GENERAL APPEAL (India): Muslim weavers' community in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh faces starvation and lack of social welfare

4 May 2007
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UG-003-2007: INDIA: Muslim weavers' community in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh faces starvation and lack of social welfare

INDIA: Denial of right to life; right to food; negligence of state authority; failure of rule of law
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Dear friends,

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from its local partner the PVCHR, a human rights organisation based in Uttar Pradesh state, regarding the horrible living conditions of more than 100,000 Muslim weavers in Varanasi city of Uttar Pradesh. It is alleged that the district administration and Varanasi Municipal Corporation have totally been failed to provide basic amenities such as road, sewer, schools, hospitals etc in the densely populated community situated in the middle of the city. It is alleged that most of the weavers have lost their jobs due to depression in weaving industry and their children and families are dying of hunger and hunger oriented malnourishment and illness.

CASE DETAILS:

Varanasi is one of the oldest cities in India, situated on the bank of holy river Ganges. City is mostly inhabited by hindus and Muslims. Hindus are in majority but Muslim population is also more than 1 million. Mulim population is highly concentrated in different areas of the city. Most of the Muslim population is engaged in weaving work of famous Baranasi Sarees.

Bajardiha is one of the most densely populated areas in Varanasi city. The total population of Bajardiha is more than 100,000 and most of them are weavers and living in appalling condition. In the concerned weavers’ community of Bajardiha there is only one government Primary school for children’s education, there is no hospital, no road, even there is no pavement in the locality. The sewer system does not work there. Everywhere in the area, stagnant and dirty water of sewer can be seen overflowing. The dump of rubbish is spread around the area which is not sanitary safe for the residents. Due to acute poverty and unhygienic conditions many people of this community, including children, are suffering from TB and Asthma. It is alleged that Varanasi Municipal Corporation is also responsible for the plight situation of the residents of Bajardiha.

Due to breakdown of the economy in the market of Baranasi sarees, weavers' community of Bajardiha have found difficulties to get job and the people are facing imminent problem of starvation. Thousands of weavers have been migrated to other cities leaving their families behind in search of livelihood; many others are involved in menial jobs to feed their families and children.

In another community called Mirzamurad in Varanasi district named which is hardly 5 kilometers away from Varanasi city. People of neighbouring villages of Mirzamurad have also been engaged in weaving of sarees for last several years. Weavers of this area are also facing the same problem of loss of jobs due to breakdown of market.

Most of the villagers in the area of Mirzamurad from different villages like Kardhana, Benipur, Mehdiganj, Ganeshpur, Islampur, Amini, Admapur, Mominpur, Kallipur, Chateri, Manapur, Thatara, etc are engaged in the weaving work. At the advent of summer season, weavers of this area were expecting that the market of Baranasi Sarees will gain momentum and with the increase in the sale of Baranasi Sarees they would be able to get job and their income will increase. But the weavers' expectations proved to be mistaken and their hopes to get out of the crisis of acute poverty even for a while seem to be broken.

Dozens of weavers have already been closed their looms due to fall of demand of Baranasi Sarees and groping the dark in search of their livelihood. It is reported that in the State of Uttar Pradesh election campaign is going on and the candidates from different political parties contesting the election to get elected for State Legislative Assembly and their leaders are spending millions of rupees to win the election by any means but the sufferings of poor workers are not on the agenda of any political parties.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

Majority of the Muslim community in India is living in acute poverty. Muslims in India have deliberately been deprived of education and jobs in government services. Muslim population in India mostly resides in cities and has been involved in different economic activities to earn their livelihood.

It is ironic to know that Muslim population in India has been facing the negligence and indifferent attitude of Indian ruling authorities and local level administrations since independence of India. It has been the root cause of all sorts of backwardness and poverty among Muslim community. They have been subjected to acute exploitation and for this reason despite of hard labour majority of Muslim population has always been deprived of their essential requirements.

Recently Justice Sachar Committee, which was established to improve economic conditions and social welfare of Muslims and other minorities in India, stated that the conditions of Muslims in India are even worse than that of Dalit. Sachar Committee has also recognized the fact that the Muslim community is deprived of all basic amenities and living in horribly poor conditions.

Amidst assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, it has been reported that the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was pledging to implement the Sachar Committee's recommendations for the welfare of Muslims and other minorities. Addressing at the election meeting at Puranpur in Pilibhit, Singh said central government would implement the recommendations made by the Sachar Committee for socio-economic uplift of Muslims.

However, the situation of the Muslim weavers in Varanasi district is hopeless and they have responded that it is only election stunt to attract the Muslim voters. They say that at the time of elections leaders are used to make mere verbal promises and once when election is over no leader turns back to take notice of them.

SUGGESTED ACTION:

Please write letters to the concerned authorities listed below and urge them to immediately intervene in the situation. Please write to the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh in particular so that immediate attention is brought into this matter and to those families that require urgent help.

Sample letter:

Mr. Mulayam Singh Yadav
Chief Minister
Chief Minister's Secretariat, Lucknow
Uttar Pradesh
INDIA
Fax: + 91-522-2230002/2239234
Email: csup@up.nic.in

Dear Sir,

INDIA: Muslim weavers' community deprived of essential amenities of their life dying of starvation in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh

Name of the victims: Muslim residents of Bajardiha, Varanasi city and the residents of Mirzamurad, Varanasi District, Uttar Pradesh
Place of the incidents: 1. Kardhana, Benipur, Mehdiganj, Ganeshpur, Islampur, Amini, Admapur, Mominpur, Kallipur, Chateri, Manapur, Thatara, etc in Mirzamurad area of Varanasi district.

I am writing to express my concern regarding the horrible living conditions of more than 100,000 Muslim weavers in Varanasi city of Uttar Pradesh. I am informed that the district administration and Varanasi Municipal Corporation have failed to provide basic amenities in the densely populated community situated in the middle of the city.

According to the information I have received, more than 100,000 weavers of Bajardiha area situated in the middle of Varanasi city are living in appalling conditions. I am informed that the weaver community of this area is not provided schools, road, clean water, sewer and other basic amenities and dying of starvation and illness caused by poverty and unhygienic living conditions.

I am also informed that in the villages in Mirzamurad area in Varanasi district, people who engage in weaving of Baranasi sarees for last several years are also facing the same problem of loss of jobs due to breakdown of market. I am also informed that the dozens of weavers have already been closed their looms due to fall of demand of Baranasi Sarees and groping the dark in search of their livelihood.

I am also informed that yet after several media reported about the appalling conditions of weavers, Varanasi State Government did not take appropriate actions to ensure the right to food of weavers' community of Varanasi district.

To best of my knowledge, the states have obligation to implement the right to adequate food enshrined in the ICESCR in domestic level under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR). In the General Comment No. 12 for the right to adequate food (Article 11 of the ICESCR), the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights clearly defined about the meaning of the states' obligation that "[T]he obligation to fulfil (facilitate) means the State must pro-actively engage in activities intended to strengthen people's access to and utilization of resources and means to ensure their livelihood, including food security" [E/C.12/1999/5, 12 May 1999, para. 15].

I am aware that India is a state party to the ICESCR. I therefore urge the Indian authorities to fulfil their obligation as a state party to the covenant and take immediate action in ensuring to respect, protect and fulfill the right to adequate food of the people in Bajardiha and Mirzamurad in Varanasi city. I also urge you to take appropriate measures to implement social security schemes to ensure right to food of especially the weavers and other marginalized communities in the concerned area.

Finally, I urge your immediate action to conduct independent investigation into the alleged negligence of the officials of district administration and Varanasi Municipal Corporation authorities, and any other concerned state officers, with a view to holding them liable for the breach of obligations to the people in the area into providing basic amenities and to ensure their right to food.

I trust that you will immediately take an action in this case.

Yours sincerely,

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PLEASE SEND COPIES OF YOUR LETTER TO:

1. Mr. Manmohan Singh
Prime Minister of India
Prime Minister's Office
Room number 152, South Block
New Delhi
INDIA
Fax: +91 11 23016857

2. The Special Commissioner
Samya – Centre for Equity Studies
Secretariat of the Commissioners
R – 38A, South Extension – II
New Delhi – 110049
INDIA
Tele Fax: 91-11-51642147
Email: commissioners@vsnl.net

3. The District Magistrate
Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
INDIA
Fax: 91 5422501450

4. Ms. Mayawati
Member of Parliament
13-A, Mall Avenue, Lucknow
Uttar Pradesh
INDIA
Email: mayawati@sansad.nic.in

5. The Secretariat
The Right to Food Campaign – India
Q - 21-B, Top Floor, Jungpura Extn.
New Delhi – 110014
INDIA

6. The Country Director
World Food Programme
2 Poorvi Marg, Vasant Vihar,
New Delhi 110057
INDIA
Fax: +91-11-26150019

7. The Regional Director
World Food Programme
Unit No. 2, 7th Floor, Wave Place Building
55 Wireless Road, Lumpini, Patumwan
Bangkok 10330
THAILAND
Fax: +66-2-6554413

8. Mr. Jean Zeigler
UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food
c/o Mr. Carlos Villan Duran
Room 4-066, OHCHR, Palais Wilson,
Rue des Paquis 52, Geneva
SWITZERLAND
Tel: +41 22 917 9300
Fax: +41 22 9179010

Thank you.