########################################################################## # Goanetters-2004 meet in Goa. Dec 21, Tuesday. 12 noon to 2 pm. # # Clube Vasco, Near Municipal Garden, Panjim. Pass the word around! # ##########################################################################
To: Reuvon Proenca <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Cc: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, Date: 16th December, 2004. Ref: JU/PC/2004-05/e-210 Sub: Reg: Tourism Related Paedophile… a blind eye Reply to Reuvon Proenca - 2 Before I go to the questions, let me respond to the note in your introduction – Reg. your article in GT dtd. 31-8-04 you say “the information we provided in the report was also provided to tehelka by your office so what's the big secret? correct me if I'm wrong when I say that the info we published was the same that you have in your files.” You seem reluctant to admit it Reuvon. The ‘big secret’ is that we were sure that you used our information to pen your article in GT even if it was presented as GT’s investigation. To quote it “GT has been closely following leads on the movement of suspected paedophiles in S. Goa------- Our investigations reveal that there are, at the very least, four such people whose movements and activities are highly suspicious” We think it was unethical of Tehelka to hand this information to you as it was given to them on a confidential basis to be used for further investigation by them and not for mere media sensation. We also did it because we believed that if the State could not take a stand, they should be exposed. And, it was unethical on your part to publish it, without our permission. Responses to Questions: 1. Does substantial information mean rape of a child? weren't you'll aware that Joe was living with a minor girl for almost 10-years? R. We have not said or implied that. If we were aware we would obviously have acted. Giorgio was a suspect on our list under another name for nearly 2 years and the said girl who has been declared to be 21 years old was a major then. A lot of incriminating evidence has come to the surface after he was booked. 2. There is a problem with the police. you know that and I know that. we all know there's a problem but is anyone trying to put forward a solution? R. Who is this anyone you have in mind? May be the press should take up a campaign like GT did with the ‘People’s Court’ to identify the deeper problem and put forward the solution. The NGOs on their part have on several occasions tried to define the problem and put forward a solution. The Goa Children’s Act 2003 was a major step in this direction. 3. Your allegations about Middleton are serious. Have you made any formal complaint in court or to any kind of authority. I would suggest you do that, if not done already. R. We realize you are not well informed about the case, to make the above suggestion. Despite all attempts by the enforcement agency to scuttle and close the case, we are still fighting for justice in the Court. 4. If not the police, then who? are paedophiles going scot free only because the police are allegedly cahoots with them? The children's act makes provision for arrest of paedophiles with hard evidence. R. Good questions. Maybe the readers will attempt an answer. We on our part do our best to see that they do not go scot free despite a lot of hurdles including during the investigation and prosecution process. 5. Ringlemann was a blot. but again, did the NGOs file a complaint against the police handling of the matter. there's always the judiciary. also, proving the Ringleman case, as per the info I have, would have been difficult. isn't it better that the monster is out of the country for good? R. As I said in my earlier response, CRG had informed the police long ago. Did the NGOs file a complaint? You ask. Should it be mandatory for NGOs to file a complaint for the police to act? This brings us to the question of the role of the State vis-à-vis such acts. Should it be merely reactive? Should it not be proactive? If I’m not mistaken, in past instances, the police & Courts have taken a suo moto approach and treated as an FIR, Newspaper Reports. That was precisely the question put to the DIG Randhava after the Tehelka private screening with the police by some of us - if they cannot act on the basis of the recorded statement/evidences in the video recording. Be it paedophilia cases or acts of vandalism the patent response of the State is: no one has made a complaint, implying that they can act only if a complaint is recorded. This certainly betrays a lack of will on the part of the State and an attempt to sideline and mislead the people. Is merely driving the monster out of the country, without even a shake-up, the solution? Such an approach doesn’t even work as a deterrent or preventive, according to us! If we drive one out there will be other Ringlemans. Come to think of it, Giorgio Lazzini & Gunter Backmann have appeared on the scene quite soon after the Tehelka sting operation after which the monster (Ringleman) was sent out of the country. 6. You have said, "Given these experiences we have our own way of following up on cases and we try to do it to the best of our limited abilities (after all we are not professional investigators) and time spaces (it is often necessary to investigate at night which is not possible for us)”. Strange. It almost seems that NGOs are become more and more like government departments. whatever happened to activism? R. Reg. NGOs becoming like govt. depts.------- You are free to have your opinion. But if I may ask you – who has appointed you a judge on us and the NGOs? I could have stated the umpteen times we have worked at night including the night when Giorgio Lazzini was caught, and our members returned at 5.00 a.m the next day. But I am talking of professional investigations, being properly equipped, that have to be carried on day after day and night after night, sometimes even to other states. The task is not as simple as you make it out to be. 7. You have asked if merely providing information helps. It may not but don't you it is your responsibility to provide information. R. We decide when and how to provide information. We have provided information to the police on several occasions including confidential info. for investigation and action. 8. I have nowhere questions Jan Ugahi's work. I must admit that a lot of what you'll do is laudable. but I do feel that you'll should stop treating the media like some sort of monster. speaking for myself and most journos, we do care for the problem and the children. The NGOs ought to work with the media (and vice versa) and not against them. at the end of the day I believe we ought to be partners. but that doesn't seem to be the case. media requests for info are treated with suspicion leading us to either believe that somebody has something to hide or just doesn't have anything. Pls comment. R. Strange that you say we have treated the press like some sort of monster? From what we have said in our communications so far, what gave you that impression? What makes you think that we have withheld information from the media? I cannot talk for others but since your dialogue is with us, may I know what gave you the impression? In fact, our experience has been that larger issues that we are raising reg. tourism related paedophilia as a fall-out of the unbridled tourism policy of the State, targetting of victims rather than perpetrators by the authorities to solve the problem of paedophilia (e.g. the new action plan of the tourism ministry to round-up unaccompanied lamani children on the beaches), protection and not further victimization of children including insensitive briefing by the police reg. victim’s identity and a consequent insensitive reporting by the newspapers in cases of sexual abuse and rape, etc are often lost on a no. of reporters. Even the written presentation we had made to the reporters at the press conference and which Goanet sent around had some of these larger issues, which, except for Herald, no other English daily did justice to. With best wishes, Greg. __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail - Easier than ever with enhanced search. Learn more. http://info.mail.yahoo.com/mail_250