When she lies dying

 

By: Bhavan Meitei

“The violence of rape and harassment offends human dignity; crushes and breaks human beings. It is time for people to stand up united and demand the amendment of the archaic rape laws in the country!”

Barely three months after the horrifying gang rape incident of a paramedical student in a public bus in New Delhi on December 16th, another incident has shocked the nation. And this time, it is the rape of a five-year old child.

When the news of the brutality meted to the five year old burst out, widespread protests and emotional outbursts spontaneously erupted across the nation again, with women and men demanding safety and protection of girls; a change in attitudes towards women; and a change of archaic gender laws and speedy justice to bring rapists to book. But, this is not the only incident after the December 16th case. In Delhi alone, around 350 cases were reported during this short span of time.

In the Northeast region, which is considered as a safer place for women (by history), reports of crime against women are rising in recent times. The Guwahati molestation case in the heart of city last year; alleged mass rape by a Manipuri insurgent group, molestation of an actress by a banned Naga outfit in public; rising rape cases in ‘matrilineal’ Meghalaya; and recent murder case of a lady doctor in Manipur shows the region is no different from the rest of the country. It seems that the moral wall which shields the  North-East States from the rest of the country when it comes to such incidence has finally been brought down!

Historically, the  North-East region has the history of  women’s waging war against the imperial British rule. The region also houses the only women’s market in Southeast Asia and incidentally is also the largest in the category. Unlike other states in the country there is little restriction in women participating in community services and musical concerts. But it has, and the people should admit that the region has the tendency to suppress the fairer sex, and it has all the vices that has come to define the country when it comes to women - the cases of female foeticide, domestic violence, mental and physical torture of women, dowry death or harassment, public humiliation and trafficking!

In the national scenario, since 2012, the National Crime Record Bureau statistics show crimes against women has increased by 7.1 percent. There has been a rise in the number of incidents of rape recorded too. In 2011, 24,206 incidents were recorded, a rise of 9 percent from the previous year. Further, the report said, more than half of the victims are between 18 and 30 years of age. The north eastern state of Tripura recorded the highest rate of crimes against women at 37 percent, compared to the national crime rate of 18.9 percent.

Crimes that include eve-teasing, harassment, heckling and sexual innuendoes against women in public places including streets, public transport and places along with the rape of minors and women in tribal and villages often go unreported and unrecorded. And, due to family honour many complaint files are withdrawn and in many cases the police do not give a fair hearing to these grievances.

In our society, ‘masculinity’ provides an ideological basis for impunity to be legitimised and practiced.  And crime against women comes that much easier because many people believed that to be truly masculine; men have to carry both a fear and hatred of the feminine close to their heart. And after most of the incidents, our leaders, politicians and the society in general often targeted the victims. There were many cases of mishandling and rape by the men in uniform.

It is time to stand up and demand an amendment to the archaic rape laws. The maximum sentence for a rapist found guilty remains unclear under prevailing laws. The maximum sentence includes seven years of imprisonment, or up to ten years.  For those guilty of gang-rape, rape of a pregnant woman and related offenses the maximum for the guilty is 10 years. Since the present laws seem to be no deterrent to the rapists, it is time to revisit the archaic laws to the extent of exploring the most harsh punishment which could give the judicial system a handle to beat such anti-social elements with.

Additionally, we need to inculcate the sense of respect for women. This may start right in the family where the male members need to show adequate respect to the females in the family. School may also serve as the correct platform to teach about gender equality and respect.

All this boils down to inculcating a correct attitude about women who lives in our society in various forms : mother, sister, grandmother and friend.  With these steps, India's  deep rooted traditions of patriarchy, misogyny and repressive attitudes that prevail across classes towards women will ‘hopefully’ decline.

(This article was published in the May issue of Northeast Today Magazine)

Man-made tragedy in women's paradise

 

There is a tremendous scaling up of violence against women since the 16 December 2012  rape case of a young woman in Delhi. Women of all ages have become victims of rape and murder. Whether it is the increase in reporting of violation of women or an actual increase in crime against the fairer sex is debatable.

However the fact remains that women have never been more vulnerable as they are today. This situation calls for a comprehensive step encompassing every aspects- judicial, social, psychological and the like. This situation calls for a comprehensive change in our attitude towards women. This is an idea whose time has come!

Like all over the globe, women in the Northeast region face violence in the domestic and public spheres. To add woes, conflicts across the region leave women particularly vulnerable to different types of violence, including sexual violence. In recent times, cases related to violence and crimes against women were rising tremendously. How many remain unreported one does not know.

These crimes against women are part of a wider change where reactionary forces are becoming dominant.  For women in many parts of the world, violence is a leading cause of injury and disability, as well as a risk factor for other physical, mental, sexual and reproductive health problems. Violence has long-term consequences for these women and their children, as well as social and economic costs for all society.

Crimes against women have become a matter of serious concern in Meghalaya. Government statistics reveal that in 2012, total 236 crimes were reported against women in the state that is traditionally known for its matrilineal society.

Rape is the highest reported crime in Meghalaya among the dominant tribes and victims of over 65 per cent of those cases were minors. Incidences of crime against women, especially rape, have been showing an upward trend and this is a matter of serious concern.  The total number of rape cases registered between April 2012 and March 31, 2013 was 179, out of which 118 cases (over 65 per cent) involved victims below the age of 18.

East Khasi Hills district recorded the highest number of rapes with 62 cases, followed by Ri-Bhoi district (32), West Khasi Hills (22), East Jaintia Hills (17), West Jaintia Hills (16), South West Khasi Hills and South Garo Hills (both eight) and West Garo Hills (six).

Among other districts, South West Garo Hills and East Garo Hills recorded three cases each, followed by North Garo Hills with two, the minister said, adding that charge-sheets have been filed in 52 cases so far. And, altogether 91 cases of molestation were reported in the state during April 2012-March 2013 period. There were also other crimes against women like trafficking, cruelty by husband and dowry. The local paper has a column on a daily basis which reports rape cases.

There are many factors at play here: from the collapse of social systems, under strain for decades by a deep sense of alienation, injustice, imbalance and confrontation and conflict. The semantic meaning of ‘crime against women’ is direct or indirect physical or mental cruelty to women. The alarming rate in the crimes against women can to a large extent be attributed to the lack of infrastructures for single working women who have to leave their families at an early age to work away from home.

On 9 July 2012, in Guwahati city a teenage girl was allegedly molested and manhandled by a crowd of approximately 30 men outside a bar, many of whom were subsequently arrested based on video footage of the event. The sordid sexual violence by a group of thugs has stunned people not just in India but across the world.

Tripura has been registering highest crime against women for last six years according to the National Crime Control Bureau and crime perpetrated against minor girls in Tripura is on a rapid increase.  In addition, a most disturbing set of silent social trends is emerging: we find that the ratio of girl children being born is falling in Assam and Manipur. We note that despite the government’s best efforts, the maternal mortality rate in Assam remains the highest in the country at 380 although this is a dramatic improvement, the best in the country, from the 480 per 100,000 births a decade back.

In Mizoram, crime against women during the last five years was generally dominated by a high figure of rape (Sec 376 IPC) and molestation, outraging modesty. It is reported that, a mix trend in the incidence of rape has been observed during the last five years.

Hardly a day passes without a case of rape being reported in Indian newspapers and media. Women belonging to low castes and tribal women are more at risk. Statistics from 2000 showed that on average a woman is raped every hour in India. Women’s groups attest that the strict and conservative attitudes about sex and family privacy contribute to ineffectiveness of India’s rape laws. Victims are often reluctant to report rape. In some cases, after proving that she has been raped, a victim is often ostracized from her family and community. This problem is exacerbated by the fact that rape laws are inadequate and definitions so narrow that prosecution is made difficult.

On 17th December, a Manipuri actress was assaulted by a member of banned Naga insurgent group, who identified himself as Livingstone Anal of NSCN (IM). It is reported that, Livingstone Anal was recently promoted to the rank of Lt Colonel in the NSCN (IM).

In another dimension of the issue, human trafficking has received increasing global attention over the past decade. In the Northeast Region also, the increasing rate of trafficking is alarming. Initially, trafficking of women and girls for forced sex work and, to a lesser extent, domestic servitude, were the sole focus of advocacy and assistance. Today, there is recognition that women, children and men are trafficked into many different forms of labour, and for sexual exploitation.

It is important to recognize that women, men and children are trafficked into many forms of labour and vulnerable to a range of occupational health risks, which vary by sector. The risks can include poor ventilation and sanitation; extended hours; repetitive-motion activities; poor training in use of heavy or high-risk equipment; chemical hazards; lack of protective equipment; heat or cold extremes; and airborne and bacterial contaminants. Exposure to such risk factors can result in exhaustion, dehydration, repetitive-motion syndromes, heat stroke or stress, hypothermia, frostbite, accidental injuries, respiratory problems and skin infections.

Further, to add woes to the region, Armed Forces Special Powers Act provides impunity for rape. A law like the AFSPA, impedes accountability for rape and sexual violence in conflict areas at every level, and, therefore has no place in our statute books. Manorama Devi, a 32-year old woman from Manipur, was allegedly raped and murdered by the armed forces in 2004. It is reported that, the Assam Rifles personnel came to the house at midnight without any woman cadre and entered after breaking down the door. They dragged her out from the bed and beat up the family members when they tried to intervene.

It is reported that after locking the door from outside with all the family members inside, the security personnel took Manorama at a corner of the veranda and thrashed her brutally for almost half an hour after blind folding and tying her hands and feet. In the morning, the body was found wearing with no proper cloth. There were not only scratching marks of fingers all over the body, but also a deep gashing wound probably made by a knife on the right thigh. There were also at least seven fatal bullet wounds on her back with one of them shot from upper buttock having pierced through her private part on the other side.

There were many incident of rape and violence happens in the affected area. Unless we protest against the AFSPA, and other similar laws, the entrenched impunity against rape and sexual violence will remain.

Major causes for violence against women include:

• lower levels of education
• exposure to child maltreatment;
• antisocial personality disorder;
• harmful use of alcohol;
• having multiple partners or suspected by their partners of infidelity; and
• attitudes that are accepting of violence and gender

Factors specifically associated with sexual violence perpetration include:

• beliefs in family honour and sexual purity;
• ideologies of male sexual entitlement; and
• Weak legal sanctions for sexual violence. 

        Violence against women is a major public health problem and a violation of human rights.

Violence against women” is any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or mental harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life.’

                                                                -United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women, 85^th plenary meeting, December 1993.

 SOCIAL AND CULTURAL NORMS THAT SUPPORT VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

  Studies from diverse settings have documented many social norms and beliefs that support violence against women, such as:

• A man has a right to assert power over a woman and is considered socially superior;

• A man has a right to physically discipline a woman for ‘incorrect’ behaviour;

• Sexual intercourse is a man’s right in marriage;

• A woman should tolerate violence in order to keep her family together;

• There are times when a woman deserves to be beaten;

• Sexual activity – including rape – is a marker of masculinity; and

• Physical violence is an acceptable way to resolve conflict in a relationship;

• Girls are responsible for controlling a man’s sexual urges

-          Understanding and addressing violence against women Publication, 25^th

November 2012, World Health Organisation.

 

 

Death of tourism in Northeast India?

 

As tourism industry is inextricably linked to the law and order situation, the volatile atmosphere in the region has done no good to this sector. Is there a prospect for improvement in the foreseeable future?

A decade ago, a foreign national, who came to investigate an NGO in Manipur, was kidnapped by an insurgent group based in Manipur. More than ten years down the line, the negative impact created by that incident has not faded one bit. There are reports that the NGO pulled out of its projects in Manipur. And that was not one off incident which can be push out of memory. That was what came to define the state in the eyes of outsiders. Kidnapping, extortion, murder- these have come to define the state and the region. As if not enough, people from outside the region have come to define the region in terms of obscurity and misinformation. The region is indeed shrouded in the web of misunderstanding!

The Northeast region, often term as ‘Paradise Unexplored’, has a great potential and unique spots for tourism. All the states in the region have something to showcase to the outside world. Indeed the region is a rich source of biodiversity where the beauty of nature is at its full glory. However, the ‘mystic, vibrant and unique’ culture and places in the region have lost their sheen due to the ongoing armed conflict. Besides the lack of infrastructure, the sense of insecurity and volatile law and order situation has proverbially killed the prospects of tourism in the womb of the nature. The loss in terms of both money and information is immense.

 It may do well to recount some of the incidents involving kidnapping and extortion of foreign nationals by insurgents. On 24th March 2003, a German national identified was kidnapped near Moirang Lamkhai in Bishnupur district of Manipur by Kuki Revolutionary Army militants. However, another kidnapping incident hit the final nail in the coffin of the state in so far as prospects of tourism in the state are concerned. In 2001 also, two Japanese agricultural experts were kidnapped but later released. This action led to the Japanese pulling out from all projects in the region.

The flip side of the story is that these incidents have done a massive damage to the region in respect of economy and tourism prospect. Those involved in the mindless actions seem to have forgotten the potential benefits which this sector could bring to the economy of the region. Besides helping in reviving the economy and providing employment opportunities, it will help in reducing migration to other states for employment opportunities.

The damage on social integration is equally telling. There is little or no social contacts with the people from outside the region which has further fuelled discrimination and prejudice towards the people from the region. Tourism promotes understanding of culture. When people visit the region, they learn new things about traditional tribes.  For example, the Khasi tribe of Meghalaya practices matriarchy system since time immemorial and in Manipur, holi is celebrated for five days. There are a number of vibrant and unique traditions across the region. Tourism activities will spread this awareness and will reduce the misunderstanding and cultural misconception that are face by most of the northeast people who reside outside the region.

These days some positive activity in promoting tourism is being seen. For instance, recently, Guwahati hosted the first international Tourism Mart which saw participation from 23 countries including ASEAN member countries, Bangladesh, Japan and the UK among others. With some states witnessing return to normalcy, vigorous attempts are being made to promote tourism prospects in the region. Concerted efforts from all the stakeholders are required for making the region a tourism hub in the near future. Besides infrastructure, supports from the government and visible improvement in the law and order situation in the region would be required to put the region on tourism map of the world.

Economic benefits :

Tourism   is one of the most effective ways of redistributing wealth. It brings income into a community that would otherwise not be earned. Economic benefits resulting from tourism can take a number of forms including:

Jobs

Employment may be associated directly, such as tour guides or managerial positions; or in supporting industries like food production or retail suppliers.

 Increased spending

Increased spending in the community generated from visitors or tourism businesses can directly and indirectly promote the viability of local businesses.

Economic diversification

Tourism operators can play a role in highlighting the broad prosperity that tourism can bring to a community and will contribute to a greater understanding and respect for the value of tourism.

Economic diversification is, for many communities, an insurance policy against hard times. By offering an additional means of income, tourism can support a community when a traditional industry is under financial pressure.

Infrastructure

Infrastructure including roads, parks, and other public spaces can be developed and improved both for visitors and local residents through increased tourism activity in a region.

Social benefits

Community identity and pride can be generated through tourism. A positive sense of community identity can be reinforced and tourism can encourage local communities to maintain their traditions and identity.

Environmental benefits

Providing financial or in-kind support for the conservation of the local environment and natural resources will enhance the reputation of any tourism business.  Tourism, particularly ecotourism, can place a greater focus on the conservation of natural resources through the recognition of their importance to visitor experiences and their economic value to the local community.

(This article was published in the April Issue of Northeast Today magazine)