THE JAIPUR TERROR SCAPEGOAT:THE POOR BENGALI MUSLIM MIGRANT
PUCL RAJASTHAN’S REPORT
PART I
On the evening of the 13th of May, 2008, nine bomb blasts ripped through the spine of the walled city of Jaipur, killing more than 67 people (as of 23rd May, 2008) and injuring over two hundred people. Like in other 8 cities where similar attacks took place since 2005, Jaipur too stood together and thankfully no communal riot followed. Instead people belonging to different faiths and communities came together on the third day and paid their respects to the deceased and remembered the unity of this city over several hundred years, which had been marred by three major riots in 1989, 1990 and 1992. Communal amity for always was what everybody pledged for.
The medical community at the SMS Hospital and other Private Hospitals that took in patients responded with zeal and saved several lives. That night 56 patients were brought in dead and five who came in gasping died soon after. The death toll by the end of the week grew to 67. More than 277 injured were also brought in on the night of the blast out of which 134 were admitted in the various Hospitals and the rest were discharged. Some of the patients have ended up with permanent impairments, assessments are still being made and the medical Community of the SMS Hospital even today affirm their commitment to the patients.
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One more Nobel Winner calls for the Immediate Release of Dr. Sen
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Dr. Binayak Sen, in Custody in India, Unable to Travel to U.S. to Accept Prestigious Human Rights Award
Physicians for Human Rights Calls for the Immediate Release of Dr. Sen
Media Contacts::
Nathaniel Raymond
nraymond@phrusa.org
Tel: (617) 301-4232
Cell: (617) 413-6407
May 14th, 2008 marked the First Anniversary of the arrest and detention of Dr. Binayak Sen, a physician and human rights activist detained by Indian Authorities for his alleged involvement with prisoners who are a part of the banned Communist Party. Dr. Sen, a pediatrician who has dedicated his life to the service of the poor and underprivileged in India has been imprisoned in Raipur, Chhattisgarh for nearly one year. His trial began on April 30th of this year. Informed observers believe that the arrest of Dr. Sen is an effort by the authorities to intimidate advocates for human rights, especially those of the poor, including marginalized tribal populations in India.
The Global Health Council announced on April 21st that Dr. Sen is the winner of the 2008 Jonathan Mann Award for Global Health and Human Rights. Leaders in the fields of health and human rights including Global Health Council President and CEO Nils Daulaire, Jim Yong Kim of Harvard Medical School and Harvard School of Public Health, as well as PHR’s CEO Frank Donaghue signed a letter to Indian officials supporting the release of Dr. Sen to travel to Washington, DC to receive the award in person on May 29th, 2008.
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Murder of Lalit Mehta in Palamau: Aimless crime or planned intimidation?
The following letter about the murder of a social activist, Lait Mehta who blew the whistle on corruption in NREG. Like Satayendra Dubey and Manjunath, Lalit Mehta had to sacrifice his life for exposing corruption in public funds. Lalit was part of the Right to Food campaign of which Binayak also was a key player in Chattisgarh.
[To read it in Hindi language, click here]
We are deeply disturbed by the recent murder of Lalit Kumar Mehta, member of Vikas Sahyog Kendra (Palamau District), who was brutally killed on 14 May 2008 as he was returning from Daltonganj to Chhattarpur on a motorcycle.
The circumstances of this murder are disturbing. Lalit (aged 36), an active member of the right to food campaign and Gram Swaraj Abhiyan, has been working in this area for more than 15 years on issues related to the right to food and the right to work. He was a very gentle person and his work was widely appreciated. However he was also fearless in exposing corruption and exploitation, and often came in the way of vested interests.
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Statement of Protest at the Incarceration of Dr.Binayak Sen and Ajay TG
We the undersigned demand the immediate release of Dr Binayak Sen who is detained by the Chhatisgarh government under the Chhatisgarh Special Security Act and Criminal Amendment Act. These draconian acts were used against Dr Sen who was becoming an eyesore to the Chhatisgarh government for his campaign against violation of democratic rights, especially, due to the state sponsored fascist terror campaign called Salwa Judum- a diabolic ploy of the state government to pit impoverished Adivasis against Adivasis.
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Report of Kolkotta Convention for the release of Dr. Binayak Sen
Nearly 150 persons attended the May 14 convention held at Medical College Common Room form 5 pm. Dr. Shyamal Baran Roy, ex-Director, Central Institute of Blood Transfusion and Hematology, chaired the convention.
Dr. Jayanta Das, on behalf of Medical Collge Democratic Students’ Association and Shramajibi Swasthya Udyog, presented a draft resolution. Noted human rights activist Sujata Bhadra was the first speaker supporting the resolution. Binayakda’s mother Mrs. Anusuya Sen was the next speaker. Pradip Banerjee of Bandi Mukti Committee, Dr. Tapas Bhattacharya of Health Services Association, renowned paeditric surgeon Dr. P. K. Sarkar, Dr. Subhas Dasgupta of Medical Service Centre, Ashis Lahiri of Bengali Monthly Review, Amitadyuti Kumar of APDR, noted journalist Bolan Gangopadhyay, Basudeb Banerjee of Commercial Taxes Executive Officers’ Association, Pranab Dey of Land & Land Reforms Officers’ Association, Sandip Dasgupta of Joint Council of Trade Unions were among other speakers.
The resolution was adopted unanimously. The convention ended with the resolve to give the Free Binayak Sen Campaign the shape of a mass movemnet.
THE RESOLUTION ADOPTED AT THE CONVENTION
HELD ON MAY 14, 2008 AT MEDICAL COLLEGE COMMON ROOM
DEMANDING RELEASE OF DR. BINAYAK SEN
We, the doctors, people’s health activists and human rights activists of West Bengal, today in this convention strongly protest against the unjust arrest and detention without trial of Dr. Binayak Sen. We deplore Dr. Binayak Sen’s detention under the black laws, Chhattisgarh Vishesh Jana Suraksha Adhiniyam and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, since May 14, 2007.
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From freebinayaksen.org- Updates from Google News
- Govt disapproves of 'non-state' law enforcers like Salwa Judum - Times of India
- With fear and hope - Hindu
- Orissa Police in Service of Hindutva (and POSCO) - Desicritics.org
- POTA 3.0: India's New Terror Law - CounterCurrents.org
- Mumbai attack: Who is asking the real questions? - Express Buzz
- Poetry: Matte Finish - Desicritics.org
- Reports From Indian Media
- With fear and hope - Hindu: Sunday Magazine
- Mumbai attack: Who is asking the real questions? - New Indian Express
- Equality before the law? - Oheraldo
- Govt disapproves of 'non-state' law enforcers like Salwa Judum - TOI: India
- Chidambaram says Govt disapproves of Salwa Judum - Express India-- Front Page
- Chidambaram says Govt disapproves of Salwa Judum - The Indian Express -- Front Page
- Centre disapproves of 'non-state' law enforcers like Salwa Judum - Rediff: News
- Government disapproves of 'non-state' law enforcers - NDTV National
- Govt disapproves of 'non-state' law enforcers - Hindustan Times: News
- Govt disapproves of 'non-state' law enforcers - Hindustan Times: India
- Govt disapproves of 'non-state' law enforcers like Salwa Judum - TOI: India
- Govt disapproves of 'non-state' law enforcers like Salwa Judum - Doordarshan
- Rhetoric rejected - Frontline
- Outcome shot in the arm for salwa judum - Asian Age: India
- PUCL Vice-President's bail plea rejected - New Kerala: West Bengal
- Chhattisgarh HC: PUCL vice president's bail plea rejected - IndLaw News
- Different kinds of silence - Telegraph: Opinion
- Whither democracy? - Oheraldo
- Q&A: 'Rights activism uses space within the Constitution' - TOI: Editorial
- The Shootin' Sheriffs - Outlook