Please consider this mail as the endorsement for the appeal to release soni sori. Name * Pragnya Joshi Designation/Profession:Researcher * Organisation/Institution : PUCL, Rajasthan * Country : India * E-mail: [email protected] On Feb 27, 2013 9:39 AM, "Kamayani" <[email protected]> wrote:
> *Dear all* > * > * > Do consider signing the appeal drafted by the Solidarity group for Soni > Sori's freedom > > ________________________________ > > > 1) individuals and organisations who will endorse the letter are the > signatories to go with the letter, > 2) the letter will be sent with names of individuals and organisations, > > Those who endorse the letter please give the following details, > * Title > * Name > * Designation/Profession > * Organisation/Institution > * Country > * E-mail contact > All endorsements to be forwarded to Balaji Naraimhan > [email protected]>: > > Dear Ms Gandhi, President of the Congress Party, Chairperson of the > National Advisory Council > > > > We appeal to you as the Chairperson of the NAC and the President of the > Indian National Congress Party, the largest party in Government and the > party which declares that* *“it is for us to ensure that it [the party] > holds out hope for each and every Indian,” to intervene and speak out on > behalf of Soni Sori, an Adivasi woman, a mother and a school teacher who > has been raped and tortured whilst being held in police custody and has > been held imprisoned now for over fourteen months in Chhattisgarh. We hope > that this intervention on your part will lead to Soni Sori`s release by > March the 8th, International Women`s day. By standing for Soni Sori, like > us, you would not be merely upholding rights of a specific woman but for > people of all gender, their civil liberties and human rights. This is what > our Constitution promised us and this is what we need you and your party to > deliver through actions. > > > > In recent months, the eyes of the world have been focused on the rights of > Indian women as a consequence of the horrific rape and murder of a young > Indian woman by six men in December. A previous assault on a seventeen-year > old in July was well publicised because people chose to watch and use their > mobile phones to film the crime rather than go to the young woman`s > assistance or call the police. As International Women’s Day approaches, how > will the world view the position of women in India? However, the finger of > blame is increasingly being pointed at the Indian state, nationally and > globally. There is a danger that these events simply confirm to the rest of > the world the age-old stereotype of South Asian women being so downtrodden > and oppressed that men can act with impunity against them with little fear > of punishment or social condemnation. In fact, the finger of blame is > increasingly being pointed at the Indian state, nationally and globally. > The Indian government not only fails to protect women from sexual and other > types of violence, but in fact sanctions, indeed rewards such crimes when > they are committed by its employees and representatives to silence women > who speak out in defence of human rights. > > > > On the 4th of October 2011, Soni Sori was arrested in Delhi, where she had > fled from her home in Chhattisgarh in fear for her life. Three days later > she was transferred to the jail in Dantewada in Chhattisgarh where there is > compelling evidence that she was tortured and sexually assaulted at the > command of the then District Police Superintendent Ankit Garg. Three months > later, on the Republic Day in 2012, Garg was awarded the Presidential Medal > for Gallantry. Sori continues to be held on a plethora of false charges > including one in which she has been accused of being a courier between the > banned Communist Party of India (Maoist) and the Essar Energy Group which > has mining interests in Chhattisgarh, even though she has recently been > acquitted in several other cases . > > > > Pleas by national and international human rights groups to get Soni Sori > released in time for International Women`s Day 2012 were ignored. Almost a > whole year has gone by and Soni Sori still remains in custody with little > hope of bail for an alleged crime of which there is little evidence. Both > Essar and the Maoists deny that they were parties in the alleged extortion > racket at the centre of this case and although local contractor BK Lala as > well as Essar company manager DVCS Verma were also arrested at the same > time as Soni Sori, both men have been out on bail since early 2012. > Meanwhile, Soni Sori, who is a mother of three children, two of them under > ten at the time of arrest, and should therefore, under the Indian law been > presumed to receive bail, continues to suffer ongoing neglect and abuse in > prison. > > > > Far from being an oppressed and downtrodden woman, as an outspoken critic > of both the Maoists and the mining companies, Soni Sori is being punished > for exerting her democratic right to speak out in defence of her Adivasi > community rather than for a crime she has not even been tried for. She is > being punished by those who would not have the authority to mete out > punishment even if she were found guilty of a crime and the form of her > punishments are not to be found in any penal code anywhere in the world. If > the Indian government is not willing to protect women from the illegal > actions of its own agents when in their custody, then what message is it > sending out to Indian men– that women are fair game just for going out or > speaking out? > > > > The arrest and trial of those that perpetrated the rape and murder of the > young woman in Delhi is to be welcomed. But justice for Soni Sori and > others like her also needs to be seen to be done to send a clear message > that rape and violence against women under any circumstances is > unacceptable. Recently Soni Sorihas been exonerated in four cases. It is > important that Soni Sori be released from jail. It is also important that > government sponsored awards should not be given to representatives of the > State, such as Ankit Garg against whom there is evidence of crimes such as > torture and rape. > > > > Many people, men and women alike, are horrified by the case of Soni Sori > and how it reflects on the Indian government. They are organising events > and protests to highlight such abuses, nationally and internationally. They > will continue until their requests for justice are met. Let this > International Women`s Day be the day when Soni Sori is unconditionally > released and those who committed crimes against her be duly punished for > going against the call of justice. Honourable madam, we request and hope > that you will add your powerful voice to these calls for justice and help > make this happen. > > > > With hopes of an immediate positive action from you > > > > The Undersigned. > > > > (to be released on the International Women's Day) > * > * > * > * > > -- > Adv Kamayani Bali Mahabal > +919820749204 > skype-lawyercumactivist > > Hey folks, coined this term ” Kracktivism “, check out my blog > http://kractivist.wordpress.com/Kracktivism > > Blog for girl child- http://fassmumbai.wordpress.com/ > > Blog for Kashmir -http://kashmirsolidaritymumbai.wordpress.com/ > > Blog for KKM defence Committee- http://kabirkalamanch.wordpress.com > > https://twitter.com/#!/Kracktivist > > https://www.facebook.com/kamayani > > > *I carry a torch in one hand > And a bucket of water in the other: > With these things I am going to set fire to Heaven > And put out the flames of Hell > So that voyagers to God can rip the veils > And see the real goal....... > Rabia (Rabi'a Al-'Adawiyya) > * > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "humanrights movement" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected] > . > Visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/humanrights-movement?hl=en. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out. > > > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "humanrights movement" group. 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