New Delhi, 20
th September, 2008The National Chairman of All India Confederation of SC/ST Organisations, Dr. Udit Raj, attended 9th Session of United Nations Human Rights Council at Geneva from 9th to 17th September, 2008. He raised the issue of discrimination of Dalits and was successful in campaigning that the caste discrimination is mother of all discriminations. He said that despite various provisions of Indian Constitution aiming at the protection and promotion of human rights of Dalits, their implementation remains inadequate. Atrocities, untouchability, insufficient wages, bounded labour, child labour, landlessness, illiteracy, inequality of opportunities, manual scavenging are still the order of the day in the life of Dalits.
Dr. Udit Raj further said that last Indian National Bureau of Crime Report (2006) states that in that year 27070 crimes had been committed against Dalits, though many go unreported. 13 Dalits are murdered every week, 5 Dalits homes are burnt every week, 6 Dalits are abducted every week, 3 Dalits women are raped every day, 11 Dalits are beaten every day and a crime is committed against a Dalit every 18 minutes.
Literacy rate for Dalits remains abysmal: 54.69% as per Govt of India's last census (2001) while we are witnessing a deterioration situation. Even more disappointing is the progress made by Dalits at higher education. The enrolment of Dalits in graduate education is 8.37% as against 91.63% for others. Furthermore, 37.8% children had to sit separately while eating in 37.8% of Government schools.
Dr. Udit Raj said that so far, "reservation" has not been fully implemented, e.g., out of more than 200 Secretaries in the Government of India, there is hardly anyone from this community. Discriminatory pronouncements of higher judiciary - High Courts and Supreme Court - are engaged in further eroding the base of "reservation". Privatization and globalization processes are further blowing death to the reservation. Government jobs are shrinking fast and private enterprises mostly owned by upper castes, discriminate in recruitment (no Dalits CEO in any corporate establishment).
He urged the Government of India to establish mechanisms of protection for Dalits in order to curb crimes against them as well as empower them educationally.
Dr. Udit Raj further said that the recent brutal attacks on Christians in Orissa State continue to remind us that Religious intolerance and caste discrimination are synonymous. The right wing Hindu organizations such as RSS, VHP and Bajran Dal have unleashed brutal violence against Christians in Orissa, once again this year, after the murder of Swami Lakshmanananda Saraswati, on 23rd of August, by unknown assailants. The violence spread throughout the state - at one point 12 of 30 districts were in flames - with concentration of multiple attacks on Christians, despite the fact that districts are ethnographically different. More than 4,000 Christian homes were burned, 52 Christians killed according to list maintained by Dr. Joseph D'Souza, of the All India Christian Council. About 115 churches from all denominations were destroyed or heavily damaged. Furthermore, dozens of women were sexually assaulted and harassed. Dozens of Christian-owned businesses burned down. As a result, riots have displaced about 50,000 Christians. 31,000 of them took refuge in the forest/jungles and live in constant fear.
Dr. Udit Raj said that Muslims constitute about 15% of Indian population but their participation in administration is quite a dismal. Though the reservation has been extended to them also in recommendation of Mandal Commission, obstacles lie at the bottom of implementation. Muslims and Christians Dalits are striving to get reservation at par with Hindu Dalits. However, this has to be achieved yet. Dr. Ejaz Ali of United Muslim Morcha is fighting for this right.
He therefore urged the Human Rights Council that it should build the pressure on Indian government that the justice is secured.
(Sanjay Kumar)
Media Incharge
9818659660
UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL, 9th Session, 17th
September 2008
Statement on Item 4 - General Debate - By Dr. Udit Raj
MBOSCUDA -
Mbororo Socio-Cultural Development Association
Mr. President,
Despite various provisions of Indian Constitution aiming at the protection and promotion of human rights of Dalits, their implementation remains inadequate. Atrocities, untouchability, insufficient wages, bounded labour, child labour, landlessness, illiteracy, inequality of opportunities, manual scavenging are still the order of the day in the life of Dalits.
Last Indian National Bureau of Crime Report (2006) states that in that year 27070 crimes had been committed against Dalits, though many go unreported. 13 Dalits are murdered every week, 5 Dalits homes are burnt every week, 6 Dalits are abducted every week, 3 Dalits women are raped every day, 11 Dalits are beaten every day and a crime is committed against a Dalit every 18 minutes.
Literacy rate for Dalits remains abysmal: 54.69% as per Govt of India's last census (2001) while we are witnessing a deterioration situation. Even more disappointing is the progress made by Dalits at higher education. The enrolment of Dalits in graduate education is 8.37% as against 91.63% for others. Furthermore, 37.8% children had to sit separately while eating in 37.8% of Government schools.
We urge the GoI to establish mechanisms of protection for Dalits in order to curb crimes against them as well as empower them educationally.
Mr. President
Recent brutal attacks on Christians in Orissa State continue to remind us that Religious intolerance and caste discrimination are synonymous.
The right wing Hindu
organizations such as RSS, VHP and Bajran Dal have unleashed brutal violence
against Christians in Orissa, once again this year, after the murder of Swami
Lakshmanananda Saraswati, on 23rd of August, by unknown assailants.
This is the largest attack on Christians since India became an independent
democracy in 1947 and happens in areas where Dalits embraced the Christian
faith, built businesses and improved their standards of living. Already in
2007, Orissa had the third most attacks of any Indian state, after Andhra
Pradesh and Karnataka according to the All India Christian Council.
In 2008, violence spread throughout the state - at one point 12 of 30
districts were in flames - with concentration of multiple attacks on
Christians, despite the fact that districts are ethnographically different.
More than 4,000 Christian homes were burned, 52 Christians killed according
to list maintained by Dr. Joseph D'Souza, of the All India Christian Council.
About 115 churches from all denominations were destroyed or heavily damaged.
Furthermore, dozens of women were sexually assaulted and harassed. Dozens of
Christian-owned businesses burned down. As a result, riots have displaced
about 50,000 Christians. 31,000 of them took refuge in the forest/jungles and
live in constant fear.
Orissa state government said only 18 were killed and while violence continues
has refused to ask for Army intervention or Central inquiry into the violence.
Mr President,
UN Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Religion or Belief, Ms. Asma Jahangir, also had expressed her concern about the Orissa violence after visiting, in March 2008, the victims of violence of Christmas 2007.
The organizations I represent, All India Confederation of SC/ST Organisations and Lord Buddha Club in association with All India Christian Council are doing best to protect the interest not only of Christians but also of Muslim minorities. When about million Dalits under my leadership were going to embrace Buddhism in 2001, the right wing Hindu outfits, the same responsible for attacks on Christians and violence against Muslims in Gujarat in 2002, did every effort to thwart the call of religious freedom.
Muslims
constitute about 15% of Indian population but their participation in
administration is quite a dismal. Though the reservation has been extended to
them also in recommendation of Mandal Commission, obstacles lie at the bottom
of implementation. Muslims and Christians Dalits are striving to get
reservation at par with Hindu Dalits. However, this has to be achieved yet.
Mr. President
European Union Parliament had past resolution on Human Rights situation of Dalits in India in 2006 and a similar resolution has been introduced in US Senate as well after Congressional hearings that took place on 6th October 2005 in Washington in which myself participated.
We therefore urge the Human Rights Council and the Government of India to work together to establish justice, peaceful co-existence and harmony between the different religious communities, including improving the overall Human Rights conditions of Dalits and other minorities, particularly stopping recent recrudescence of violence.
Thank you Mr. President
Thank you
Dr.
Udit Raj
President, All India Confederation of SC/ST Organisations
B-113, Sarvodaya Enclave, New Delhi-110017, India
Tel: 91-11-26960022 - 91-9899382211
Email:
dr.uditraj@gmail.com
buddha@ndf.vsnl.net.in
seema6raj@yahoo.co.in
www.dalitinternational.org