NATIONAL CAMPAIGN ON DALIT HUMAN RIGHTS is an Advocacy Platform committed for Dalit Human Rights at the Grass root, National and International levels. Dalits In News aims at sensitizing Civil societies, HR Mechanisms and providing updates of HR violations on Dalits for their Intervention.
NATIONAL CAMPAIGN ON DALIT HUMAN RIGHTS NCDHR Dalits In News February 14, 2007 ‘Few convictions in cases of attacks on Dalits’- DNA http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=1079804 `Manna' land for SC/ST people to be identified soon- The Hindu http://www.indiapress.org/gen/news.php/The_Hindu/400x60/0 National conference of Dalits, minorities- The Hindu http://www.indiapress.org/gen/news.php/The_Hindu/400x60/0 DNA ‘Few convictions in cases of attacks on Dalits’ http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=1079804 Rajesh Sinha Tuesday, February 13, 2007 23:53 IST NEW DELHI: India would have some embarrassing explaining to do at the United Nations (UN) later this month, trying to defend its record and official stand on the situation of dalits in the country. A report by New York-based Centre for Human Rights and Global Justice (CHRGJ) and Human Rights Watch (HRW) titled ‘India: Hidden Apartheid of Discrimination Against Dalits’ has held that the central government has failed to end caste-based segregation and attacks. The 113-page report, ‘Hidden Apartheid: Caste Discrimination aagainst India’s Untouchables’ was produced as a “shadow report” in response to India’s submission to the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD), which monitors implementation of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD). The committee will review India’s compliance with the convention during hearings in Geneva on February 23 and 26. India has held that the caste can not be equated to race and had not filed a report for eight years. It sent one in December 2006, for all eight years and Manmohan Singh became the first sitting Indian prime minister to openly acknowledge the parallel between the practice of “untouchability” and the crime of apartheid. Singh described “untouchability” as a “blot on humanity” adding that “even after 60 years of constitutional and legal protection and state support, there is still social discrimination against Dalits in many parts of our country.” The CHRGJ-HRW report says India has systematically failed to uphold its international legal obligations to ensure the fundamental human rights of Dalits, or so-called untouchables, despite laws and policies against caste discrimination. More than 165 million Dalits in India are condemned to a lifetime of abuse because of their caste. “PM Singh has rightly compared ‘untouchability’ to apartheid, and he should now turn his words into action to protect the rights of Dalits,” said Professor Smita Narula, faculty director of CHRGJ. “The government can no longer deny its collusion in maintaining a system of entrenched social and economic segregation,” she said. The Hindu `Manna' land for SC/ST people to be identified soon http://www.indiapress.org/gen/news.php/The_Hindu/400x60/0 Staff Correspondent Steps will be taken to disburse it, says Deputy Commissioner _____ Details sought on number of pending applications Authorities told to expedite process of registration _____ MANGALORE: M. Maheshwar Rao, Deputy Commissioner, has assured members and leaders of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes that the administration will take definitive action in identifying "depressed classes manna" land in Dakshina Kannada and steps will be taken to disburse such land to members of these communities over the next few months. Presiding over a district-level meeting organised by the Department of Social Welfare, here on Tuesday, Mr. Rao said that he had discussed the issue with the sub-divisional and taluk-level revenue authorities. The revenue authorities had carried out a survey in this regard, he said. Details had been sought on the land provided to members of these communities under the "akrama-sakrama" process and the number of applications pending with the department, he said. Taking note of complaints by a section of participants at the meeting that members of non-SC/ST communities had encroached on "depressed classes manna" land set aside for SC/STs, Mr. Rao said the authorities would look into all aspects of the issue. Mr. Rao also directed Assistant Commissioner of Puttur K.A. Appaiah to expedite the process of registering land obtained by members of SC/ST communities. When a few persons urged the Deputy Commissioner to regularise encroachments on "gomala" land, Mr. Rao said that he would consider it on a case-by-case basis. Stating that the Government had finalised the composition of the committee which would decide on requests received for regularisation of land under Form 50 and 53, Mr. Rao said the revenue authorities would dispose of the petitions on a priority basis. Mr. Rao directed District Health and Family Welfare Officer T.R. Jagannath to conduct periodic health check-up camps for inmates of hostels managed by Departments of Social Welfare and Backward Classes and Minorities. The Hindu National conference of Dalits, minorities http://www.indiapress.org/gen/news.php/The_Hindu/400x60/0 Special Correspondent Bangalore: The Popular Front of India will hold a national conference titled "Empower India" between February 15 and 17. It will focus on motivating underprivileged and marginalised sections to work for human rights and justice. Addressing presspersons here on Tuesday, Popular Front of India chairperson E. Abubacker said the aim was to "create an atmosphere favourable for equally empowering all sections of people" by bringing together all the marginalised, such as minority communities, backward classes and Dalits on one platform. The event will be held at the Palace Grounds. Convener of the conference E.M. Abdurahman said that the "fruits of development have not reached all in equal measure" and minority communities and Dalits shared common grouses as those who had been the worst hit in the discriminatory mode of development. Several documents, the latest being the Sachar Committee Report, illustrated how developmental programmes were lopsided. Mr. Abdurahman said several activists and academics, including Teesta Setalvad, Zafarul Islam Khan, V.T. Rajashekar and Gauri Lankesh, were expected to participate in a series of discussions. The conference would conclude with a public meeting on February 17 at the Palace Grounds in which at least 50,000 people were expected to participate. ARUN KHOTE National Media Secretary NATIONAL CAMPAIGN ON DALIT HUMAN RIGHTS (NCDHR) Add: 8/1, South Patel Nagar, NEW DELHI- 110008 ( INDIA) Mobile : 91# 9350183802 Ph & Fax- 91#11-25842249, 91#11-25842250 E Mail : [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Website : www.dalits.org www.ncdhr.org
