Human rights defender once again receives threats in Uttar Pradesh

ISSUES: Threat; intimidation; right to life; human rights defender; caste based discrimination

SAMPLE LETTER:

Dear __________,

INDIA: The work of PVCHR, a human rights organisation, must be protected

Name of victim: The People's Vigilance Committee on Human Rights (PVCHR), SA 4/2A, Daulatpur, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, its staff and the Dalit families (about 2000 in number, primarily in three separate hamlets Belwa, Pindra and Raup)
Date of incident: 25 April, 2008 and continuously thereon

I am writing to express my concern regarding the case of threats received by the People's Vigilance Committee on Human Rights (PVCHR) from the criminals associated with the upper caste Hindus and feudal lords in Uttar Pradesh. I am informed that Dr. Lenin, the Convener of the PVCHR, has been receiving abusive and life threatening calls on his mobile number +919935599333 since 25 April 2008 asking him to stop all activities of the PVCHR addressing issues concerning the Dalits in Uttar Pradesh.

I am informed that of the calls received by Dr. Lenin, the last one was from a notorious mafia man operating in Uttar Pradesh who ordered PVCHR to immediately stop all its activities involving Dalits in Raup, Pinda and Belwa Dalit hamlets or else the staff of the PVCHR along with the Dalit families residing in these hamlets would be hurt and their houses burned.

I am informed that the calls are a reflection of the PVCHR's success in mobilising and empowering the Dalits in the state. I am also informed that the Uttar Pradesh state administration unfortunately is finding the PVCHR's work as a slur or trouble to the state's public image.

It is reported that Dr. Lenin has received 18 calls from the following numbers +919918086996, +919415158550, +919794207227, +919454592038, +919792166784, +919792317547, +919453982577, +919956198171, +919838709973, +919889028806, +919792625583, +919795067828, +919838709937, +919792308119, +919793181915 and +919335985425, +919956816351 and +919919784317 on 25/4/08, 30/4/08, 11/5/2008, 15/5/08, 16/5/08, 17/5/08 and 18/5/08 respectively.

All these numbers are registered in India. On 26 April 2008 after the first call Dr. Lenin has registered a complaint, send through registered post, to the Director General of Police, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh informing the officer about the call that he received and urging the officer to take necessary action upon the complaint.

I am informed that the telephone number to which these calls are made (+91993559933) is being monitored by the state government agencies. However, the uninterrupted manner in which the calls continued indicates that the state police have not taken the complaint lodged by Dr. Lenin seriously.

I am further informed that Dr. Lenin has communicated to the AHRC that the latest of the calls that he received from the number +919919784317 is one of the numbers used by a dangerous mafia person operating in Uttar Pradesh. The very fact and knowledge that such persons are involved in this matter is good enough for anybody in the state to stop all their activities.

It appears that the state administration through its passive stance of failing to provide adequate protection to the PVCHR and its activists is in fact expecting the upper caste Hindus and feudal landlords in the state and their criminal henchmen to silence the PVCHR. Dr. Lenin believes that the calls though made to his personal mobile telephone are in fact a method of delivering a message to everyone associated with the PVCHR, cautioning them to stop working in Uttar Pradesh. This must not be allowed.

It is imperative in these circumstances that 24 hours police protection to be provided tothe Dalit hamlets in Pindra, Belwa and Raup in and around Varanasi so as to ensure that the Dalit families in these villages are safe from the criminals who have threatened the PVCHR from working in these villages. It is also necessary for the state police toimmediately discuss these issues with the PVCHR and its staff, to ensure that none of the staff as well as the people for whom the PVCHR work is hurt by the criminals.

The state administration must immediately take these steps as otherwise irreparable damages will be caused to not only a well functioning human rights group in Uttar Pradesh and its staff, but also to the Dalits residing in Dalit hamlets in and around Varanasi.

I am also informed that the AHRC is also writing to the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders calling for an immediate intervention in this case.

Yours sincerely,

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PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:

1. Honorable Governor of Uttar Pradesh
Raj Bhavan, Lucknow
Uttar Pradesh
INDIA
E-mail: hgovup@up.nic.in

2. Ms. Mayawati
Chief Minister
Chief Minister's Secretariat
Lucknow
Uttar Pradesh
INDIA
Fax: + 91 522 223 0002 / 223 9234
E-mail: csup@up.nic.in

3. Mr. Shivraj V. Patil
Home Minister
North Block
New Delhi 110 001
INDIA
Fax: + 91 11 23794833

4. Ms. Meira Kumar
Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment
D-1029, New Friends Colony
New Delhi - 110065
INDIA
Fax: + 91 11 23382683
E-mail: min-sje@sb.nic.in

5. Secretary to the Government
Uttar Pradesh State Government
5th Floor ?Lal Bahadur Sastri Bhavan
Lucknow
Uttar Pradesh
INDIA

6. Inspector General of Police
Varanasi Zone
Varanasi District
Uttar Pradesh
INDIA
E-mail: igzonevns@up.nic.in

7. Director General of Police
1-Tilak Marg, Lucknow
Uttar Pradesh
INDIA
Fax: + 91 522 220 6120 / 220 6174
E-mail: police@up.nic.in

8. Senior Superintendent of Police
Varanasi, SSP Office, Kachahari
Uttar Pradesh
INDIA
E-mail: sspvns@up.nic.in

Thank you.