Lucknow
Uttar Pradesh
INDIA
Fax: + 91 52 2223 0002 / 2223 9234
4. Justice A.P. Mishra
Chairperson
Uttar Pradesh Human Rights Commission
6-A Kalidass Marg
Lucknow,
Uttar Pradesh
INDIA
Tel: + 91 52 2272 6742
Fax: + 91 52 2272 6743
5. Shri Justice A. S. Anand
Chairperson
National Human Rights Commission of India
Faridkot House, Copernicus Marg
New Delhi-110001
INDIA
Tel: + 91 11 23074448
E-mail: mailto:chairnhrc@nic.in
6. The National Commission for Scheduled Castes and
Scheduled Tribes
Government of India
5th Floor, Loknayak Bhawan
Khan Market
New Delhi 110003
INDIA
Tel: + 91-11 2462 0435
Fax: + 91-11 2462 5378
7. Ms. Hina Jilani
Special Representative of the Secretary General for human rights
defenders
Att: Ben Majekodunmi
Room 1-040
C/o OHCHR-UNOG, 1211 Geneva 10,
SWITZERLAND
Tel: + 41 22 917 93 88
Fax: + 41 22 917 9006
8. Mr. Ambeyi Ligabo
Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of opinion and expression
Att: Ms. Julie De Riviero
Room: 3-042
C/o OHCHR-UNOG 1211 Geneva 10
SWITZERLAND
Tel: + 41 22 917 9177
Fax: + 41 22 917 9006 (general)
Thank
you.
Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC)
Posted on 2005-08-09
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