---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Zainab Bawa <[email protected]> Date: Fri, 27 Feb 2009 19:42:34 +0530 Subject: Fwd: Minutes from last evening's meeting To: Kiran Jonnalagadda <[email protected]>
Dear Kiran, Can you please forward the minutes of yesterday's meeting at ALF to the Silk List? Please also tell the members that we have formed a group called "Fearless Karnataka" which they are free to join. Just send an email to Pranesh Prakash <[email protected]> and he will add you to the group. Best, Zainab ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Pranesh Prakash <[email protected]> Date: Fri, Feb 27, 2009 at 1:21 PM Subject: Minutes from last evening's meeting To: Fearless Karnataka / Bhayada viruddha Karnataka <[email protected]> Dear All, These are my impressionistic minutes of the meeting. I am sorry if they are incomplete or if I misunderstood the point someone was making (or even misidentified you), as also the delay in sending this out. Could you please send back corrections in response to this thread? Regards, Pranesh ----- Lawrence: Could someone please take minutes of the meeting? Jasmeen: We're thinking of restarting the clothes campaign. That is, the campaign asking people what clothes they were wearing when they were harassed. Pranesh: While the clothes campaign is very useful as a long-term project, I'm not sure whether it is appropriate response to the immediate situation. Hemangini: Others can throw up ideas and we can sift through them. Zainab: Danda is required, don't you think? Lawrence: Emerging thematics are: 1) Awareness, and the larger campaign 2) Immediate reaction Sanjana: We shouldn't be trying to hide sleeveless and short skirts. But sexual harassment is a larger issue than just skimpy clothes. I think now is the time to look at this as a larger issue. I don't think it is a matter of priorities, it is a matter of addressing this issue. Lawrence: So, we are not discussing the elite/non-elite issue today. Deepu: I feel there are a few things we have to look at: 1) How many of us are really aware that there are 24-hour hoysalas, etc.? That awareness is as important as a public statement about it. 2) What can we do to defend ourselves - information on that needs to be available. 3) Can we ourselves create help centres / helplines or anything along those lines? 4) How can we make the police act? Vandana: I am concerned about the larger problem, but as someone who was attacked, I want to know what I could have done. Helplines, etc., are post-facto. What about immediately after the attacks and during the attack? Lawrence: Cobra-spray.com Pepper spray. Three varieties: 6 foot range, and a 9 foot range [didn't catch the third]. They cost around Rs. 499 per can. They can make a grown man or woman cry for more than half an hour (at just a sniff through a napkin). Jiti: They can be bought at Health & Glow also. Shakun: Making the police work is too difficult. We should target the public. The situation is that currently all think that it is someone else's issue. The (Martin Niemoller) "First they came for the Jews..." syndrome. Addressing the state is thus not the main issue. Addressing the public is more important. The effect that the attacks will have is that of creating a culture of fear. It is not about women alone. It is about the climate we wish to live in. We should do a door-to-door campaign. Bystanders can do many thing, apart from directly attacking the attackers. They need to be made aware of what all they can do. Lady standing on the eastern side: How do we make it a larger issue? How do we communicate intelligently to the perpetrators and others? I believe that by saying to them that: "I am a consumer, I am a teacher in your schools, I am a very large number of things that directly affect you," we can get through to others. That will show that it is not only middle class indulgence -- that doesn't affect the perps. We need to start a dialogue with them. Priya: Do you think knowing self-defence would have helped? Vandana: While it wouldn't have solved everything, knowing self-defence definitely would have helped, since they chased me. It would have at least gained me more time. Aarti: There are three places that classes are held. We could put together self-defence workshops on ALF terrace or something. Archana: I did learn kickboxing. But when I was attacked (though it was just one guy), none of those moves came back to me. It did help me with reflex, to manage to evade a punch directly to the face (but I got hit on the jaw instead). Anja: What we are currently seeing is a particular manifestation of violence against women, which is a general thing. They see a new opportunity to harm women which is legitimised by inaction and the political environment that is currently prevalent. Zainab: The women being beaten up in Mangalore helped embolden these goons. Rashmi: Learning kung-fu, etc., won't help immediately. It's a longer term thing. A "Danda Uttao" campaign or something might work better, as it cuts across classes, etc. Archana: Our strength as a group is different from their strength as a group. We are mediapersons, artists, etc., and we should take advantage of that. It's not about certain types of women, etc., so it cannot become a niche thing. So, it is about a jilted lover, about what you are wearing; it is not about one easy answer. It is a larger issue. And we should involve the media. But very importantly, we should have one united and proper worded message that we need to communicate. We need to show that it is not about anger, etc. Prashant (?) (from IISc., in a red shirt): It is not just about civil rights, etc. It is a political issue. Perhaps we should raise a political campaign (against the BJP). We should launch a mass-based movement -- perhaps a JP kind of movement is thinking too big -- we should try for something. Nithin: We should talk to the media to ask them to view these attacks as a single phenomenon. At least the Hindu made the connections between these incidents and the Mangalore attack. And TOI had a report about two girls talking to the Muslim boy, etc. So those connections should be made, even if factually they are different groups conducting these attacks, because they represent the same kind of mindset. Sanjana: While it is about the different issues, it is also about us getting together in this room and we should ensure someone writes about that too. [It is not only a negative thing, a reaction; but a positive thing of getting people from different backgrounds together too.] Aarti: I am wondering if it would be helpful to break the city up into police jurisdiction, and put together (in Kannada and English on the obverse) information about police station addresses, phone number, hoysalla timings, etc., and have it distributed through newpaper agencies. Deepu: We shouldn't be aggressive about it (?). We should highlight the need for the perception of safety in a city. We can't have a JP kind of movement, as suggested earlier, because that kind of a political will and atmosphere does not currently exist, and we must make peace with that fact. Abhijeet: Could the focus be more on getting together people (as that group seems to be Much larger). Arvind: Social policing at the everyday level is happens. It is not necessarily about not knowing who they are. The numbers can be small itself. We should get out to them. We don't want to reach [not sure; Arvind spoke too fast] It is very good that Deepika got the connections out. Shakun: The whole debate very easily went from attack to "pub culture". We must resist that. We need to show that it is more about the culture of fear that is being created. That is what we need to address. Jagadeesh: We need to connect these incidents together, even if they aren't _directly_ connected. We need to ensure that divisiveness doesn't spread (which someone like Muthalik has actually succeeded in doing). [Example of "these Muslims" which I didn't hear properly.] We need to go along with morality, and refrain from saying "let's throw out morality", since that will create a wide schism (which we don't want) between "us" and "them". We should instead try to show that what is being done by the women being attacked is not immoral, and what is being done to them is actually immoral. (Not sure): We need to reach out to kids in school about sexual harassment, since often they don't think of things like whistling at girls as something wrong. Discussion between Shakun and Aarti: S: The entire idea of certain clothes being objectionable is wrong. A: What is problematic is not that idea, but the method being used by those holding those ideas to spread them. I wouldn't have a problem with SRS if they held a peaceful protest. Lawrence: We can't come to a consensus on this, so let's move on. Hemangini: Take back the night campaign could be started again. Namita: We should connect again to the Agni Shridhar, [other names], etc. Sanjana: Talked more about TBTN. Emphasised that it is not only about women, but about others as well. It is something that people have been doing in many different parts of the world, trying to reclaim public spaces and spread a feeling of security. Neeti / Jayant: We are helping organize a march to the Police Commissioner's office this Saturday. Jagadish: DG of Karnataka is a much better option. Gayathri: "Why didn't you react?" could be a question to not only remember, but to push it forward. If the cultural campaign can include a campaign against fear, that would be good. Lady standing on the eastern side: Would it be useful to get corporates involved? The "Bangalore" brand is involved, and they might have some clout. Lawrence: Of course. While it is generally difficult to get a large number of corporations involved in a campaign like this, you could definitely try if you have the connections. Zainab (Bawa): Maybe this Saturday we could symbolically gather in a place where one of the incidents occurred. I read about the one on Rest House Road, and was shocked since I've walked past that pub so many times without any fear. (Murmurs of this Saturday being problematic because of of the large student rally and Advani's visit, etc.] Some other day if not this Saturday. Jasmeen: We need to ensure that the message we put out does not position us as victims, but enables us to view ourselves as citizens. The step-by-step guide to unapologetic walking which we at BNP have created is one such strategy. The idea of seeing yourself as a female security guard, while unusual, might also work. Abhijeet: For a public campaign, media publicity has to be very carefully done and we must present a united front. Reportage of the Mangalore incident is also adding to the violence: those who object to it aren't doing much upon seeing the unsightly images, while those who are encouraged by it go on to act because of it. We need to rectify this imbalance. Vivek: How much do we want to mention BJP? Priya: Poster with Puneet Rajkumar, or Girish Kasaravalli, talking about what Kannada culture means to them might prove helpful. Not sure: Radio might also be useful, and should be a medium we target. Lawrence: There is an embargo on news and current affairs, though. But general events and issues are cool. Jagadish: There are three people from the police who could be helpful: Alok Kumar (Joint-Commissioner (Crime), Bangalore City), S.T. Ramesh (Additional Director General of Police, Crime & Technical Services), and Ajai Kumar Singh (DG & IGP, Karnataka State Police) Anja; Once when I was being harassed, it only later occurred to me that I could have noted the licence plate number. While it is commonsensical, it requires practice. I have now made it a habit to look at license plates even if there is no immediate situation. We need to share such information. Vandana: We also need to share info on what an FIR looks like, etc. Last morning I went through a process of filing a FIR. Or so I thought. It turns out I was smooth-talked to, and that I hadn't actually filed an FIR. I had to go again in the evening (with help this time around) to file an FIR. (Not sure): A video recording of such a process might be more helpful than just text. Neela: I'm angry about the fact that Kannada culture has now come to mean what it has. While this is a long-term issue, I feel we also have to think long-term. I, as a Kannadiga, would love to talk about what "Kannada culture" means to me. And I am sure so would lots of others who are convinced that what is being represented as some people as "Kannada culture" is actually not so. I can help in putting mediapersons in touch with a few Kannada litterateurs, etc. Archana: I would personally like to volunteer to share my experience with others, talk to them of what I've learnt and strategies that can be used, etc., participate in street theatre, etc. Jasmeen: I think we are looking at reaction and tackling an attitude also. There is also a typing of who the perps are and who the victims are. We should try to understand such typing. (Not sure): Q: Are there statistics on violence against women? A: WCD website. NCB. And Vimochana. Nithin: Immediate reaction: Come up with a name for the group, and release to the press with Archana's and Vandana's stories. -------- To Do: * Aiding in purchase of pepper spray * Discussions on a door-to-door campaign. Coordinators: Shakun, Aparna, Yuvraj, Vandana | Volunteers: Priya John, Anna, Abhijeet Tambe. * Group to discuss self-defence classes. Priya and Aarti. * March to DG&IG's office, and collection of information on police hoardings. Neeti and Jayant. - March 7th. * Poster campaign Vivek, Namita, Gayatri, Geetu, Abhijeet - By March 8th. * Spectators of street harassment - blog about them. Jasmeen, Gayatri. * Compile information on emergency numbers. Pranesh * Compile a list of journos (print / television / vernacular / English / regional / national) and RJs who could report this sensitively. Nithin, Priya, Deepika, Archana, Sanjana, Vandana, Vaishali * Compile information on police station locations, numbers, and hoysalla routes and timings. Neeti and Pranesh * Take Back the Night Hemangini, Sanjana and Zainab - March 8th. * Contact Kannada icons (littérateurs, film stars, RJs, etc.) for both poster campaign and the print campaign on "Kannada culture" Neela and Deepu. * Suggestions on name of group. Lawrence - Tonight. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Fearless Karnataka / Bhayada viruddha Karnataka" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] <fkbk%[email protected]> For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/fkbk?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~--- -- Zainab Bawa Ph.D. Student and Independent Researcher Between Places ... http://wbfs.wordpress.com -- Kiran Jonnalagadda http://jace.seacrow.com/
