Dear friends, We from Kerala Sthree Vedi endorse the statement by you. Our representatives , Sonia George and Seeta Dasan went to meet her yesterday and found her situation really frightening. We hope this online support given to Chithralekha will open the eyes of others also. in solidarity, Ajitha from Calicut
On 1/25/10, Afthab Ellath <[email protected]> wrote: > > In Solidarity, > > Afthab Ellath, Ministry of Health, Oman > > Afthab Ellath > > > > On Mon, Jan 25, 2010 at 1:42 PM, k.ashraf <[email protected]> wrote: > >> In solidarity >> Firose k.c,Zakariya-Dept of MCJ-SIAS Vazhayur,Calicut University >> >> >> On 1/25/10, k.ashraf <[email protected]> wrote: >>> >>> I endorse >>> k.ashraf,calicut >>> >>> >>> On 1/25/10, jenny rowena <[email protected]> wrote: >>>> >>>> sorry there was a change in the third demand which is now : forgot to >>>> inform this forum >>>> >>>> Take stringent actions against the CITU workers and police >>>> officers >>>> on duty under the SC/ST Atrocities act, for inflicting violence on >>>> Chithralekha. >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> On 1/25/10, Karthik Navayan <[email protected]> wrote: >>>> > I endorse, and demand to book the culprits under SC ST (POA), as the >>>> > chithraleka's status as a Schedule Caste is the reason for the to >>>> torture on >>>> > her >>>> > >>>> > Karthik >>>> > >>>> > On Mon, Jan 25, 2010 at 1:55 PM, Anil Tharayath Varghese < >>>> > [email protected]> wrote: >>>> > >>>> >> Madhuresh NAPM >>>> >> Saswati Swetlena NCAS >>>> >> >>>> >> On Jan 25, 12:56 pm, geedha geedha <[email protected]> wrote: >>>> >> > I endorse >>>> >> > geedha >>>> >> > >>>> >> > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- >>>> >> > From: Kavita Krishnan <[email protected]> >>>> >> > Date: Mon, Jan 25, 2010 at 11:49 AM >>>> >> > Subject: Re: [GreenYouth] Urgently Endorse : Petition for >>>> Chithralekha >>>> >> > To: [email protected] >>>> >> > >>>> >> > Cc: [email protected] >>>> >> > >>>> >> > I endorse. Kavita Krishnan, All India Progressive Women's >>>> Association >>>> >> > (AIPWA) >>>> >> > >>>> >> > 2010/1/25 jenny rowena <[email protected]> >>>> >> > >>>> >> > > We a group of concerned academicians and activists belonging to >>>> the >>>> >> Kerala >>>> >> > > Feminist Network have come to know that Chithralekha, a Dalit >>>> woman >>>> >> > > who >>>> >> is >>>> >> > > making a living as an auto driver, has been harassed by the CITU >>>> and >>>> >> the >>>> >> > > police in Payyanur, Kannur District, Kerala, on 20th January >>>> 2010. It >>>> >> is >>>> >> > > also extremely disconcerting to note that while the general >>>> apathy of >>>> >> the >>>> >> > > police continue, the trade unions of the CPI (M) has resorted to >>>> other >>>> >> ways >>>> >> > > of demoralizing the struggle of a woman for just and equal, >>>> civil, >>>> >> political >>>> >> > > and human rights. >>>> >> > >>>> >> > > *BACKGROUND* >>>> >> > >>>> >> > > Chithralekha, a Dalit woman, from Payyanur in Kannur, Kerala, was >>>> one >>>> >> of >>>> >> > > the first woman auto drivers to enter a workplace dominated by >>>> men >>>> >> > > from >>>> >> > > higher castes. Right from the beginning there was a strong >>>> resistance >>>> >> to her >>>> >> > > and there was a three month delay in giving her a membership of >>>> the >>>> >> union. >>>> >> > > Later, when she went on to become an efficient and extremely >>>> popular >>>> >> auto >>>> >> > > rickshaw driver, the resistance against her took a violent turn. >>>> Soon >>>> >> she >>>> >> > > was subject to many acts of workplace harassment by her fellow >>>> auto >>>> >> drivers. >>>> >> > > On one occasion, the hood of her auto was torn off, she was >>>> called >>>> >> > > derogatory caste names, and a fellow driver even tried to run her >>>> over >>>> >> with >>>> >> > > his vehicle. Chithralekha protested against this, lodging >>>> complaints >>>> >> with >>>> >> > > the police and even managing to get one of the workers arrested >>>> with >>>> >> the >>>> >> > > help of a local Dalit activist. In the course of her protest, she >>>> also >>>> >> > > brought to light the fact that her district and locality still >>>> >> practiced >>>> >> > > untouchability, albeit in modern forms. Once the issue went >>>> outside >>>> >> > > the >>>> >> > > purview of the local auto stand, the CITU and the local CPI (M) >>>> goons >>>> >> > > adopted a new tactic and started tarnishing her image with wide >>>> spread >>>> >> > > poster campaigns. Through these posters, Chithralekha was branded >>>> as a >>>> >> > > sexually loose woman, a woman who drinks, whose mother was a sex >>>> >> worker, who >>>> >> > > talks like a man, who does not listen and who does not know how >>>> to >>>> >> behave. >>>> >> > > With such a campaign, Chithralekha lost all support in the >>>> locality. >>>> >> > >>>> >> > > On December 30th, 2005, they burned down her auto, depriving her >>>> of >>>> >> > > her >>>> >> > > only source of livelihood. However, Chithralekha continued with >>>> her >>>> >> struggle >>>> >> > > and managed to procure a new auto through her association with >>>> various >>>> >> > > Dalit, Feminists and Citizen’s initiatives in June 2008. >>>> Chithralekha >>>> >> had >>>> >> > > been slowly trying to get on with her life, though she and her >>>> husband >>>> >> were >>>> >> > > often being attacked in various ways by the local CITU. It was at >>>> this >>>> >> point >>>> >> > > that the current incident occurred. >>>> >> > >>>> >> > > * * >>>> >> > >>>> >> > > *THE CURRENT INCIDENT* >>>> >> > >>>> >> > > On the morning of 20th January 2010, Chithralekha (along with her >>>> >> husband >>>> >> > > Shreeshanth) who was about to park her auto rickshaw in front of >>>> a >>>> >> medical >>>> >> > > shop, was asked to move her vehicle from the parking spot by one >>>> Mr >>>> >> > > Ramachandran who is an office bearer of the CITU auto rickshaw >>>> Union >>>> >> > > in >>>> >> > > Payyanur. When Chithralekha protested, an altercation followed >>>> between >>>> >> them >>>> >> > > and the CITU workers started beating her up. Soon, a police jeep >>>> >> arrived and >>>> >> > > bundled the couple into the vehicle. They were taken to the >>>> police >>>> >> station >>>> >> > > and severely beaten up. Later she was allowed to go without even >>>> >> registering >>>> >> > > a case!! She has visible wounds all over her body and has had to >>>> go to >>>> >> the >>>> >> > > hospital twice after the incident. Moreover, she is unable to >>>> move out >>>> >> of >>>> >> > > her house or drive her auto as she is afraid of further violence. >>>> >> Shockingly >>>> >> > > there is very little media coverage of this issue and no local >>>> support >>>> >> > > available to her in defending against the attack. >>>> >> > >>>> >> > > In this context, we strongly demand the State Government to: >>>> >> > >>>> >> > > * * >>>> >> > >>>> >> > > Ø *Take immediate steps to ensure the fundamental rights of >>>> >> > > Chithralekha to be able to work and live in her own native place, >>>> free >>>> >> of >>>> >> > > mental and physical torture. * >>>> >> > >>>> >> > > * * >>>> >> > >>>> >> > > Ø *Implement the provisions of the Vishakha Guidelines on >>>> Sexual >>>> >> > > Harassment at the Workplace for Chithralekha, an auto rickshaw >>>> >> > > driver.* >>>> >> > >>>> >> > > * * >>>> >> > >>>> >> > > * * >>>> >> > >>>> >> > > Ø *Take stringent actions against the CITU workers and >>>> police >>>> >> > > officers on duty who inflicted violence on Chithralekha during >>>> the >>>> >> incident. >>>> >> > > * >>>> >> > >>>> >> > > * * >>>> >> > >>>> >> > > Ø *Constitute an Independent Judicial Commission to conduct >>>> >> thorough >>>> >> > > investigation into the whole issue* >>>> >> > >>>> >> > > Chithralekha Solidarity, >>>> >> > >>>> >> > > Kerala Feminist Network >>>> >> > >>>> >> > > -- >>>> >> > > 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 >>>> [email protected]. >>>> >> > > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >>>> >> > > [email protected]<greenyouth%[email protected]> >>>> <greenyouth%[email protected]<greenyouth%[email protected]> >>>> > >>>> >> <greenyouth%[email protected]<greenyouth%[email protected]> >>>> <greenyouth%[email protected]<greenyouth%[email protected]> >>>> > >>>> >> > >>>> >> > > . >>>> >> > > 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 >>>> [email protected]. >>>> >> > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >>>> >> > [email protected]<greenyouth%[email protected]> >>>> <greenyouth%[email protected]<greenyouth%[email protected]> >>>> > >>>> >> <greenyouth%[email protected]<greenyouth%[email protected]> >>>> <greenyouth%[email protected]<greenyouth%[email protected]> >>>> > >>>> >> > >>>> >> > . >>>> >> > For more options, visit this group athttp:// >>>> >> groups.google.com/group/greenyouth?hl=en-GB. >>>> >> > >>>> >> > -- >>>> >> > geedha >>>> >> >>>> >> -- >>>> >> 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 [email protected]. >>>> >> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >>>> >> [email protected]<greenyouth%[email protected]> >>>> <greenyouth%[email protected]<greenyouth%[email protected]> >>>> > >>>> >> . >>>> >> For more options, visit this group at >>>> >> http://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth?hl=en-GB. >>>> >> >>>> >> >>>> > >>>> > >>>> > -- >>>> > B.Karthik Navayan, >>>> > Advocate, >>>> > H.No. 21-7-761, >>>> > Opp.High Court Post Office, >>>> > Gansi Bazar, Hyderabad, >>>> > PIN-500002, AP. >>>> > Cell:09346677007,Email:[email protected] <email%[email protected]>< >>>> email%[email protected] <email%[email protected]>> >>>> > http://sites.google.com/site/karthiknavayan/home >>>> > http://www.orkut.co.in/Main#Profile.aspx?uid=10379805095932756525 >>>> > >>>> > -- >>>> > 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 [email protected]. >>>> > To 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