---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Anees Mohammed <[email protected]> Date: Mon, Mar 22, 2010 at 11:49 PM Subject: Public Meeting on CVP Bill on Fri, 26th Mar 2010 at Mahim
*Public Meeting* Communal Violence Bill 2009 A Remedy worse than the Malady The need for a law on communal violence emerged from a brutal record of recurring violence in our country, the increasing occurrence of sexual crimes during communal conflagrations, and complete impunity of state and non-state actors for mass crimes. The reasons are many - lack of political will to prosecute perpetrators, State complicity in communal crimes, lack of impartial investigation, and lack of sensitivity to victims experiences. The Government of India, as part of the commitment to the UPAs Common Minimum Programme of the first tenure, is all set to pass the Communal Violence Bill this session of the Parliament. We, as concerned citizens, endorse the need for a law on the issue. However, we are convinced that this Communal Violence Bill 2009, if passed, will not only be weak but also dangerous. It will not only fail to secure justice for communal crimes, make the victims and minorities more vulnerable during communal conflagrations but will actually strengthen the shield of protection enjoyed by those who plan and sponsor these crimes, including public officials. Citizens groups for the last 5 years have highlighted the various flaws in the bill and had suggested amendments. But the basic flaws still exists in the version 2009 of the CVP Bill. We are left with no choice but to take this issue to the masses who have voted a Secular government in the Centre with a hope to witness a country free of communal hatred, to the victims who are yet to get justice even after decades of despair and watching the perpetrators enjoying complete impunity. We invite you to the Public Meeting to be a part of the movement of sensitizing the representatives about the gravity of the issue and the need to legislate the Act with amendments suggested by the various citizens groups. Presided by: Adv Yusuf Muchhala (Association for Protection of Civil Rights) Speakers: Justice Hosbet Suresh (Retired Judge-Bombay High Court) Teesta Setalvad (Citizens for Justice and Peace) Prakash Ambedkar (Bhartiya Republican Party-Bahujan Mahasangh) Maulana Hafiz Athar Ali (All India Ulema Association) Adv Saumya Uma (Human Rights Activist) Mohammed Siraj (Movement for Peace and Justice) Dolphy Dsouza (Bombay Catholic Sabha) Venue: Our Lady of Victories School Hall, next to Sitladevi temple Lady Jamshedji Rd, Mahim, Mumbai-16 Date: 26th March 2010 Time: 6:30pm to 8:30pm Organised by: Movement for Peace and Justice, Bombay Catholic Sabha, Citizens Initiative for Peace, BUILD, Assoc for Protection of Civil Rights, All India Ulema Council, Jamat-e Islami Hind, All India Ulema Assoc., Jamiat-e-Ulema Hind, Milli Council, Focus on the Global South, Ekta (Committee for Communal amity), Centre for Study of Society and Secularism and others concerned -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "humanrights movement" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/humanrights-movement?hl=en.
