afthab, i agree with you there should be sustained action too maybe we can all think aloud what that should be
jenny On Sat, Jan 23, 2010 at 4:40 PM, Afthab Ellath <aftha...@gmail.com> wrote: > There should be some actions that is not only urgent, but sustained as > well, as the physical violence in this particular case has been continuous, > making the daily lives of those subjected to it unbearable... > > But it shouldn't regarded as a pathology limited to Kannur-Payyannur, but > an insensitivity of the public sphere of Kerala on issues of caste > violence... Despite several similar physical attacks, how many people in > Kerala know about Chitra Lekha case... Compare it with the outrage happened > against attack on Zakariya and the Manglore Pub attack... > > The difference was that one was an attack on liberal values affecting "us", > and the other is some thing outside of the realm of "our" concern... > > Afthab Ellath > > > > On Sat, Jan 23, 2010 at 2:17 PM, venukm <kmvenuan...@gmail.com> wrote: > >> Because this can be a moment of taking some urgent steps to support >> the victims ; >> I believe that their plight of total neglect by the Kannur - Payyanur >> human rights activists could rather be remedied by concrete action, >> fully inspired by a constitutional mechanism, rather than by the >> social dynamism seen in Kannur with a 'Left' ambiance but much lacking >> in sensitivity to the grievances of the marginalized. >> >> On Jan 23, 10:18 am, chandra kumar <chandrakm...@gmail.com> wrote: >> > ''I would have shared many things about Kannur activism; but not now.'' >> > -----why? >> > >> > On Sat, Jan 23, 2010 at 1:52 AM, gk31.vinod gk31.vinod < >> gk31.vi...@gmail.com >> > >> > > wrote: >> > > Unbelievable ! >> > > Does this happen in kerala, that too in KANNUR, the marxist's own land >> ! >> > >> > > On Fri, Jan 22, 2010 at 7:47 PM, jenny rowena < >> jenny.chit...@gmail.com>wrote: >> > >> > >> Dear Friends, Most of you must be aware of Chithra Lekha *(please see >> > >> details of her case below)* and her brave struggle to make a living >> as an >> > >> auto rickshaw driver in Kannur, Kerala. Many of us had contributed to >> help >> > >> her procure an auto rickshaw after it was burned, allegedly by CITU >> > >> activists. >> > >> > >> Recently, Chithra Lekha was trapped in what she says is a false case >> and >> > >> taken to the police station and beaten up. Though she has been let >> off now, >> > >> she has many injuries and has no way to question the violence that >> has >> > >> happened to her. *(A detailed report of the incident by Venugopal who >> > >> visited Chithra Lekha and talked to her, is given below).* >> > >> > >> Though a few people have been trying for a whole day, we are finding >> it >> > >> difficult to get many people at the local level to intervene actively >> in >> > >> this case. There are not many who are ready to stand against the CPM >> or >> > >> CITU. And some of those who raised their voices are penalised for the >> same. >> > >> Chithra finds herself alone in many ways and is so distressed that >> she is >> > >> even thinking of surrendering the auto rickshaw that she has procured >> with >> > >> all our help and going back to the life of exile as before If this >> happens >> > >> then it would be like the local goons have succeeded in driving out a >> Dalit >> > >> woman from her village and stopped her from doing the work that she >> had >> > >> wanted and chosen to do. >> > >> > >> Friends if we do not do anything now soon it might be too late. It >> would >> > >> be like we are standing and watching while a woman who has put up >> such a >> > >> brave struggle is ostracized and thrown out of her own native place. >> Let us >> > >> please all stand in solidarity with Chithra Lekha at this juncture. >> > >> Please respond to this issue as soon as possible. >> > >> > >> We are thinking of a fact finding commission and also making the >> issue >> > >> publicly known. Whoever is interested in joining the commission >> please write >> > >> to us. >> > >> > >> Please make this issue known widely and let as many people as >> possible >> > >> decide to intervene. >> > >> > >> Also please call up Chithra Lekha and extend your moral support to >> her at >> > >> this point. >> > >> > >> Here are her numbers: *9526128764* and *9744361941* >> > >> > >> Any other help and suggestion is also welcome >> > >> > >> Anil Tharayath Varghese – 009971170738 >> > >> > >> K M Venugopal - 9447488215 >> > >> > >> Jenny Rowena P - 09868216719 >> > >> > >> Carmel Christy – 09958500931 >> > >> > >> *Given below is a Report of what happened recently by K M Venugopal, >> who >> > >> was a member of the 2008, Chithra Lekha rehabilitation committee:* >> > >> > >> The Payyanur Auto Workers, CITU is again continuing its policy of >> hatred >> > >> toward the couple, one of whom is a dalit woman whose auto rickshaw >> had >> > >> been set fire and destroyed in 2005 December, following a series of >> incidents >> > >> of harassment at work place. The incident narrated by Chithralekha >> and her >> > >> husband Sreeshkanth, is >> > >> as follows: >> > >> > >> This morning, Chithralekha was about to park her auto rikshaw in >> front of >> > >> a medical shop to buy medicine for their son who had received a sting >> by >> > >> honey bee. She was also accompanied by Sreeshkanth, her husband. One >> Mr >> > >> Ramachandran who is an office bearer of the Autorikhaw Union of >> Payyanur >> > >> menacingly asked her to move her auto away from the parking spot. She >> > >> replied that she had the lawful permit to park and had every right to >> do so. >> > >> > >> An altercation followed between the couple and a few auto workers. >> After >> > >> a few moments, a police jeep arrived and bundled the couple to the >> vehicle. >> > >> They got severely beatings by the autoworkers even as they got into >> the jeep >> > >> and in presence of the police. When Chithralekha told the Inspector >> that her >> > >> valuables and cash were inside the auto rickshaw, the officer assured >> them >> > >> that that would be taken care of. >> > >> > >> After reaching the Police Station, the couple were severely beaten. A >> > >> woman police Officer beat Chithralekha black and blue and her sari >> was >> > >> almost pulled off. Later, Sreeshkanth was taken to the hospital for a >> check >> > >> for intoxication; though Chithralekha also was compelled to get >> examined, >> > >> she protested and resisted the move, sensing that the police were >> > >> acting in a biased manner and they would get her booked for driving >> > >> inebriated under a false testimony by some doctor. >> > >> > >> Chithralekha was later released but had to go to the hospital due to >> her >> > >> injuries. She has injuries all over the body and also in the lower >> stomach. >> > >> She is not only in great pain, but is also left almost alone without >> no help >> > >> from any one in questioning the actions of the union workers and the >> police. >> > >> > >> *The Chithra Lekha Case* >> > >> > >> * * >> > >> > >> Chithra Lekha was born into a Pulaya family, which is an >> ex-untouchable >> > >> caste in Keralam. After her marriage to Shreeshanth a Thiyya (an OBC >> caste) >> > >> auto driver, she went on to buy an auto rickshaw - KL 13L 8527 in >> Chitra >> > >> Lekha’s name under the PMRY loan scheme. >> > >> > >> The auto stand in Payyannur in which Chithra Lekha wanted to drive >> her >> > >> auto was controlled by the CITU, the trade union that belongs to the >> > >> Communist Party of India, Marxist (CPI (M)). In order to drive her >> auto, >> > >> Chithra Lekha had to be granted a membership card from the CITU. This >> card >> > >> was delayed for more than 2 months as the party was already angry >> with >> > >> Chithra Lekha for having married above her caste. >> > >> > >> In spite of such harassment Chithra Lekha turned out to be a >> competent >> > >> driver and became very popular with her customers, especially women. >> When >> > >> she started her career there had been a coin operated phone at the >> auto >> > >> stand where the customers would call for drivers. Soon, Chithra Lekha >> > >> started getting the most number of calls from this phone. This she >> feels >> > >> disturbed her fellow male drivers. After a few months she bought a >> mobile >> > >> phone and now people started calling for her even more than before. >> This >> > >> made the drivers feel even more threatened. >> > >> > >> All these problems took a violent turn during the Navami or >> Saraswathy >> > >> Pooja days when Chithra Lekha placed her auto in the common Pandal >> for * >> > >> pooja*. When she came to take back the auto on the next day, that is >> on >> > >> October 11, 2005, she found that the hood of her auto was torn. >> Ajith, one >> > >> of the CITU members who had threatened her earlier was standing there >> and >> > >> she asked him why did he tore the hood. He retaliated saying that if >> you >> > >> don’t keep your limits you will also be torn like this. She >> complained about >> > >> the incident to Rameshan, fellow auto driver and the Secretary of the >> local >> > >> branch of CITU, but to no avail. Since there was no response from >> Rameshan >> > >> or CITU, she lodged a complaint with the police after two days. When >> she >> > >> came back to the stand on October 14th Rameshan gave her a two hour >> > >> punishment of abstention, for having taken the case out of the stand >> to the >> > >> police station. Chithra Lekha declined to obey it, at which point an >> angry >> > >> Rameshan tried to run over Chithra Lekha with his auto. She moved to >> the >> > >> other side of the road and escaped the attack. However she sustained >> minor >> > >> injuries and had to be hospitalized. Yet another compliant was lodged >> > >> against Rameshan and he was arrested. Immediately CITU members >> unleashed a >> > >> poster campaign in support of Rameshan. They stuck posters and wrote >> on the >> > >> walls of the panchayath that Chithra Lekha and her mother were loose >> women >> > >> who were bringing up the issue of caste only to hide their immoral >> natures. >> > >> Soon, violence took its worst form when her auto was burned to ashes >> on the >> > >> small hours of December 30th 2005. With the help of Ayyappan Master, >> a >> > >> Dalit activist and member of the police committee to prevent >> atrocities >> > >> against SC/STs, Chithra Lekha lodged a complaint against six CITU >> members >> > >> including Ajith and Rameshan. The case was registered under IPC 143, >> 147, >> > >> 148, 341, 352, 324, 294 (B), 506 (1), SC/ST S3 (1) XI R/W and 149. An >> action >> > >> committee was also formed to protest against what happened and also >> to >> > >> rehabilitate Chithra Lekha ** >> > >> > >> -- >> > >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >> Groups >> > >> "Green Youth Movement" group. >> > >> To post to this group, send an email to greenyo...@googlegroups.com. >> > >> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >> > >> greenyouth+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com<greenyouth%2bunsubscr...@googlegroups.com> >> <greenyouth%2bunsubscr...@googlegroups.com<greenyouth%252bunsubscr...@googlegroups.com> >> > >> > >> . >> > >> For more options, visit this group at >> > >>http://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth?hl=en-GB. >> > >> > > -- >> > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >> Groups >> > > "Green Youth Movement" group. >> > > To post to this group, send an email to greenyo...@googlegroups.com. >> > > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >> > > greenyouth+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com<greenyouth%2bunsubscr...@googlegroups.com> >> <greenyouth%2bunsubscr...@googlegroups.com<greenyouth%252bunsubscr...@googlegroups.com> >> > >> > > . >> > > For more options, visit this group at >> > >http://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth?hl=en-GB. >> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "Green Youth Movement" group. >> To post to this group, send an email to greenyo...@googlegroups.com. >> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >> greenyouth+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com<greenyouth%2bunsubscr...@googlegroups.com> >> . >> For more options, visit this group at >> http://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth?hl=en-GB. >> >> > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Green Youth Movement" group. > To post to this group, send an email to greenyo...@googlegroups.com. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > greenyouth+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com<greenyouth%2bunsubscr...@googlegroups.com> > . > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth?hl=en-GB. > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. To post to this group, send an email to greenyo...@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to greenyouth+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth?hl=en-GB.
