“Immediately withdraw Charges against Dr. Sen” : UK-academics
Letter to Guardian from UK-academics
We urge that Dr Sen be released, and be treated in the spirit of India’s own constitution.
2nd April
The Editor,
The Guardian,
London,
UK
As the world’s economic powers gather in London this week, with India featuring prominently among them, we hope they will take the time to consider human rights as well as the credit crunch. In particular, we, U.K-based academics, call attention to the continuing imprisonment of Dr Binayak Sen, the first Indian recipient of the 2008 Jonathan Mann award for Global Health and Human Rights. Dr Sen, a public health professional, has worked tirelessly for decades on issues of basic livelihood, health services and social justice. He has been incarcerated ’solely for peacefully exercising his fundamental rights,’ as twenty-two Nobel Laureates, British politicians and many other prominent figures have noted. Dr. Sen has been a political prisoner since 14th May 2007 in the Indian State of Chhattisgarh, and has been denied bail and appropriate medical treatment. He is on Amnesty International’s list of “Prisoners at Risk”. No credible charges have been brought against him but anti-terror legislation has been used to extend his detention. Supplementary charges and additional witnesses have been introduced with the apparent intention of endlessly prolonging his trial.
The needs of the world’s underprivileged must be at the forefront of the G-20’s discussions. The Government of India must act immediately to withdraw the charges against one of the strongest champions of social justice. We urge that Dr Sen be released, and be treated in the spirit of India’s own constitution. At a time when the global economic situation has made the poor even more vulnerable, governments must support and work with, not incarcerate and abuse, those like Dr Sen and other human rights activists who work for positive change.
- Dr. Riaz Ahmad, Part-time Lecturer in Mathematical Finance, University College London, London
- Prof. Ravi Ahuja, Professor of Modern South Asian History, School of Oriental and African Studies, London
- Dr Sundari Anitha, Research Fellow, University of Leeds,Leeds
- Prof. Gautam Appa, Professor of Operational Research, London School of Economics, London
- Dr. Thankom Gopinath Arun, Honorary Senior Fellow, Manchester University, Manchester
- Dr Rita Astuti, Reader, London School of Economics, London
- Ms Holly Aylett, Senior Research Fellow, The Global Policy Institute, London Metropolitan University
- Dr. Mukulika Banerjee, Reader, University College London, London
- Prof. Marcus Banks, Professor, University of Oxford, Oxford
- Prof. Upendra Baxi, Professor of Law, University of Warwick, Coventry
- Dr. Laura Bear, Lecturer, London School of Economics, London
- Prof. Gillian Bendelow, Professor and Head of Department, Department of Sociology, University of Sussex, Brighton
- Dr. Veronique Benei, Senior Research Fellow, London School of Economics, London
- Dr. Philippa Berry, Visiting Fellow, University of Bristol, Bristol
- Dr. Brenna Bhandar, Lecturer, Kent Law School, Kent
- Prof. Maurice Bloch, Emeritus Professor of Anthropology, London School of Economics, London
- Dr Monica M.E Bonaccorso-Rothe, Lecturer and Senior Research Fellow, Goldsmiths College, University of London, London
- Dr. Gabriele vom Bruck, Senior Lecturer, School of Oriental and African Studies, London
- Prof. Lionel Caplan, Emeritus Professor, School of Oriental and African Studies, London
- Prof. Joshua Castellino, Professor of Law, Middlesex University, London
- Dr Sharad Chari, Lecturer, London School of Economics
- Dr. Shraddha Chigateri, Lecturer in Law, Keele University, Keele
- Dr. Andrew Chitty, Lecturer in Philosophy, University of Sussex, Brighton
- Dr Michael Collins, Department of History, University College London, London
- Prof. Anthony Costello, Professor of International Child Health and Development, UCL Institute for Global Health, University College London, London
- Dr. Radha D’Souza, Reader in Law, University of Westminster, London
- Dr. Dimitris Dalakoglou, Lecturer in Anthropology, University of Sussex, Brighton
- Dr Eliza Darling, Lecturer, Goldsmiths, University of London
- Dr. Susan Daruvala, Senior Lecturer, University of Cambridge, Cambridge
- Dr. Santanu Das, Lecturer, Queen Mary University of London, London
- Dr Jonathan S Davies, Reader in Public Policy Governance and Public Management Group, Warwick Business School, Coventry
- Prof Sophie Day, Professor of Anthropology, Goldsmiths, London
- Dr. Lucy Delap, Lecturer in History, University of Cambridge, Cambridge
- Dr. Manali Desai, Lecturer, London School of Economics and Political Science, London
- Professor Lord Meghnad Desai, Professor Emeritus of Economics, London School of Economics
- Dr. Henrike Donner, Lecturer, London School of Economics and Political Science, London
- Prof. Elizabeth Dowler, Professor of Food and Social Policy, University of Warwick, Coventry
- Dr. Jean Dreze, former Lecturer, London School of Economics, London
- Dr. Ziad Elmarsafy, Department of English & Related Literature, University of York Heslington, York
- Dr. Peggy Froerer, Lecturer in Anthropology, Brunel University, Uxbridge
- Prof. David Gellner, Professor, University of Oxford, Oxford
- Prof. Sayantan Ghosal, Professor of Economics, Department of Economics, University of Warwick, Coventry
- Dr Aisha Gill, Criminologist, Roehampton University, London
- Dr. Jay Ginn, Centre for Research on Ageing and Gender, Surrey University, Guildford
- Dr. Priyamvada Gopal, Senior Lecturer, Cambridge University, Cambridge
- Dr Gianluca Grimalda, Visiting fellow at the Centre for the Study of Globalisation and Regionalisation, Warwick University, Coventry
- Dr. Sudeshna Guha, Lecturer (Affiliate), Cambridge University, Cambridge
- Prof. David Hardiman, Professor, University of Warwick, Coventry
- Dr. James Harrison, Assistant Professor School of Law,University of Warwick, Coventry
- Prof. Barbara Harriss-White, Professor of Development Studies, Oxford University, Oxford
- Prof. Keith Hart, Professor of Anthropology Emeritus, Goldsmiths College, London
- Prof. Sylvia Harvey, Professor of Broadcasting Policy, University of Lincoln, Lincoln
- Prof John Hinnells, Professor Emeritus at Liverpool Hope University and Honorary Professorial Research Associate at SOAS, London
- Dr. Leo Howe, Senior Lecturer, Cambridge University, Cambridge
- Dr. Michael Hrebeniak, Fellow, Tutor & Director of Studies in English, Wolfson College, University of Cambridge
- Prof. C. Humphrey, Professor, University of Cambridge, Cambridge,
- Prof. Michael Hutt, Professor of Nepali and Himalayan Studies, School of Oriental and African Studies, London
- Prof. Deborah James, Professor, London School of Economics, London
- Prof. Patricia Jeffery, Professor, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh
- Prof. Roger Jeffery, Professor, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh
- Anuradha Joshi, Fellow, Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex, Brighton
- Prof. Mushtaq Khan, Professor, School of Oriental and African Studies, London
- Prof. Ursula King, FRSA Professor Emerita of Theology and Religious Studies and Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for Advanced Studies, University of Bristol and School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London
- Prof. Udaya Kumar, Leverhulme Visiting Professor School of English Literature, Language and Linguistics,University of Newcastle
- Dr. Helen Lambert, Senior Lecturer, University of Bristol, Bristol
- Prof. Neil Lazarus, Professor, University of Warwick, Coventry
- Dr. Alana Lentin, Senior Lecturer, Sociology, University of Sussex, Brighton
- Dr. Les Levidow, Senior Research Fellow, Open University, Milton Keynes
- Prof. Alan Macfarlane, Professor of Anthropological Science, University of Cambridge
- Dr. Sumi Madhok Lecturer, London School of Economics and Political Science, London.
- Dr. Luke Martell, Reader, University of Sussex, Brighton
- Charlie Masquelier, Part-time lecturer in Sociology, Sussex University, Brighton
- Reginald Massey, Independent Researcher, member of Society of Authors & Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts
- Dr Emma Mawdsley, Lecturer, University of Cambridge, Cambridge
- Dr. Lyla Mehta, Research Fellow, University of Sussex, Brighton
- Dr. Usha Menon, Senior Lecturer, University College London, London
- Dr. Perveez Mody, Lecturer, Cambridge University, Cambridge
- Dr. Massimiliano Mollona, Lecturer, Goldsmiths University, London
- Dr Sian Moore, Reader, Working Lives Research Institute, London Metropolitan University
- Dr Subha Mukherji, University of Cambridge, Cambridge
- Dr. Parita Mukta, Senior Lecturer, University of Warwick, Coventry
- Professor Sally R Munt, Director: Sussex Centre for Cultural Studies, University of Sussex, Brighton
- Dr. Khalid Nadvi, Senior Lecturer, Manchester University, Manchester
- Dr. Uttara Natarajan, Senior Lecturer, Goldsmiths, University of London
- Professor Jonothan Neelands, National Teaching Fellow, Chair of Drama and Theatre Education, University of Warwick, Coventry
- Prof Eleanor Nesbitt, Professor in Religions and Education, University of Warwick, Coventry
- Dr. Eleanor Newbigin, Junior Research Fellow, Trinity College, University of Cambridge, Cambridge
- Ines Newman, Principal Research Fellow, Warwick Business School, Coventry
- Dr. Pippa Oakeshott, Reader in General Practice, Community Health Sciences, St George’s, University of London
- Dr. Daniel O’Connor, Honorary Fellow, Edinburgh University, Edinburgh
- Professor Judith Okely, Emeritus Professor of Social Anthropology, University of Hull & Deputy Director of the International Gender Studies Centre, Queen Elizabeth House, Oxford
- Dr. Harsh Pant, Lecturer, King’s College London
- Professor Lord Bhikhu Parekh, Professor of Political Philosophy, University of Westminster, Emeritus Professor of Political Theory at the University of Hull, U.K
- Prof. Jonathan P. Parry, Professor, London School of Economics, London
- Prof Benita Parry, Professor, University of Warwick, Coventry
- Dr. Daniela M. Peluso, Lecturer, University of Kent, Canterbury
- Dr. Frances Pine, Reader in Anthropology, Goldsmiths University of London
- Prof. Chistopher Pinney, Professor of Anthropology, University College London, London
- Prof. Allyson Pollock, Professor of International Public Health Policy, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh
- Dr. Mike Poltorak, Lecturer, University of Kent, Canterbury
- Prof. Shirin M. Rai, Professor, University of Warwick, Coventry
- Dr. Dwijen Rangnekar, Senior Research Fellow, Warwick University, Coventry
- Dr. Manav Ratti, Assistant Professor, University of Warwick, Coventry
- Prof. Andrew Rigby, Professor of Peace Studies, Coventry University, Coventry
- Dr. Ben Rogaly, Senior Lecturer, University of Sussex, Brighton
- Prof. Jonathan Rosenhead, Emeritus Professor, London School of Economics, London
- Prof. Vaskar Saha, Professor, Manchester University, Manchester
- Dr. Minoli Salgado, Senior Lecturer, University of Sussex, Sussex
- Dr. Esther Saraga, Senior Lecturer, The Open University, Milton Keynes
- Prof. Shaheen Sardar Ali, Professor, School of Law, University of Warwick, Coventry
- Dr. Eurig Scandrett, Lecturer in Sociology, Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh
- Dr. Michael W. Scott Lecturer, London School of Economics, London
- Prof. Kunal Sen, Professor of Development Economics and Policy, Manchester University, Manchester
- Prof. Sanjay Seth, Professor of Politics, Goldsmiths, University of London, London
- Dr. Esha Shah, Research Fellow, IDS, University of Sussex, Brighton
- Prof. Martin Shaw, Research Professor, Dept. of International Relations, University of Sussex
- Dr Taylor C. Sherman, Royal Holloway University of London
- Dr. Pritam Singh, Senior Lecturer, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford
- Dr. Subir Sinha, Senior Lecturer, SOAS, London
- Tamara Sivanandan, Head of Social Sciences Department, Middlesex University, London
- Prof. Angela Smith, Professor Emeritus, University of Stirling, Stirling
- Dr. S. Sreenivasaprasad, Assistant Professor, University of Warwick, Coventry
- Dr Colin Stolkin, Senior Lecturer in Anatomy, King’s College London, London
- Dr. Clarinda Still, Lecturer in Modern India Studies, University of Oxford, Oxford
- Dr Nikita Sud, Lecturer, University of Oxford, Oxford
- Dr. Deborah Sutton, Lecturer, University of Lancaster, Lancaster
- Dr. Emma Tarlo Reader, Department of Anthropology, Goldsmiths,University of London
- Dr. Dania Thomas, Lecturer, School of Law, Keele University, Keele
- Eva Turner, Principal Lecturer, University of East London, London
- Dr. Maya Unnithan, Reader in Social Anthropology, University of Sussex, Brighton
- Dr. Rashmi Varma, Senior Lecturer, University of Warwick, Coventry
- Dr. Penny Vera-Sanso, Lecturer, Birkbeck College, University of London
- Dr. Bhaskar Vira, Senior Lecturer, University of Cambridge, Cambridge
- Dr Chrstopher Warnes, Lecturer, Cambridge University, Cambridge
- Dr. Maya Warrier, Senior Lecturer, University of Wales, Lampeter
- Dr. Sari Wastell, Lecturer, Goldsmiths, University of London, London
- Dr Karen Wells, Programme Director International Childhood Studies, Birkbeck College, London
- Prof. Ann Whitehead, Professor of Anthropology, University of Sussex
- Professor Janet Wilson, The University of Northampton
- Dr Kalpana Wilson, LSE Fellow in Transnational Gender Studies, Gender Institute, London School of Economics and Political Science, London
- Dr Benjamin Zachariah, Reader in South Asian History, University of Sheffield, Sheffield
Related posts
If you enjoyed this post, please consider to leave a comment or subscribe to the feed and get future articles delivered to your feed reader.
Very encouraging letter. We, in the UK, must continue voicing our dissent. We could try organising students with a social conscience to stage a demonstration at the Indian High Commission in London. The more international media attention this atrocity gets the more chances we have of even slightly embarrasing the fascist government of Chhatisgarh. I have been trying to spread the word and have contacted the Oxford Uni student union. Haven’t got much of a response yet but am still hopeful that more students will echo the outrage, which common people are expressing in the heroic Raipur Satyagrahas. Any ideas of how we can organise the students in the UK?