14TH MARCH 2008. PRESS RELEASE Bailancho Saad compliments the mother of Scarlet Keeling for her fight to get justice for her daughter and raising issues which have always been downplayed and not addressed in several other cases. There have been serious procedural lapses in registering the case,in investigations, collection of evidence, medical reports and its interpretation which required intervention from the highest level to rectify it. It has been the experience of organizations that whenever a crime is reported, it is not registered under those sections of law which treats these crimes as serious criminal offences .It is only when pressure is built up through media, politicians ,women’s organizations etc that the cases get registered. The ordinary woman who does not have access to influential people do not get justice. Bailancho Saad has been closely monitoring the case and has met Superintendent of Police Mr Bosco George, Ms Fiona mother of Scarlett and her lawyer Mr Verma in this regard. While condemning the drugging , rape and murder of Scarlett, Bailancho Saad stated that the scenario in Goa is getting worse due to rampant promotion of alcohol and drugs. With the advent of casinos in the state the situation is going to get out of hand and more and more people, more so locals will be the victims. There is no enforcement of excise laws and bars are open till early morning along the coast .It is a known fact that drugs are freely available in the coastal belt with the patronage provided by the police and politicians.It is also a known fact that no person will lodge complaint against drug peddler in the police station due to this nexus. With the coming of casinos in Mandovi river Goa will soon become a place where respectable tourist will abhor visiting. The state has to take responsibility for making Goa unsafe by its policies of promotion of vices rather than shift the blame on the mother. Bailancho Saad is of the opinion that the freedom of movement of women especially at night is being violated by the unsafe environment. Women’s right to work during the night shifts cannot be enforced because of this unsafe atmosphere. On the one hand the govt promotes night life for tourism and then blames the women for venturing into these places . Bailancho Saad states that the campaign against Scarlett’s mother has been launched because she exposed the failure of the administration. Scarlette was left in a house where two aunts were also living . Many parents leave their children in the care of people they trust like neighbours, friends .Many young girl students stay as paying guests in families especially when no hostel accommodation is available. Rape is mostly premeditated and is by persons known to the victim .It can happen anywhere and in most of the cases happens in the homes in broad daylight. The issue is breach of trust by the males who take advantage of a woman’s vulnerability in certain circumstances.
While the huge media pressure may move the wheels of justice, many a woman do not register cases for fear of adverse publicity and harrowing procedures . Invariably there are allegations and pack of lies that one has to encounter, as is evident in this case.The case is far from solved. There are still several obstacles on the way. It is just a beginning of a long fight to punish the guilty. There is considerable delay in rape cases as the specimens for analysis is sent to Hyderabad. While the govt does not have to pay for tests done in the forensic lab in Hyderabad, the reports are received anywhere between six months to two years. SP Bosco George stated that the government has paid Rs 20,000/- to get the chemical analysis done elsewhere quickly, in this case. Bailancho Saad reiterates its demand for a full fledged forensic lab in Goa for speedy justice of all rape trials. Bailancho Saad is of the opinion that for justice to prevail ,the investigations should be handed over to an independent investigating agency CBI ,as the police officers right from the top to down were involved in covering up the crime by stating on record that it was an accidental death. Sabina Martins For Bailancho Saad
