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RELIGIOUS PERSPECTIVES ON HUMAN RIGHTS

E-Newsletter
Vol.2 No.10
March 6, 2000


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Religious Perspectives on Human Rights is now available online at: http://www.rghr.net

Religious Perspectives on Human Rights is a weekly e-newsletter issued by Buddhist, Muslim, Catholic and Christian Groups on Human Rights, initiated by the Asian Human Rights Commission.

Dear Friends

The heroic struggle of the Bhavani to defend the rights of the minorities and who at the end paid for it with her life provides the setting for the International Women's Day 2000 which falls in the midst of intensive discussions among women all over the world to gather information and assess the implementation of the 12 Critical areas of Concern of the Beijing Platform of Action (1995). Of most relevant interest to our programme is the conclusion reached by the "Claim Women's Human Rights Online Working group". This working group expressed particular concern that some of the major obstacles to the achievement of women's human rights are values, cultural norms, religious beliefs an societal practices that inherently discriminate against women. Nations which are signatories to the Women's Convention CEDAW still condone expressly sex-discriminatory provisions within customary or religious laws. Moreover, rising religious fundamentalism is prompting the repeal of progressive policies on reproductive rights already in place.

In this issue we are presenting some persistent situations in Asia.

Please take note of our new e-mail address: rghr@ahrchk.org

In case your e-mail address is changed please make sure that we are notified.

1) Human rights Path Finders: The case of BHAVANI
2) International Women's Day 2000
3) News in brief

1) Human rights Path Finders: The case of BHAVANI

Bhavani was 45 years old when she was tortured to death. She was a widow, her husband having being dead for 17 years. She belonged to Pulaya a Dalit community. She was a worker with three children. It was her determination to get her children educated and in fact her son is now an under-graduate and the two daughters are pre-university students. She had no property and lived in a poor hut without even a proper door. In the locality where she lived there were six families belonging to another separate caste. The members from these families often raped dalit girls and perpetrated other forms of violence. There was no point in complaining against them; in fact no one dared to complain against them. However, Bhavani was an exception. Her courage led her to the police stations to make complaints against such atrocities. In fact over a period of two years she had made seventy two complaints against these persons the photocopies of these complaints have been carefully kept.

Under normal circumstances her complaints would have come under SC (schedule caste) and ST Prevention of Atrocities ACT. Under these provisions her complaints should have been inquired by a Deputy Superintendent of Police, Dy SP, without delay and the offences are non-bailable . However, surprisingly no investigation has been made regarding any of these complaints and consequently no action has been taken.

On the 1st of January 2000 while Bhavani was returning by bus from work when she realized that there were persons in the bus who intended to harm her. She refused to get down from the bus but was dragged out of the bus by about four persons and was assaulted. She was attacked with the stones taken from a heap of granite kept for road repairs. Later she was dragged to a cashu nut plantation and had a big wooden piece pushed through her private parts. She was left unconscious with severe bleeding.

After some time, having gained consciousness she dragged herself to a nearby house and asked for some water from the woman in the house. She was given water and Bhavani narrated to this woman all that occurred to her giving even the names of the assailants. The woman then telephoned the police, who arrived a little later, took her to the hospital. At this stage too Bhavani narrated her story to the police. At the hospital the authorities realizing how serious she was, advised the police to take her to the medical college hospital, which was turned down by the police. No treatment was given at the hospital either; not even first aid. Again she repeated her ordeal to the hospital authorities.

The family having received the news late, arrived at the hospital about 11 am the next day. The family then took her in a car to the medical college and on the way she died in the arms of her children.

Despite the complaints, the police did not take up this case under the Atrocities Act, as they should have done. The local newspapers did not give adequate publicity to the incident. It was only after the attempted suicide by the youngest daughter in sheer frustration and after a local NGO had taken up the case that the police began to move in the matter. However the police action up to date remains thoroughly inadequate.

Points for pondering: The Anatomy of the tragedy

• The police had failed to act on her complaints. Had they done so, this tragedy would not have happened.
• The police failed to take the wounded person from the local hospital to the medical college hospital as advised by the hospital authorities.
• The hospital authorities did not attend to the victim; not even first aid was administered which would have saved the life of the woman and this amounts to gross medical negligence.
• The local police is apparently protecting the accused. They have deleted the name of NO.1 accused in the FIR. And have deliberately omitted relevant sections to save the accused.

Please note that this is only for your information and that no action is forseen in the near future as the case is pending.

2) The International Women's Day

A Few News Clippings on Women

While some gains have been made in raising the status of women and girls around the world, millions still live in poverty, 600,000 die during pregnancy each year and 600 million cannot read or write, said UNICEF Executive Director Carol Bellamy on Monday.
Testifying before the 44th annual Commission on the Status of Women in New York, Bellamy said that worldwide, at least one in three women and girls have been beaten or sexually abused in their lifetimes. Women and girls are also most affected by armed conflict and by the spread of HIV/AIDS, she said.- Courtesy UN Wire

Iran: Improving the status of women is at the top of the agenda for Iran's new reformist-dominated parliament, a woman lawmaker said Sunday. The new parliament includes more than 100 members sympathetic to women's causes, reports Reuters.
A Mixed Picture For Iran's Women
In contrast to many other Muslim countries, women in Iran can hold public office, preach in mosques and become lawmakers, but they still face many restrictions - courtesy UN Wire Service

Egypt: The Divorce Law goes into effect

Egypt yesterday put into place "one of the Muslim world's most far-reaching reforms of family law" -- the opportunity for women to ask for divorce, reports the New York Times. Courtesy UN Wire Service

Nepal: CeLRRd's Tele-Film " CHHORI" ( Daughter) Released:

A Tele-Film, 73 minutes, focusing on Defective Value System as a root cause of sexual exploitation, including trafficking, is recently released jointly by Ms. Caroline Bakker, chief child protection unit Unicef-Nepal, Dr Rohit Nepali, executive director, SAP-Nepal and Honourable Mayor of Kathamndu City, Mr. Keshav Sthapit. This film is made by CeLRRd to strengthen its mass advocacy aginst trafficking of girls and women for sexual exploitation. The film is directed by Mr. Prakas Jung Karki

Thailand: Thai Activist Says Problem Is Unsolvable

Complicating the issue of child prostitution in Thailand is the problem that "nobody knows how many children" have been forced into the sex trade, "and too few people care," reports CNN.

"There's no way you can solve it. Ten years ago, most child prostitutes were forced into it by their parents," said Montri Sintavichai, who runs a home for child abuse victims. "Now they volunteer ... They don't see themselves as victims." Courtesy UN wire

Bangladesh: Repression Against Women Held Steady in 1999

A human rights organization's annual report shows that repression against women "continued unabated" throughout Bangladesh in 1999, the Dhaka Independent notes in an editorial.
At least 800 women were raped and 500 kidnapped last year. In addition, more than 180 women and girls were victims of acid-throwing attacks, and "well over" 150 were subjected to oppression in dowry-related disputes. Courtesy UN Wire

Pakistan : The failure of Pakistani legislators to condemn "or even discuss" the murder of 29-year-old Samia Sarwar in her lawyer's office in Lahore last year is a case of "blatant political hypocrisy" for a country that ratified the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms Of Discrimination Against Women in 1996, writes Aisha Rahman in the Earth Times. It also "illustrates well how politics can get in the way of human rights and justice for women."
Sarwar was murdered for wanting to divorce an abusive husband, one of many "honor killings" in Pakistan, the Earth Times reports

3) News in brief

• Workshop on the UN Convention on Torture was held with the participation of the members of Hindu, Muslim, Christian/Catholic and Buddhist persuasions. The main thoughts that emerged and action programs drawn up by participants will eventually be shared with you.

• The "Christians Concerned for Burma" has declared the 12th March a global day of prayer for Burma. You may send your messages of solidarity to: ccb@pobox.com

• SRI LANKA - NORWAY-BROKERED TALKS ARE A BREAKTHROUGH

Norwegian attempts to bring peace to Sri Lanka are a "breakthrough" for the country ravaged by bitter civil war, JRS South Asia said. Norway has said it is willing to undertake the challenging task of initiating dialogue between the Sri Lanka government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealam (LTTE). The two sides are now expected to meet in Oslo in March. (courtesy JRS)