India
Judgement in Mirchpur Killings convicts 15 but acquits 82 – NDMJ will challenge judgement The case of the killing of the 70-year-old Dalit and his physically-challenged daughter at Mirchpur had been transferred from Hisar to Delhi. The Delhi court found that it fell under the SC/ST Act 1989 and awarded life sentence to three persons and convicted another five, letting off seven others on probation for one year. Moreover, these 15 were the only ones convicted out of the 97 persons who had been originally accused. The NCDHR-National Dalit Movement for Justice aim to challenge the judgement in the High Court.
Report on police shooting of Dalits released People’s Watch -Tamil Nadu, have now released the report on the ‘Public Inquest into the Paramaduki Firing’, after completing a fact finding mission in relation to the police shooting of at least 6 Dalits, when police fired into a crowd on Sunday 11 September at Paramakudi in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The report confirms preliminary findings that police were to blame for the incident and that several of those allegedly shot dead had in fact been subjected to police torture. Download the full report here >> and Read the original IDSN news piece on this incident here >>
4% of government purchases will have to be from dalit or tribal-run firms The Indian Government has made it mandatory for all central bodies to make at least 4% of their annual purchases from small scale industries owned by dalits and tribals. The decision, a leg up for developing entrepreneurship among Dalits, came as part of the new public procurement policy which mandates ministries to make 20% of their purchases from micro and small enterprises (MSEs). Of this, 20% will be done from MSEs owned by SCs and STs.
Food security situation in India is alarming According to the global hunger index 2011 has been published. Only 14 countries in the world rank lower than India. Even in many African and in neighbouring countries Nepal en Pakistan the food situation is better.
Thousands of Dalits march in New Delhi to mark World Dignity Day on 5th December – The march was organised by National Confederation of Dalit Organisations (NACDOR)
CDM project aims at providing Solar lighting in Dalit Hamlets MC Raj/REDS and the German Dalit Solidarity Platform (DSiD) are currently involved in a CDM project, which aims at providing 12489 solar lamps in Tumkur District for non-grid connected kerosene lamp users under the UNFCCC and Gold Standard registered project, in order to be used during the evenings in Dalit hamlets which are not connected to the electricity grid.
Press Headlines: Low-caste boy killed 'because he had the same name as high-caste man' ; 4% of govt purchases will have to be from dalit, tribal-run firms ; Dalit Inc gets leg up from Milind Kamble; Caste: a turbulent history; Villupuram records highest number of atrocities against Dalits: study; Assaulted for protesting against ‘made snana' ; Instant help for lovers in distress; Protest against diversion of SC, ST funds; The private sector's turn to deliver ; Dalit’s house torched in Kanpur, four children hospitalized ; Dalit couple ‘beaten’ by panch, threatens suicide ; Dalit activists complain of delay in investigation - The Hindu; Racial Discrimination Against Migrants From North East India ; Economics Journal: Are India's Poorest Catching Up? ; 'Witch' stripped, beaten in Balasore ; Anti Dalit Ritual – Video; ‘Police responsible for Dalit woman’s murder’; 'Where do we takeour dead and go?';5000000 North East Indian Migrations Expected in 5 Years ; India: Government Continuously Fails To Provide Remedies ; India 'caste meal' activist beaten at Karnataka temple ; Sunar's father begs for justice ; Dalits 'forced out' of rented house; Caste discrimination continues in Tamil Nadu ; In India, Caste Discrimination Still Plagues University Campuses
Nepal
E-Bulletin from the Feminist Dalit Organization Nepal (FEDO) including Women leadership Development Mediation and Advocacy Training, EU high level ROM visit and interaction on constitution making process.
Government of Nepal appoint Dr. Madan Pariyar, from Samata Foundation, as head of the newly constituted State Restructuring Commission (SRC) in Nepal Dr. Pariyar has been nominated in the SRC amid widespread criticism faced by the parties and government that there is not a single representation of people of Dalit community, who make a major portion of the population, in the powerful body entrusted with the responsibility to come up with a best possible model to federate the country. The Cabinet will now formally appoint Dr. Pariyar in what will be a nine-member commission.
Press Headlines: Nepal: Witchcraft A Form Of Violence Against Women ; Lower caste man killed for touching stove ; Fiscal arrangements in federal Nepal For the poorest of the poor
Pakistan
Discrimination against Dalits continues in flood relief efforts in Pakistan After the flood that hit the Sindh area in Pakistan, numerous incidents of discrimination and exclusion against the Hindu minority have been reported. There are 3 million Hindus in Pakistan, with 2.5 million of them belonging to the ‘scheduled castes’. Although humanitarian organizations have to adhere to the principle of non-discrimination, assisting all victims of conflict or natural disasters, prejudices keep impeding relief efforts.
Press Headlines: The struggles of Pakistan’s Christian Sweepers ; PDSN observes anniversary of Dr. Bhimaro Ambedkar in Pakistan ; Flood-hit Dalits facing hunger and prejudice; Effective communication is key to social change
Bangladesh
Bangladesh Dalit and Excluded Rights Movement (BDERM) organize 4 day programme to highlight Dalit Rights. The Programme included a Colorful Rally and Human Chain to Mark International Human Rights Day-2011, A photo exhibition entitled “The Struggle of Dalits” and the BDERM Annual Council Meeting.
Seminar organised by Bangladesh Dalit and Excluded Rights Movement (BDERM) and Nagorik Udyog on the 'Realisation of Rights of Dalit and Socially Excluded People of Bangladesh' in connection with the South Asian Social Forum 2011 in Dhaka.
Protest against caste discrimination in Chuknagar Organised by the Bangladesh Dalit Parishad, a protest rally was brought out in Chuknagar to protest the caste discrimination suffered by Anando Das whose cremation was refused by so called High caste Hindus. Anando, a Dalit (Rishi, by caste), was refused the last rites in the cremation ground used by non-Dalits in the village of Bhalukghar Kesobpur, Jessore) on October the 20, 2011 because of his supposed unworthiness. A large number of Dalits converged on Chuknagar from nearby villages and vented their anger against caste discrimination.
Dalit Human Rights Defenders in Bangladesh allege they have been arrested on false charges. A dalit leader spearheading the protest against untouchability at the cremation ground is arrested. Ujjol Das, chairman of the Kesobpur branch of the Bangladesh Dalit Parishad, is arrested by Police and sent to jail together with his father Kumar Das and grandfather Onil Das.It is apparent that this sudden arrest has got to do with the protests being organised against the discrimination suffered by a Dalit person at the cremation ground. The Bangladesh Dalit Parishad is about to start a case against this discrimination and their perpetrators.
Press Headlines: Unite to establish rights; Launch social movement to end disparity - Speakers urge HR activists at three-day human rights fair in Dhaka, Bangladesh
International
Care Millenium Award given to Ashok Bharti “The CARE Millennium Award recognizes people who have rendered outstanding services to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) of the United Nations. Ashok Bharti has relentlessly encouraged Dalits to exercise their rights in conjunction with government and non-government programmes. The Millennium Award lauds his efforts to improve their lives, which is an important contribution towards the achievement of the UN MDGs.”
International Experts meeting on Electoral Reforms in India International experts have met in a Workshop on electoral systems in Berlin, organized by the Campaign for Electoral Reforms in India (CERI) and the Dalit Solidarity Platform in Germany between the 17th and the 19th of October. They jointly worked on a policy document tailor-made for India, which will be presented in Delhi on the 26th of January 2012
