Rights groups highlight arbitrary killings in India

Civil society groups in South India urged Christof Heyns, U.N. Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, to bring to the notice of the Indian authorities the seriousness of the problem of arbitrary killings in the country.

Mr. Heyns, now on a fact-finding mission in India, interacted with civil society groups from Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka at a meeting here on Saturday by organisations such as People’s Watch and South India Cell for Human Rights Education and Monitoring.

During his India visit, which began on March 19 and will extend till March 30, he is holding such meetings in different regions of the country, besides interacting with government officials, to investigate the circumstances and causes of the killings signifying state repression. His mandate is to alert the government to its legal obligations in upholding international human rights.

Henri Tiphagne, executive director of People’s Watch, Tamil Nadu, narrated to him the circumstances of a string of ‘encounter killings’ in his State by the police. He said a shocking fact noticed was that some of these killings were by officers who had turned ‘habitual killers’ — the same officers were behind more than one encounter killing.

A few relatives of those killed in encounters during the police hunt for forest brigand Veerappan narrated to the U.N. Special Rapporteur the ‘police repression’ they too had to undergo and the blocks in the system to bring them to justice. Advocates fighting for the victims of human rights violations spoke of attitudinal problems among even judges and heads of human rights commissions in the country in seeing human rights violations as a serious crime.

One of them said even persons in the judiciary and national institutions for protecting human rights had been found, surprisingly, to come on record in recent years as stating that “extra judicial killings could not be avoided.”

The police justified encounter killings by projecting the victims as villainous criminals. Officers involved were being rewarded, he said, citing the example of one being made the chief of the police force in one of the south Indian States and in another case an officer known for his violence was selected for the national award.

Film Screening “Look for the Small Print”

Peoples’ Solidarity Concerns-Bangalore invites you to a Film Screening “Look for the Small Print” by Jobin K. Andrews.

For synopsis of the film please go to: https://www.facebook.com/events/257566347653920/

The screening will be followed by a panel discussion on the film which deals with lives of IT workers, the water vows of the city of Bangalore and how especially the working class in general and women in particular are struggling to cope with it.

Venue: SCM House, Date: 3^rd of March 2012. Time5.30pm

INAUGURATION: -
Bishop Dr. Geevarghese Mor Coorilos (Chairperson, Student Christian movement of India)

Raj Bharath Patta of SCMI will be Chairing the proceedings.

B. Suresha. (Award winning film Maker for feature film ‘ Puttakkana Highway”)

Deepa Girish, (Trade Union activist, Garment Workers Union)

Isac Arul Selva (Editor SlumJagattu, Campaigner against Water Privatisation)

Suresh Kodoor (IT&ITES employees center (ITEC)

Jagadish G Chandra (New Socialist Alternative, Editor Dudiyora Horaata)

Diploma Awarding Ceremony 2012

Urging youth to take that big bold step

What are human rights? The government, media and the public seem to take notice only when protest marches are held and slogans shouted. The youth of this generation are probably more aware of human rights than their parents. But are they really keen on doing enough to safeguard the interests of individuals and communities that live on the margins of society?

These were some of the issues raised at the invigorating debate on ‘Are youth the best contenders of human rights?’, organised as part of the annual human rights festival held between December 1 and 10 at St. Joseph’s College of Arts and Science and Mount Carmel College.

“Although we youngsters join campaigns that discuss human rights, we do not do enough. We are happy serving our interests,” says Annie George, an undergraduate of St. Joseph’s College of Arts and Science. But, students Nikita Wadhwa and Azhar Khan feel that the youth have been at the forefront of the Jessica Lal case and the anti-corruption campaign. “Even in Egypt and China, the youth have been revolting against repressive governments,” they say.

The South India Cell for Human Rights Education and Monitoring (SICHREM) and Indian Social Institute (ISI) collaborated with the Students’ Christian Movement of India (SCM), the Association of People with Disabilities (APD) and Ananya-Global Concerns India (a Bangalore NGO working on trafficking issues) to organise this fest.

“Youngsters must act collectively to ensure that people everywhere get their basic entitlements irrespective of gender, socio-economic status, religion or physical or mental abilities,” said Manohar R., head of programmes at SICHREM.

The students conveyed important messages on human rights through street plays, paper collages, and dance performances. The street play on ‘Youth and social responsibility’ portrayed girls fighting sexual harassment, while the paper collages were designed around the theme, ‘Helping hands are better than praying lips’. The dance performance depicted powerful women through the ages. There was also an essay writing competition on the same topic, which got entries from schools and colleges across south India.

The festival included a daylong fast to show solidarity with human rights activists such as Irom Sharmila and a walk. The festival concluded at Town Hall with the organisers and participants holding a candlelight vigil and taking an oath to protect fundamental rights.

Article by PUSHPA ACHANTA, http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-neighbourhood/article2715784.ece

 

Valedictory of the 10 day “Celebrating Rights” – Invitation

Celebrating Human Rights

Solidarity with Sharmila- Repeal AFSPA, 26th November Day of action

Programme details: Hall Meeting @ SCM House (first floor) Mission Road Time 1pm to 3.30pm

• Film Screening:Two Documentaries on AFSPA and the campaign against it.
• Brutality thy name is AFSPA: an update on the struggle by Babloo Loitongbam, Human Rights Lawyer, Human Rights Alert (Babloo is a close associate of Sharmila, involved in the struggle against AFSPA and coordinating the country wide campaign)
• Ahmedabad to Srinagar - Save Sharmila Jatha: A group of motivated  young volunteers are travelling from Sabarmati Ashram to Hazratbal shrine from 23rd November to 3rd December  Faisal Khan one of the yathris would be sharing their experiences to us in the meeting.
• Protest Action @ Town Hall,Bangalore 4pm to 6.30pm

Peoples’ Solidarity Concerns- Bangalore

For More Details call: 09448394365-Jagadish, 07353770203-Dipu, 09845453614-Sasi, 09535037596-Manohar

2nd roundtable discussion at CIEDS

The 2nd roundtable discussion at the CIEDS collective was held on Thursday 1st July. The topic was the potential conflict between the sacred and the secular in Indian society.

The discussion began with an ethereal talk by Professor Engineer, who argued that the sacred and secular are not incompatible, but are in fact part of a continuum. He noted that selflessness, humility and the constant quest for truth are sacred values. Possession of these values therefore extinguishes any distinction between the sacred and secular.

The second half of the discussion moved on from the spiritual quest of Prof. Engineer to more worldly matters, namely the Anti-Cow Slaughter Bill and the communalism surrounding Baba Budangiri. These discussions were led bySudha Sitharaman and Shiva Sundar. The Bill proposed by the BJP clearly does not stand up to the scrutiny of any objective analysis. It would be considered a comic parody, of the worst kind of upper caste subjugation, if it were not actually passing through the legislative process.

 That the authorities can raid your house if they suspect you to be in possession of beef is clearly leaving Dalits, Muslims and Christians vulnerable to the arbitrary will of the authorities. This Bill must be opposed and we urge all people, of all faiths and castes to mobilise against it.

The discussion was thought provoking and informative. We look forward to the 3rd roundtable discussion.   

The speakers who led the discussion

Invitation to Festival of Freedom

Bangalore is celebrating the first anniversary of the historic Naz Foundation decision that decriminalised homosexuality in India with 2 public events that will be organised on July 1st (Thursday) and July 2nd (Friday), 2010.

The first of these events is “Freedom Song”,  an evening of (singing) performances featuring Philadelphia based singer Fatimah Loren, along with Bangalore based singers Sumathy Murthy and Akkai, and the Lesbit troupe.

This event is being co-organised by Good As You, We’re Here and Queer (WHAQ), Swabhava and Lesbit.

Date: July 1st, (Thursday)

Time: 7:30 pm to 8:30 pm.

Venue: Mother Tekla Auditorium , No.10, Casa Brigitta, Old Passport Office Road,  Brunton Road, Bangalore – 560025

On July 2nd, 2010, the Campaign for Sexual Minorities Rights (CSMR)  is celebrating the “Festival of Freedom”, an event that we are celebrating to mark the First Anniversary of the historic Naz Foundation judgement, which decriminalised homosexuality in India.

Date: Friday, July 2nd

Time: 4pm – 7pm.

Venue: Senate Hall (Central College Campus, near Mysore Bank Circle)

Please come in solidarity.

Roundtable discussion: Reconciling the Sacred and Secular

The CIEDS collective will be holding their 2nd roundtable discussion concerning the conflict between the sacred and secular. This discussion will be held in the context of the Anti Cow Slaughter Bill and the Baba Budangiri Shrine.

Prof. Asghar Ali Engineer, Director, CSSS, Mumbai, Sudha Sitharaman, Lecturer at Smt. VHD College of Home Science, Bangalore and Shiva Sundar activist-journalist, Lankesh Patrike will all be initiating the discussions. It should prove to be a fascinating event. We look forward to seeing you all there.

Date and Time: July 1 at 4.30pm.

 Venue: CIEDS Collective/ Vimochana Premises
33-1/9, Thyagaraj Layout
Jai Bharat nagar
Maruthi Seva nagar post,
Bangalore-560 033.