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Tamil Nadu Dalit Women’s Movement (TNDWM), an IMADR partner organization based in Chennai, India, has released an urgent appeal on a case of human rights violations against a Dalit woman in September 2007.

Lakshmi, a 45 year-old Dalit woman from Koormavilasapuram village, is a member of a Self Help Group (SHG). She is fortunate to own a house as well as one acre of cultivable land. On 19 September, 2007, she returned to Koormavilasapuram from another village at 9 pm in order to attend the SHG meeting. The leader of the SHG, Girija, collected Lakshmi’s savings as is the practice at the SHG, but soon after Lakshimi was blamed for stealing a calf from the village. Although Lakshmi denied any involvement, she was suspected of having taking the calf. Girija took Lakshmi away to a higher caste village where an unofficial village meeting was held - “Katta Panchayat” (KP). KPs are prohibited under laws in Tamil Nadu as most KPs are used to humiliate and/or beat up women. Women who were sent to KPs were often tied up to posts to force them to kneel before the villagers.

The next day, Lakshmi was taken to the temple. She was humiliated in front of everyone and she was compelled to confess. Lakshmi denied the theft over and over again and her husband explained before the KP that they truly did not know anything about the missing calf. But the KP did not even listen to them. The KP made Lakshmi swear her innocence in front of the temple by burning camphor. Lakshmi, her husband and her sister were forced to prostrate themselves.

Continuous humiliation and the associated bad language drove Lakshmi to try to commit suicide- she tried to hang herself three times. On 23 September, 2007, a KP was held with the sole purpose of humiliating Lakshmi and she was incarcerated with her husband and her sister in the SHG building.

Lakshmi begged everyone for release. All three suffered a lot. Lakshmi got a chest pain and she asked to be able to go outside in order to obtain medicine. She was only allowed to collect the tablets she needed from her house accompanied by four guards who were to ensure that she was brought back to the SHG building. More than 10 people monitored the building and Lakshmi and her family could not escape from the building. On 24 September, once again, a KP was held and Lakshmi was asked to pay compensation of Rs. 12,000/-. The amount was reduced to Rs. 6,000/- later, but Lakshmi was threatened that her land would be taken away if she did not pay the money. She was also warned that she would not be allowed to live in the village as there would be a social boycott: she would be refused drinking water, unable to buy anything from the village shop, and she would be barred from employment. She complained about her case to the police with the support of TNDWM. The local police, however, conspired with the leader of SHG as well as villagers who had attended the KP, including landlords, to avoid any action being taken in the case. Lakshmi and the women’s movements, Rural Women Liberation Movement and TNDWM, are seeking justice and will not compromise in this case.

We demand:

- immediate action to be taken against the persons who confined Lakshmi, her husband and her sister in a SHG room.
- immediate action to be taken against the Local Sub Inspector of Police for neglecting to precede with the case and for conspiring with the KP members.
- punishment of the village KP leaders for their social boycott of Lakshmi.
- punishment of the village KP leaders for provoking Lakshmi to try to commit suicide.
- punishment of the village KP leaders for humiliating Lakshmi by accusing her of stealing the calf.

We also stress that:

- KPs are prohibited by law in Tamil Nadu because they violate human rights.
- the SHG is disempowering women.
- as a citizen of India, everyone has the right to live freely.

Join Action
You can join this action by sending a letter to authorities concerned. Here (PDF14KB) is the sample letter which you could revise as you would like. Fill your name and the date in the blanks and send it to below authority whether by fax or by post.

M. Karunanidhi
Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu
St. George Fort,
Chennai – 600 009
INDIA
FAX： + 91(44)2567 2304