UPDATE (India): Another human rights activist threatened for working with Dalits in Uttar Pradesh

Update on Urgent Appeal
11 August 2005

[UA-138-2005: INDIA: Human rights activist facing death threats for working with Dalit and Backward Community]
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UP-95-2005: INDIA: Another human rights activist threatened for working with Dalits in Uttar Pradesh

INDIA: Human rights defenders; Threats and intimidation; Government and police inaction
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Dear friends,

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) writes to inform you that further threats have been made to a colleague of Dr. Lenin Raghuvanshi, who we reported on only two days ago as having received death threats (See further UA-138-2005).

The AHRC has confirmed information that further to this earlier threat to Dr. Lenin and his colleague Mr. S. N. Giri, the same people have now threatened Ms. Anupam Nagvanshi, who likewise works in Belwa Village for the dalits and backward people. On 10 August 2005, Ms. Anupam was surrounded by Mr. Ranjendra Thiwari, his son Mr. Gudu Thiwari and their men, while she was talking to the villagers in Belwa. The following is Ms. Anupam’s statement of what happened:

“I work with Dr. Lenin at the PVCHR. Yesterday while I was working with the villagers in Belwa, I was surrounded by Mr. Rajendra Thiwari, his son Mr. Gudu Thiwari and their men. Then Mr. Ranjendra Thiwari asked me why I was telling the daliths and the backward people in the village that they can also cast their vote in the coming election? He further said why I should worry about the local body election in the village and why I should educate the daliths and the backward community in the village? He said that my work and that of my orgnaisation and my colleagues result in loss of free manpower in the village. They said that the daliths and the members of the backward community do not have a right to be educated and to participate in any election.

They threatened me that they would murder me if I ever dared to come to this village and that they are not happy of outsiders like me and my colleagues coming and talking to the daliths and the backward community in Belwa village. I am scared that these people will murder me even if I am not in Belwa village. Later Mr. Baba Singh, the elected Block Development Head came and met me and said that I am like a daughter to her and that I should never enter Belwa village. I said that I would complain to the police regarding all these to which he said that the police and the administration is only to serve Mr. Thiwari and himself and they would not take any action upon my complaint.”

The situation in Belwa and neighbouring villages is such that the might of the upper caste is prevailing over those working for human rights in the area. Human rights activists are fearful for their lives, particularly since the local administration has not yet extended their support in preserving law and order in the region. The immediate retaliation of the caste Hindus with the support of the local civil administration is to suppress any act that might liberate the dalits and backward community from their servitude.

Despite this incident having been brought to the attention of the state and central administration, no action has been taken by the government agencies to safeguard life and preserve law and order in Varanassi and the surrounding villages, where human rights activists are engaged in working with the lower caste community.

In light of this, we request that you write to the relevant authorities listed below seeking their intervention in this case. The state and central government must take immediate action in this case, including affording protection to Ms. Anupam, Dr. Lenin and Mr. S. N. Giri in particular, and human rights activists in general.

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Sample letter:

Dear _______________,

RE: INDIA: Another human rights activist threatened for working with Dalits in Uttar Pradesh

I write to voice my dismay that yet another human rights activist in Uttar Pradesh has been threatened while the government and police sit by and do nothing. How far must these threats go, before the government or the police are willing to intervene?

On August 10, only five days after her colleagues Dr. Lenin Raghuvanshi and Mr. S. N. Giri were threatened, Ms. Anupam Nagvanshi was surrounded by the same persons who made the initial threat demanding to know why she insisted on educating the dalits and backward people in Belwa Village how and why they should vote. Mr. Ranjendra Thiwari, his son Mr. Gudu Thiwari and their men, threatened Ms. Anupam that if she did not stop her work, they would murder her. When Ms. Anupam spoke to Baba Singh, the elected Block Development Head, he advised her not to enter Belwa Village again and that if she were to complain to the police, the police would not take any action upon the complaint.

Evident from this case and the blatant inaction by the government and police is that the upper caste of Belwa and neighbouring villages are overriding the basic human rights of the dalits and backward people. Furthermore, they are also overriding the rights of other people who choose to defend the dalits and backward people. Not surprisingly, human rights activists are now fearful for their lives and are aware that they cannot rely on the local administration to enforce law and order in the area.

I am aware that this incident has already been brought to the attention of the state and central administration. I am also aware that no action has been taken to safeguard the lives of those who have been threatened in recent days. Again, I ask, how far must these threats go before the state or the central government intervene?

I therefore call for your urgent intervention in this case. The state and central government must take immediate action in this case, including affording protection to Ms. Anupam, Dr. Lenin and Mr. S. N. Giri in particular, and human rights activists in general. An impartial inquiry into the incident must also be conducted immediately.

I also request that the State Human Rights Commission conduct an independent inquiry into the incident and make public its report and findings. 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.

I trust that immediate action will be taken into this incident.

Yours sincerely,

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PLEASE SEND TO:

1. Mr. Mani Shankar Aiyar
Minister of Panchayathi Raj
Sastri Bhawan
New Delhi
INDIA
Tel: + 91 11 23381462
Fax: + 91 11 23386118
E.mail: manishankar@sansad.nin.in

2. Mr. Krishnamurthy T. S
Chief Election Commissioner
Nirvachan Sadan
Ashoka Road
New Delhi
INDIA
Tel: + 91 11 23717027
Fax: + 91 11 23711023

3. Office of the Chief Electoral Officer
Navin Bhavan,
Sachiwalaya
Lucknow
Uttar Pradesh
INDIA
Tel: + 91 522 2238129
E-Mail: slattarpradesh@eci.gov.in / rss1954@yahoo.com

4. Senior Superintendent of Police
Mr. Brij Bushan
S.S.P Varanasi
Uttar Pradesh
INDIA
Tel: + 91 542 2500441/ + 91 542 2501450

5. Mr. Gokaran
District Magistrate
Varanasi
Uttar Pradesh
INDIA
Tel: + 91 542 2508585

6. Mr. Mulayam Singh Yadav
Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh
Chief Minister's Secretariat
Lucknow
Uttar Pradesh
INDIA
Fax: + 91 52 2223 0002 / 2223 9234

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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.