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AN APPEAL FOR SOLIDARITY AND SUPPORT
UGENT : Badi Women Human Rights Defenders Attacked and Detaine
Women's Rehabilitation Center (WOREC), Nepal requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Nepal.
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| Injured Protestor |
Brief description of the situation:
Women's Rehabilitation Center (WOREC) is appalled and shocked at the attack and mistreatment on the Badi Women Human Rights Defenders by the government of Nepal on 27 August, 2007 .
Badi community, a small Dalit community is considered as a minority group and the most disadvantaged ethnic groups of the Nepalese society. They live in the western, mid western and far western regions of the country. The Badi women are the main bread earners of their families. The women of this community are stigmatized and disgraced by state, society and community for practicing commercial sex work as a major source of their earnings. They have strongly demanded to consider this practice as violation of their Human Rights and punish the responsible institutions and community.
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| Uma Devi Badi |
The Badi Women Human Rights Defenders have denounced the violations of their human rights and exploitation of their sexuality by feudal structures of the state which is the main reason for practicing commercial sex by them. Such practice has denied Badi Women from accessing their Human Rights, Economic, Social, Cultural and Political Rights while subjecting them to exploitation, injustice and suppression at all levels that has been a regular practise for the past hundred years.
In the context of changed political context, it had given hope to all the marginalized groups to express their violation of human rights to be heard and respecting, protecting and promoting their rights that remained only as lip service. However even after a turbulent one year success of People's Movement -2, the vibrant civil society, active human rights groups and upfront Dalit rights group have remained silent and largely ignored the issues related with Badi women who subsequently have been further marginalized within these political movement.
On 22 August, 2007, in demanding their demands to be addressed, three dozen Women Human Rights Defenders from Badi community expressing their strength and solidarity staged protests in Singha durbar, Kathmandu. Some of their demands included rehabilitation of their sisters who have been forced to work as commercial sex workers, right to own land, representation of at least 1 female and 1 male candidate in the constituent assembly, provision of legal bodies in all levels of the government that addresses issues of racial discrimination and untouchability and legal identity to their children who are deprived of citizenship certificates. In the process of asserting their rights, the Badi Women Human Rights Defenders were severely beaten for entering the restricted areas and detained in custody.
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| Inside Police Compound |
On 27 August at 10: 30 AM , as a continuation of their demands, 450 Badi women and men out of which 225 were women from Badi Community Struggle Committee along with Dalit Civil Society Movement staged a joint protest to enter the Singha Durbar. However they were charged with showers of truncheon clearly reflecting the attitude of the Nepal Government that protecting human rights and calling for a discussion with the community is not their priority. The insensitive and inhumane Police even tried to take off the Saree and Petticoat of Ms. Uma Devi Badi, the coordinator of the Badi Community Struggle Committee. It is a clear indication how her Badi identity has been used as a tool to dishonor, insult and disgrace her. This calls for a serious concern of the attitude and behavior of Nepal Police. The Police arrested the protestors and shoved them inside the van and took to the various Police Battalion areas. The Nepal Police had also proudly announced that they have been ordered from ' above' to charge the protestors if they try to enter the ' restricted' areas. Two dozen protestors were arrested. 2 men were injured, 5 women were injured while 1 was seriously injured, and the whereabouts of Mithu Nepali is still unknown. Those protesters who were taken to the Armed Police Force Battalion number 2 in Maharajgunj included Head of the Dalit Civil Society Binod Pahari, coordinator of Badi Community Agitation Committee Uma Devi Badi and Women Human Rights Defenders of Women's Rehabilitation Center ( WOREC). There were around 49 Badi and 15 dalit protestors. The Women Human Rights Defenders who were inside that compound as a part of Human Rights monitoring witnessed the prejudice of some Police officers who insulted the protestors purely on the basis of their Badi/Dalit identity clearly violating their Human Rights.
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| Women Negotiating |
The Badi Women Human Rights Defenders have expressed their anger and disappointment towards the government discriminating them on the basis of their identity and keeping silent and ignoring their demands while addressing the issues of Deuki and Mukta Kamaiya. Sarita Nepali, a Badi Women Human Rights Defender said that "the issues of a Badi woman is an issue of all the nepali women and the humiliation towards a Badi woman is a humiliation towards the women of the entire state."
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| Protest |
The silence of the women politicians of 8 political parties in showing immediate attention and solidarity to the demands of Badi women is a matter of grave concern. They have asked support and solidarity from the 'responsible' women politicians. The Human Rights organizations have been condemned for their lack of support and participation in their struggle. The Badi women have charged the Human Rights community for using them for their own benefit and seeking funds in their names but not directly involving them in those activities.
The Badi Women have clearly stated that they are not scared with the abusive forces of power by the government and they will fight for their rights. They have appealed to the WOMEN OF NEPAL to join their movement in asserting their rights.
Please find attached pictures of the struggle of the Badi Community.
Women's Rehabilitation Center ( WOREC Nepal)
Balkumari, Patan
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