The following is a selection of links to relevant articles/releases on Dalit issues, published in the course of 2013.

OCTOBER

European Parliament pass resolution on global caste discrimination

Key Press Clippings on the EU resolution:

An interview with IDSN coordinator Rikke Nöhrlind (New York Times – India Ink)

India’s caste campaigners win EU backing to end ‘apartheid’ conditions(The Guardian)

The world is looking at caste discrimination, finally (New Internationalist)

Caste discrimination a global evil, says European Parliament (The Hindu)

It is high time India tackled the ‘evil’ of the caste system (The National)

Press releases/News

S&Ds call for targeted action against caste-based discrimination

ALDE: The EU must fight caste-based discrimination

Untouchables: stop discriminations based on castes (Greens)

EP press release on the resolution

EP: Combating caste-based discrimination

DSN-UK: The European Parliament passes resolution on Dalits

Dalit women call for justice at National Tribunal
The National Tribunal on Violence Against Dalit Women in India, organised by AIDMAM, heard over 45 testimonies of Dalit women who had been subjected to kidnapping, murder, physical assault, sexual violence and other crimes against them, and have yet to obtain justice. Hindustan Times published an article on the tribunal 

Acquittals in massacre case shock Dalits
Almost 16 years after the savage killings of 58 Dalits in a Bihar village, the survivors’ fight for justice has suffered a severe blow. On 9 October, the Patna High Court acquitted 26 men who were sentenced for the crime three years ago.

SEPTEMBER

101 stories of violence against Dalit women
Dalit Media Watch has gathered a compilation of 101 articles on atrocities against Dalit women from December 2012 till August 2013. A few high-profile rape cases – not least the infamous Delhi gang-rape – have attracted much media attention and protests from civil society. In contrast, cases of violence against Dalit women are usually met with indifference. Other articles also focus on the lack of attention to violence against Dalit women: The forgotten rape stories; Some rapes are more newsworthy than others in India; Unequal justice on grounds of religion, race, caste and sex in India

Dalit protests continue over Haryana death
Protests are continuing against the lack of action by the state authorities in the case of a 20-year old Dalit woman who was allegedly raped and murdered in Jind, Haryana. A fact finding team led by Asha Kowtal, one of India’s leading campaigners for the rights of Dalit women, has put together a report on the case. The IDSN news story Strong Dalit protests over Haryana death from 30 August now includes news updates from September.

More news headlines:

India: Caste-specific cremation grounds creating apartheid of the dead;Town plans to set up crematoriums by caste; Steady rise in inter-caste marriages involving Dalits; Their revenge on her body; You can change your religion, not your caste; Movement to make Dalit Christians ‘scheduled castes’ gains momentum; Caste clashes in village near Puducherry; Dalits finally get access to common water tank;  Dalit communities in India are fighting for change; Can Dalit capitalism be a vehicle for social mobility in India?; Panel: Rehabilitate Mirchpur riot victims; Dalit girl’s murder sparks protests; Brothers hang 17-year old girl for eloping with Dalit
Nepal: Dalit victim to be rehabilitated‚ 17 accused released; Memory remains
Pakistan: Scheduled castes give voice to woes

AUGUST

Strong Dalit protests over Haryana death
The alleged rape and murder of a 20-year old Dalit woman has caused outrage in Haryana, India. The family of the deceased as well as civil society organisations have demanded a proper investigation into the case. Haryana is notorious for rapes, especially against Dalit women. Read this excellentarticle on Dalit women speaking out against the culture of rape.

India: False miracles and true inspiration
After five years in India, Canadian newspaper correspondent Stephanie Nolen said farewell with this moving piece that carries a strong focus on Dalit and women’s issues. There is individual hope, but the experienced India-watcher also questions whether the country is actually capable of changing for the better.

Dalit journalists stung by discrimination
The number of Dalits in the Indian media is rising, but many of them would prefer to leave as they are frequently subjected to caste discrimination. This is one of the findings in an investigation into Dalit representation in the media. Read the full report (in three parts): The untold story of Dalit journalists; Caste on the campus; Farewell to media dreams

Photo series of Devadasi women
It has been banned for 25 years, but India’s Devadasi system of temple prostitution persists, forcing mostly Dalit women into a lifetime of sexual exploitation. The Hindu newspaper has published a compelling photo series on the issue.

More headlines:

India: Bihar Dalit killed in violence on Independence Day; Black independence day for Dalits; Cops torture Dalits, parade them naked in Sehore; Dalit NGO Navsarjan counters Gujarat government study claim;Caste skews India’s view of rape; Remembering the Tsunduru Dalit massacre; No way out from bonded labour for Dalits in Hassan village; Dalit girl made to do 500 sit-ups for refusing to clean toilet; We don’t want money, we need land; Plea seeks to remove caste names from educational bodies;Dalit students leave school due to discrimination; It rains misery on Dalit colony; Dalit girl brutally gang-raped;

Nepal: Caste tensions; Single Dalit women defying convention; Dalit child slogs at stone quarry

Pakistan: Ten booked for attack on Dalit houses

JULY

India

Nobody wants to help us because we are dalits: acid attack survivor Chanchal Kumari (Hindustan Times) This is the harrowing story of the young Dalit woman whose life was made hell by four men who attacked her with acid.

No exits from these tunnels of death (The Hindu) On the recent deaths of three Dalit sewage workers – and the lack of protection for people engaging in such hazardous work.

Society indifferent to workers who perish in India’s ‘death holes’(Merinews)   Another article on the same issue, focusing on the indifference of doctors, employers and society as a whole towards Dalits who risk their lives in India’s sewers.

The plight of Dalit women: Why it’s time to end the caste system (The Independent blogs) Anand Kumar, the Indian representative of Christian Aid, makes an excellent case for the dismantling of the caste system.

More news from India:

No caste-based rallies in Uttar Pradesh; Protection of Dalits; Dalit entrepreneurs fight prejucides; Student beaten to death by classmates; Gang-raped Dalit girl commits suicide; Dalit woman axed to death after rape in Haryana; Of every 100 held in Haryana for crimes against Dalits, 92 walk free; Female Dalit rickshaw driver arrested for filing complaint;Marriage halls warned over caste discrimination; The Dalit Panther’s first leap; India has 40 per cent of world’s malnourished

Nepal

Brutal attack on two Dalits in Morang district – An angry mob assaulted a Dalit victim of a rape attempt and a male Dalit activist, smearing soot on their faces and beating them up. The National Human Rights Commission expressed serious concern over the incident: ‘Police to blame for Belbari incident’; No country for Dalit woman; NHRC expresses concern over attack on Dalit woman; Outraged!; Six arrested for assaulting Dalit duo; Compensate Dalit woman, NGOs say

More news:

Dalits, non-Dalits work together to wipe out caste discrimination;Minorities to fight for more rights in new constitution; Dalit students ‘discriminated’

Pakistan

Christians angered by ‘sweeper’ comment

United Kingdom

Government accused of delaying law against caste discrimination – Anti-caste discrimination reforms blocked, say critics (Guardian); Caste discrimination law faces appalling delays (BBC); Grant is “procrastinating” over caste law (Public Service); Tory ministers accused of reneging on pledge to end caste discrimination (Independent)

JUNE

India

Death at birth (Frontline)

Children born to Dalit and Adivasi families have a higher risk of dying during the first 24 hours of their lives than children from other groups.

Warped in caste conundrum (Asian Age)

A former secretary in India’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs reflects on the country’s “insatiable obsession with caste”.

More news from India: Laws alone cannot fight caste bias; Caste system prevails in India amidst progress; Dalit boy forced to carry footwear on his head; Dalit discrimination takes different forms; Rummaging through rubbish;Caste curses Dalit children to life of slavery; Irked by Dalit’s buffalo, man kills girl; Dalit youth killed for marrying caste Hindu; Low crime rate against Dalits in West Bengal; Caste discrimination at village well

Nepal

‘Unless we pose a threat, our issues will not be addressed’ (EKantipur) – A comprehensive interview with Durga Sob, one of Nepal’s leading Dalit human rights campaigners.

Fears of lower Dalit political representation
Dalit leaders are concerned that Dalit representation in the next Constituent Assembly (CA) of Nepal will be significantly lower than in the previous one:‘Ensure 13 pct Dalit representation in CA’; Fears grow of Dalit privileges being trashed;

More news from Nepal: Violence against Dalit women rampant: FEDO;Equality for one and all; Thrashed, woman seeks justice

May

India

Four get life term for gang-raping Dalit minor (Times of India)

More news on Dalit women (used in Special Edition Newsletter):

Facebook drive spawns hope for acid hit Dalit sisters; Dalit woman burned alive for resisting rape; Dalit woman stripped, tied to tree, beaten; Dalit women victims of many forms of oppression; Five held for sexual assault of 10-year old Dalit girl; 80 percent Dalit women face violence in inter-caste marriage; Death of Dalit woman – police to file report; Son molests Dalit girl, father sets her ablaze; Minor Dalit girl gang-raped in Rewari

Haryana: Dalit villagers are living in fear

Following the attack on 200 Dalit families on 13 April by a dominant caste mob that was angered by an inter-caste marriage, many Dalits fled Pabnava village in Haryana: No end to caste violence in Pabnava village, two more Dalits attacked again; Deadlock over, govt to compensate 282 Dalit families;Large number of Dalits have fled Khaital village; Fact-finding team presents report on caste violence

More news from India: When development triggers caste violence; How a rape ruined a family; Caste discrimination catching students young; Riding a horse still a distant dream for Dalit grooms; Dalits attacked over temple festival row; Death in the gutter; Dalit representation in Bollywood; Dalit empowerment still a distant dream; Dalit couple – caste Hindus torturing us;Dalit Christians neglected; Police aggression led to Dalit deaths

Nepal

Dalit civil society launches anti-untouchability campaign (Republica) – Dalit civil society organisations in Nepal conducted a 12-day campaign against caste discrimination and ‘untouchability’ from 24 May till 4 June.

More news from Nepal: Dalit village plagued by water shortage; Inclusion in political parties – merely a popular slogan?; A marriage of differences; Dalits attacked for entering temple; Nepali Dalit woman gets DLitt from US; The term Dalit has negative connotations

Pakistan: Minority vote crucial; Poor Hindu woman runs for PA

Sri Lanka: The caste base of our cultural roots

UK: The baggage of prejudice

International: Anti-slavery collaboration begins to come of age; Modern slavery

MARCH-APRIL

India

Dalit activists announce sit-in for land rights (The Hindu)

Dalit land rights march – photo series (Demotix)

10-year old Dalit rape victim jailed (Indian Express)

‘It took my sister three years to get justice’ (Times of India)

More news from India: Four posing as cops gang-rape Dalit girl; Dalit found murdered in village; A death foretold; 200 Dalits flee village after attack;Cleaning up India’s shame; India’s continuing shame; Disempowered Dalits;Inter-caste marriages taking toll in Jatland; A love affair is the reason for denial of work to Dalits; From grinding poverty to the Padma Shri; Cries of discrimination reverberate; Recast over time, caste lives on

Pakistan

Scheduled castes determine to support pro-Dalit candidates (PND)

United Kingdom

Britain bans caste discrimination – As the first country outside South Asia, the UK has decided to legislate against caste discrimination: Caste discrimination to be outlawed by Equality Act(BBC); Government backs down over … caste discrimination (The Independent); UK set to outlaw caste discrimination (DNA India); Caste discrimination: Campaigners vow to fight for legislation (BBC)

FEBRUARY

India

NAC recommendations on strengthening SC/ST Act (ZeeNews)

Unite or vanish, say Dalit, Adivasi women (Indian Express)

More news from India: Delhi gang rape case: Uncomfortable questions;Social activists question silence on Dalit women; Raped Dalit girl determined to succeed; Bonded labourers rescued by NGO; Debt crushes bonded labourers; Caste and entrepreneurship in India; Untouchability still widely practised in UP; Dalit children need English language education; Muslims and Christians seek Dalit status; Five more held for Dharmapuri violence

United Kingdom

First UK caste discrimination case imperilled (Guardian)

Landmark caste case stalled (Coventry Telegraph)

Pakistan: The fading soul of Pakistan’s diversity
Sri Lanka: Caste discrimination stifles progress

JANUARY

India

The disgusting stench of incredible India (Tehelka)

Devadasi system is an organised crime (Indian Express)

Five years after kin murder, Dalit family attacked again (The Hindu)

The Delhi gang-rape: The horrific attack against a young woman in New Delhi led to a public uproar as well as a vigorous media debate on rape and women’s rights in India. The debate also touched upon the situation of Dalit women.           What about sex crimes against untouchable women?;Smashing the hierarchy of sorrow; Delhi protests and the caste hindu paradigm; Why are there no mass protests for raped Dalit women?; Praying for a new dawn after Delhi rape; Amartya Sen notes Dalits’ plight; Let’s reach out in time

More news from India: Rape victim aims to become social worker; Activists say counselling must for rehab; Minister: Dalits continue to lag behind; Dowry schemes are used to lure girls into bonded labour; Study: Discrimination forces Dalit kids out of schools; Dalit student stars in quiz show; Dalit land rights only on paper; Dalit priest driven to suicide

Nepal: Dalit woman raped in Siraha; Dalit women role in politics stressed;Dalit bodies demand probe into death