Dear Tara and others: Kindly read the following story. You will understand two things:
1 rape isn't exclusively the problem of blind women, in spite of the fact that they are more vulnerable. 2 It is the responsibility of the society to help women defend themselves in times of danger. 3 Calling sexual assault a problem exclusively affecting women isn't correct. If this argument is correct, no other women in the world be suffering from rape or any sexually motivated violence. 4 Organisations dealing with blind women must consider training women in self defence -be it marshal arts or any other effective means- because, the fact remains that they are the most vulnerable group of women. Pl read the story and let me know if this danger has to be tackled. Moderator: this may sound off-topic, but I am sorry if it is. Why is Tony Blair sending this gang-rape victim back to her attackers? By Gethin Chamberlain, Sunday Telegraph Last Updated: 1:33am GMT 04/12/2006 Audio: Basheer describes her terrifying ordeal In pictures: Darfur's violent past The Home Office is at the centre of a fresh row over its handling of asylum applications after it emerged that hundreds of people who have fled the slaughter in the Darfur region of Sudan have been told by officials that it is safe to return to their homes. Among those who have been refused permission to remain in the UK is a woman doctor who was gang-raped by Sudanese soldiers for protesting to aid workers about the rape of more than 40 schoolgirls. Some 300,000 people are believed to have been killed in Darfur since the Sudanese government enlisted Arab militias, known as janjaweed, to launch a campaign of ethnic cleansing in 2003. Fighting in Darfur has escalated in recent weeks and last week the UN's human rights commissioner, Louise Arbour, warned that atrocities were now taking place daily. But The Sunday Telegraph has learnt that last year 900 of 995 Sudanese applications for asylum were rejected, and a report to be published this week claims that only one asylum case in 10 involving alleged rape victims succeeds. Human rights groups have accused the Government of sending back women to face fresh dangers. Now one of the women whose asylum application has been rejected has come forward to speak publicly about her fears for her safety. Dr Halima Basheer, 27, fled to Britain after she was repeatedly targeted by Sudanese authorities. Speaking in London last week, she said her problems began two years ago when the janjaweed attacked a girls' school in Darfur. More than 40 girls were raped, she said, along with two teachers. The girls were aged from eight to 13; villagers brought 15 of them to the clinic where she worked to be treated for horrendous injuries. "It was a horrible incident. They were just children, they understood nothing about it," Dr Basheer said. When aid workers asked about what had happened, she told them. But word filtered through to the authorities and a month later soldiers came to her house and dragged her outside to a waiting vehicle. "They said to me, 'You told those people about the rape at the school. Why did you do that? You are always talking about rape, but you don't know what it is. We will teach you a lesson about what rape is.' " The soldiers took her to a secluded hut. "They tied my hands and feet together with rope and left me. I thought that they might kill me. I thought that was the last day of my life," she said. Three men entered the hut and took it in turns to rape her. "I was kicking but one sliced me with a knife on my feet and then my left breast. One of the men burnt me with a cigar. The three of them raped me." The next day, two more men came to the hut and she was raped again. On the third day, the men dragged her out of the hut and drove her back to her village. "They said, 'Go, now you can tell everybody about rape, you can tell them how it feels.' " In December 2004, the village was attacked by Sudanese government planes and by janjaweed horsemen. Dr Basheer said more than 300 people were killed in the raid, including her father. Most of those who died were elderly or very young and had been unable to escape when helicopter gunships launched the attack. Using her family's savings - the equivalent of about £700 - she managed to get to Khartoum, where an agent arranged for her to travel on to Britain. She applied for asylum on arrival last year but has now been told that her appeal has been rejected. Britain has been highly critical of the Sudanese government's behaviour in Darfur, and in September, Tony Blair wrote to other European leaders warning that "the tragic situation in Darfur" was unacceptable. "The international community cannot turn its back on the millions of people in Darfur who have suffered so much in recent years," he said. But the Government maintains that it is safe to send refugees back to Sudan. A Home Office position paper published in May this year states: "Ordinary non-Arab ethnic Darfuris are not at risk of persecution outside the Darfur States and it is considered that it is not unduly harsh to expect them to relocate to an area within Sudan in which they will be safe." Yesterday a spokesman said that the Government was committed to providing protection for individuals found to be genuinely in need. But he added: "However,in order to maintain the integrity of our asylum system and prevent unfounded applications, it is important that we are able to enforce returns of those who do not need protection." James Smith, chief executive of the anti-genocide Aegis Trust, said: "Only a minority of these women escape the horror and I cannot imagine their fear facing deportation back to such a situation. By the Home Office telling people like Halima they can return to Khartoum, the city where the organisers of these atrocities are still operating, Britain is becoming part of the thread of brutality in Darfur." A report to be published on Tuesday by the group Women Against Rape claims immigration officials are taking a hard line on rape cases. Anne Neal, a spokesman, said that only eight out of 65 asylum applications examined for the report had been successful and she said the case of Dr Basheer illustrated the problems faced by rape victims in convincing the British authorities about the merits of their claims. "It is a shocking indictment of the way rape survivors are treated. Our report confirms her experience is the standard rather than the exception," she said. *Aegis will be staging demonstrations outside the Sudanese Embassy and Downing Street next Sunday, as part of a global day for Darfur. Dr Basheer's name has been changed for the purpose of this article. -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Taraprakash Sent: Monday, December 04, 2006 5:36 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [AI] A Burning Issue You are agreeing with what viraj hasn't said. Nowhere he maintained that women from this group should express their opinions about the issue, it is up to them and they are well with in their rights to maintain a silence. What he is trying to do is draw the attention back to the issue of the organizations meant for blind women being in fact against them. Some previous mails turned the focus of the discussion more towards women than the organizations. It seems to be in the interest of the organizations. To say that women should learn the martial arts is kind of divesting those organizations from their responsibility. That women haven't written their opinion is not surprising, what surprises is anyone not coming with a mail stating that it is our business, we will investigate it. There are members who claim to be working for the blind, if there are some working for blind women may take this initiative. Or someone could say, we work in this area and Smriti's statement is incorrect. ----- Original Message ----- From: "rakesh kumar gupta" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, December 04, 2006 5:22 PM Subject: Re: [AI] A Burning Issue > Hello to all, > Yes, I am agree with Viraj Kafle. > I think, this should be great surprising for our group that we have not > received any single comment from a single female in this regard till now, > even though after moderating this important and relevant issue, Smriti has > not given any such remark or direction for forwarding this talk, while it > is > very important that the girls should express their views, suggestions and > also their feelings in this regard. > Thanks, > Rakesh. > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Viraj Kafle" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Sunday, December 03, 2006 7:04 AM > Subject: Re: [AI] A Burning Issue > > >> The debate going on about this issue is very insightful. However, As far >> as >> I feell, we should remember the key issue raised in the beginning by >> Smriti. >> More than about direct sexual assault or rape, what she was trying to >> point >> out is the indirect, but well covered- up cases of sexual harassments >> taking >> place in very institutions which are meant to be protective for them. >> >> Best regards. >> >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: "Subramani L" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> To: <[email protected]> >> Sent: Sunday, December 03, 2006 4:30 PM >> Subject: Re: [AI] A Burning Issue >> >> >>> Dear Rakesh: >>> >>> I can't say anything about unusual circumstances, because it is hard for >>> anyone to do anything if a reliable person turn out to be the culprit. >>> >>> The idea of marshal arts isn't something I plucked out from emptiness. >>> There organisations in Chennai, for instance, and I am sure you would >>> find them elsewhere as well, who teach marshal arts to girls, especially >>> vulnerable to sexual assaults. >>> >>> I had a friend, Reshma Sharma, a black belt in Karate, who taught >>> marshal arts to batch of girls who came to her for help and was awarded >>> by the T N govt. So, assuming such things work for normal girls, you can >>> replicate the idea easily with some changes for VI girls as well. >>> >>> -----Original Message----- >>> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >>> [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of rakesh >>> kumar gupta >>> Sent: Monday, December 04, 2006 5:38 AM >>> To: [email protected] >>> Subject: Re: [AI] A Burning Issue >>> >>> Hello Subramani, Smriti and to all, >>> I think that your suggestions are cheerful and implementable and even >>> though >>> may be relevant in present context because "self defense is best weapon >>> for >>> self protection." >>> But, I have some little doubt to implement in practical specially for: >>> Firstly, totally blind girls, who may not be able to see to "the rapper" >>> and >>> Secondly, that crucial time, specially when the rappers are in a group >>> because in this situation, normal trained girls in self defense find to >>> themselves "helpless". >>> Perhaps, all of you are aware better from this real fact that several >>> girls >>> are raped by their relatives even though by their "real Father and real >>> Brother". So, we can't rely upon them completely. >>> Now, please write me if either of you ,have any specific suggestion for >>> regarding to this issue specially for which I have pointed out. >>> Thanks, >>> Rakesh. >>> [EMAIL PROTECTED] >>> ----- Original Message ----- >>> From: "Subramani L" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >>> To: <[email protected]> >>> Sent: Sunday, December 03, 2006 1:39 AM >>> Subject: Re: [AI] A Burning Issue >>> >>> >>>> Dear Smrithi: >>>> >>>> I happened to read in a report that mentally retarded girls specially >>>> those young, are vulnerable to sexual assaults and the fact that they >>>> are vulnerable doesn't help their cause. They have to be protected by >>>> parents and those blood-relatives, though it is easier said than done. >>>> >>>> But, in my opinion, blind girls can learn Karate, carry stuffs like >>>> mirchi powder and blades to escape ferom attackers. Marshal arts is >>>> something girls in general must learn, as the number of rapes and >>> sexual >>>> assaults are constantly increasing in India. >>>> >>>> -----Original Message----- >>>> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >>>> [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of smriti >>>> singh >>>> Sent: Friday, December 01, 2006 9:22 PM >>>> To: [email protected] >>>> Subject: [AI] A Burning Issue >>>> >>>> Hello Accessindia, >>>> >>>> Some of you must have come across a recent NDTV news >>>> report, which tells us about a case of a >>>> mentally-challenged girl being sexually harassed in >>>> some institution for the mentally-challenged women in >>>> Gaziabad. The issue is, and must be, a matter of great >>>> concern for each one of us. Like it or not, several >>>> visually challenged girls also are being victimised of >>>> such malpractices in several institutions. In Delhi, >>>> for instance, we often hear about such cases in many >>>> hostels for college-going visually challenged girls in >>>> muffled voices. >>>> >>>> In this list, we have many people who are working for >>>> NGOs and various other kinds of such activities. >>>> Therefore, I find this list a very significant >>>> plateform for the discussion of issues of an extreme >>>> concern like this. I strongly feell, and would like to >>>> assert, that there must be some law or some kind of >>>> code of conduct to prevents such instances of the >>>> visually challenged women's sexual harassments. >>>> >>>> Therefore, I would like to have a discussion on this >>>> matter in the list. >>>> >>>> Regards, >>>> >>>> Smriti. >>>> >>>> Smriti Singh >>>> Programme: M. Phil (English Literature) >>>> Room # 03 >>>> Sabarmati Hostel >>>> Jawaharlal Nehru University >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>> ________________________________________________________________________ >>>> ____________ >>>> Want to start your own business? >>>> Learn how on Yahoo! Small Business. >>>> http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/r-index >>>> >>>> To unsubscribe send a message to >>> [EMAIL PROTECTED] >>>> with the subject unsubscribe. >>>> >>>> To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, >>>> please visit the list home page at >>>> >>>> >>> http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.i >>>> n >>>> >>>> To unsubscribe send a message to >>> [EMAIL PROTECTED] >>>> with the subject unsubscribe. >>>> >>>> To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, >>>> please visit the list home page at >>>> >>> http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.i >>> n >>> >>> Send instant messages to your online friends >>> http://in.messenger.yahoo.com >>> >>> >>> To unsubscribe send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] >>> with the subject unsubscribe. >>> >>> To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, >>> please visit the list home page at >>> >>> http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.i >>> n >>> >>> To unsubscribe send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] >>> with the subject unsubscribe. >>> >>> To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, >>> please visit the list home page at >>> >>> http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in >> >> >> To unsubscribe send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> with the subject unsubscribe. >> >> To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, >> please visit the list home page at >> >> http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in > > Send instant messages to your online friends http://in.messenger.yahoo.com > > > To unsubscribe send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] > with the subject unsubscribe. > > To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, > please visit the list home page at > http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in To unsubscribe send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the subject unsubscribe. 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