Yet again a girl has been raped in the so-called 'safe' city, Bombay, alias Mumbai! Guess if some incident occurs frequently it means a few things. Firstly, there is something drastically lacking in the very systems & structures - here its primarily secuirty, law & order; more so self-control & respect for a girls / women. It also means the safety of women in the city has fallen down drastically. The secuirty i mean the whole city. Who is secure? Can anyone of us claim to be? I really don't think so.
It also means that there is some sort of sanction or sniggering approval for such violent acts. Because so many are silent & tight lipped when such incidents occur. Somehow the hypocrisy of the Indian society gets thoroughly exposed. Yes, because the men folk can roam around late at night, they can be arrogant, forceful & flaunt their sexuality. But if women even remotely show similar attitude, they are termed as 'fast' women who deserve the consequences. The very faith they have in the system is destroyed, rather crushed to bits...
Last week an American Indian student from a social sciences college went out with her female friend for drinks. The whole episode till here & thereafter has many a loophole. Was there any breach of trust between these two? Why did this girl go out with 'friends' of her female friends. so on so forth is now coming out. I have a question. Do we not trust our own friends? Do we distruct every person we meet? I travel alone, i interact with people and its interesting what one can see around. I don't drink with strangers except close friends, this is a rule. On tour or travel i restrict myself to only a glass of beer. Plus a BIG lesson, NO mixing drinks...However this has been soemthing i have been able to stick with come what may. Sometimes like in this case of Ms R things didn't go her way.
She couldn't resist the forceful men. They forced her to drink, offered her LSD marijuana ciggie, etc...a lot is being said of what she could have done. I know one thing i can imagine is she could have just shouted out for help. Would she have got it i can't vouch, it would've at least put some pressure on the horny males with her. Poor child, a lot of mixes happened & eventually she landed in a huge personal, emotional & physcial trauma - she was raped.
But as if this wasn't enough. She had the courage to go to her hostel officials & tell them. They went to the hospital, police station, underwent all tests, etc. She filed a 'First Information Report.' Now this is supposed to be CONFIDENTIAL. Interestingly, the media in India has become very 'investigative.' The editors more pushy. so according to what my colleagues told me many news organisations & people had been given by the police the copies of the FIR.
The FIR is a real weapon for the victim. That is also confidential a document. Also if a journalist gets the copy of an FIR, one is NOT supposed to reporduce it verbatim. Here we had an over-excited tabloid newspaper male reporter who went ahead & published all details. Every action that the poor child could remember was described like a D grade sex film! Readers were subjected to the Gory details...instead of publishing the excerpts from this FIR, the whole darn paper was reproduced.
It was the most disgusting & repulsive piece of journalism i have read or seen in modern times. I sincerely believe such journalists should be castrated or flogged...Not for once did the bloody editor of this tabloid stop to think she is a woman & how she is encroaching upon a vulnerable, already shattered girl's privacy. Every word was published as if the reporter & the editor had relished & enjoyed every word that was printed on their paper. It nauseated some of us.
I did write to the network for working women journalists, asking us to file a suit against this third rate paper & its editor, especially since she was a woman. Pathetic is the situation in India i feel. To what extent will journalists go to get a story. In Our paper the bosses acutally pulled up the crime team for 'missing' out on this story. I want to ask do editors forget they too are humans. We all have women in our households. Would we allow something to be written abt any woman or girl we know in our private life? We owuld mover every stone on the way to protect that girl's relative's identity.
Why then do we not follow the same rule? Why do we not do things we'd expect others to follow? The paper failed in its very commitment to send the message of the incident to the masses, or readers. Instead it tantillised the readers, it made them curious and more so it perpetuated false perceptions of girls & women. This piece of tabloid journalism actually made people talk ill about the victim. Except for her name they had gone to town with every detail that the honest victim had recorded with the police.
It definitely brings us to the roles of ; living & suffering in a patriarchial society. The boys are being made out to be 'poor' boys, 'misled inccocents' "who did not rape but only gave the apartment to rapists." Even to know a rapist is a scary thought. How can men go beyond to help him. It is scary...The police first need to go inside the jail. Plus write ups about them need to come out more openly. The editor got her due. The women's organisations from the city went to that newspaper's office & they actually lodged an FIR with the azad maidan police.
We all suppoted this protest. I do hope this makes the editors, journalists realise the true meaning of 'confidentiality & it breach.' i only hope people use the same parametres for others that they will like to use for themselves.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Meeting former 'killers' - meeting with few soldiers of Khmer Rouge bastion
Chamcar Bei village
As a journalist I have met some amazing people from even more amazing backgrounds. Ranging from police, administrative or civil servants, judges, politicians, world leaders, extremely creative people, killers, gangsters, murderers, social workers, ordinary people doing great work...Around the 17th/ 18th of March our Peace fellows group travelled 4 hours from Phnom Penh on a visit to the once bastion of the Khmer Rouge regime. Chamcar Bei is the village.
Rugged, surrounded by forests, it is no wonder then that the Khmer Rouge found solace in that tucked away area, protected naturally from getting hounded from any side. Today there is more civilisation and it is NO wonder. As part of our studies we were to look at, rather analyse the re-integration model. The former Khmer Rouge soldiers were integrated in the Royal Thai Army & in the villages with other Cambodians, as part of the amnesty programme.
In this Chamcar Bei village we sat among villagers who were killers & perpetuators of violence! They were once Khmer Rouge soldiers. These people were being helped by a NGO -Bridge across borders, to help the villagers to adjust, rebuild their lives & become an united Cambodia.
However the fact is there are simmering differences & anger within the people. Our mini group of 5 persons spoke & interacted with the founder of this village, Prep Chem. He is an 82 year old man who was present in 1995. This was the time when the last group of Khmer Rouge soldiers surrendered & gave up their arms in Chamcar Bei village.
Prep was present on the day the last bastion of the Khmer Rouge soldiers laid their arms. It was a forested area, not a surprise, since Chamcar Bei even after 14 years bears the forest look. He recollected that day & told us that they watched soldiers being given the amnesty & welcomed by the Thai army. From being killers, from an extremist insurgent ideology they moved into more official status to kill. Prep told us forthrightly, "Life was harsh in the times of Khmer Rouge. We toiled as labour but today we have machines & life has become easier."
When we asked him how did the Khmer Rouge senior officers recruit the foot soldiers, Prep said their anger was NOT against these lower soldiers. "They were forced. They would have died anyways. The officers would come with the rolls of names like a muster, call out names randomly & simply order people to join them. If they did they were doomed, if they didn't they would have been killed!"
He also added, "Earlier some joined them out of fascination for their ideology. They got attracted to all the talk of working as labourers for the country & the promises they made."I am sure people's expectations were raised. Because like in India, the elite, Brahmins were THE only ones who got access to education, creativity & fine arts. They good jobs & as a result were held in high esteem by the ordinary people. As a result the rural areas or hinterlands were completely IGNORED!
May be for the first time I heard & witnessed what my Communist friends had been saying. I NOWHERE condone the daths & killings or their mentality...what started as a good anti-Brahmin, anti-elitist movement turned into one of the worst genocide crimes in the world. That too NOT ancient, but as recent as 1979-1989!! Our generation was born, educated & graduated by then...
He remembers the past distinctly, like most of the others who survived the horrors of the genocide. For over 2 generations people have suffered & are still struggling to come to terms with this tragedy. However like a majority of Cambodians, Prep refuses to visit his or his country's past. "There is no point going back to the past. It was horrible and we are glad it is over."
We asked Prep & the other villagers who among them was a Khmer Rouge soldier or were among the high ranking officers. They simply did not hear or rather behaved NOT to hear it. Prep told us there were new forms of conflict in their village. They admitted that had only heard of the tribunal but had no clue what it was. One person however said, "There are many killers who still live amongst us. They are not Duche or others."
This form of restorative justice or even the tribunal doesn't seem to have gone down well with a majority of Cambodian people. People here believe spending millions of dollars for 5 accused who they have never met or interacted with is a waste, when the millions in this country are struggling to get a decent living, jobs, food and a roof over their heads. Hu Noon, a volunteer with the Red Cross told me, "We find it difficult to work in the dark. We hear the cities have power 24 hours. We would like to have some electricity."
This speaks volumes regarding their government's priorities. Everyone knows the PM of Cambodia was a former Khmer Rouge & Heun Sung. He was never in favour of this tribunal. In another group a high ranking Khmer Rouge lady soldier was the spokeswoman. In fact she was so dominating that she didn't give anyone an opportunity to put their point across. She infact made it a point to tell the group that is all was well & there was no problem. Later at the time of wrap up she created a furore with murmurs of demanding money. Her logic was simple, we had taken their time & energy & they needed to be compensated. After they were given a token monetary gift, she voiced her opposition.
People feel the real perpetuators have escaped the trial while the country heads are wasting time & resources on those biggies who do not matter
As a journalist I have met some amazing people from even more amazing backgrounds. Ranging from police, administrative or civil servants, judges, politicians, world leaders, extremely creative people, killers, gangsters, murderers, social workers, ordinary people doing great work...Around the 17th/ 18th of March our Peace fellows group travelled 4 hours from Phnom Penh on a visit to the once bastion of the Khmer Rouge regime. Chamcar Bei is the village.
Rugged, surrounded by forests, it is no wonder then that the Khmer Rouge found solace in that tucked away area, protected naturally from getting hounded from any side. Today there is more civilisation and it is NO wonder. As part of our studies we were to look at, rather analyse the re-integration model. The former Khmer Rouge soldiers were integrated in the Royal Thai Army & in the villages with other Cambodians, as part of the amnesty programme.
In this Chamcar Bei village we sat among villagers who were killers & perpetuators of violence! They were once Khmer Rouge soldiers. These people were being helped by a NGO -Bridge across borders, to help the villagers to adjust, rebuild their lives & become an united Cambodia.
However the fact is there are simmering differences & anger within the people. Our mini group of 5 persons spoke & interacted with the founder of this village, Prep Chem. He is an 82 year old man who was present in 1995. This was the time when the last group of Khmer Rouge soldiers surrendered & gave up their arms in Chamcar Bei village.
Prep was present on the day the last bastion of the Khmer Rouge soldiers laid their arms. It was a forested area, not a surprise, since Chamcar Bei even after 14 years bears the forest look. He recollected that day & told us that they watched soldiers being given the amnesty & welcomed by the Thai army. From being killers, from an extremist insurgent ideology they moved into more official status to kill. Prep told us forthrightly, "Life was harsh in the times of Khmer Rouge. We toiled as labour but today we have machines & life has become easier."
When we asked him how did the Khmer Rouge senior officers recruit the foot soldiers, Prep said their anger was NOT against these lower soldiers. "They were forced. They would have died anyways. The officers would come with the rolls of names like a muster, call out names randomly & simply order people to join them. If they did they were doomed, if they didn't they would have been killed!"
He also added, "Earlier some joined them out of fascination for their ideology. They got attracted to all the talk of working as labourers for the country & the promises they made."I am sure people's expectations were raised. Because like in India, the elite, Brahmins were THE only ones who got access to education, creativity & fine arts. They good jobs & as a result were held in high esteem by the ordinary people. As a result the rural areas or hinterlands were completely IGNORED!
May be for the first time I heard & witnessed what my Communist friends had been saying. I NOWHERE condone the daths & killings or their mentality...what started as a good anti-Brahmin, anti-elitist movement turned into one of the worst genocide crimes in the world. That too NOT ancient, but as recent as 1979-1989!! Our generation was born, educated & graduated by then...
He remembers the past distinctly, like most of the others who survived the horrors of the genocide. For over 2 generations people have suffered & are still struggling to come to terms with this tragedy. However like a majority of Cambodians, Prep refuses to visit his or his country's past. "There is no point going back to the past. It was horrible and we are glad it is over."
We asked Prep & the other villagers who among them was a Khmer Rouge soldier or were among the high ranking officers. They simply did not hear or rather behaved NOT to hear it. Prep told us there were new forms of conflict in their village. They admitted that had only heard of the tribunal but had no clue what it was. One person however said, "There are many killers who still live amongst us. They are not Duche or others."
This form of restorative justice or even the tribunal doesn't seem to have gone down well with a majority of Cambodian people. People here believe spending millions of dollars for 5 accused who they have never met or interacted with is a waste, when the millions in this country are struggling to get a decent living, jobs, food and a roof over their heads. Hu Noon, a volunteer with the Red Cross told me, "We find it difficult to work in the dark. We hear the cities have power 24 hours. We would like to have some electricity."
This speaks volumes regarding their government's priorities. Everyone knows the PM of Cambodia was a former Khmer Rouge & Heun Sung. He was never in favour of this tribunal. In another group a high ranking Khmer Rouge lady soldier was the spokeswoman. In fact she was so dominating that she didn't give anyone an opportunity to put their point across. She infact made it a point to tell the group that is all was well & there was no problem. Later at the time of wrap up she created a furore with murmurs of demanding money. Her logic was simple, we had taken their time & energy & they needed to be compensated. After they were given a token monetary gift, she voiced her opposition.
People feel the real perpetuators have escaped the trial while the country heads are wasting time & resources on those biggies who do not matter
Monday, April 06, 2009
Just some thoughts on terror violence
Is this justice?
Your mind is focussed as you lift the gun
Like a toy in your hand you point at everyone
What makes you want to kill innocent or they a cause for you?
Your silence shows your simmering anger
Your bullets have ripped apart a child
The mother weeps as she too wants to end her life
The father is writhing in ire
he is sure he wants you dead
Your bullets killed a bride
The colour of her mehendi still wet green
Her new husband is now a widower
Her family wants revenge
Your bullet killed an old man
His family is left distraught
His grandchild looks listless
She wants to learn what wrong did her dada do?
Did you see the blood & gory stills you left behind on the streets?
Did you see the brains you splintered with such ease?
Did you see how many families you let broke?
Are you finally at peace?
A mother after all
She beats her heart & chokes her breath
This mother has not moved from her son's death bed
All she can see are remains of the son's clothes
Her robe is smeared with her son's blood, which is also hers
The mother is confused as television repeatedly plays the visuals
She is angry as her son is called a 'terrorist'
She , the mother only believes her 'son' is dead
But they won't let her be in peace
Her husband fell prey to a bullet from across
Their lives ended as the death was used by all
Mother was left as the son disappeared
Son wanted justice & used the gun for want of answers
She knew she would have to face this moment one day
But she surely wasn't prepared for such violence
She wanted justice, but all she got was two heart breaks
She believed in peace but all she saw was her son being blown into pieces
She had faith, but felt lost; Finally the mother felt abused by all
Your mind is focussed as you lift the gun
Like a toy in your hand you point at everyone
What makes you want to kill innocent or they a cause for you?
Your silence shows your simmering anger
Your bullets have ripped apart a child
The mother weeps as she too wants to end her life
The father is writhing in ire
he is sure he wants you dead
Your bullets killed a bride
The colour of her mehendi still wet green
Her new husband is now a widower
Her family wants revenge
Your bullet killed an old man
His family is left distraught
His grandchild looks listless
She wants to learn what wrong did her dada do?
Did you see the blood & gory stills you left behind on the streets?
Did you see the brains you splintered with such ease?
Did you see how many families you let broke?
Are you finally at peace?
A mother after all
She beats her heart & chokes her breath
This mother has not moved from her son's death bed
All she can see are remains of the son's clothes
Her robe is smeared with her son's blood, which is also hers
The mother is confused as television repeatedly plays the visuals
She is angry as her son is called a 'terrorist'
She , the mother only believes her 'son' is dead
But they won't let her be in peace
Her husband fell prey to a bullet from across
Their lives ended as the death was used by all
Mother was left as the son disappeared
Son wanted justice & used the gun for want of answers
She knew she would have to face this moment one day
But she surely wasn't prepared for such violence
She wanted justice, but all she got was two heart breaks
She believed in peace but all she saw was her son being blown into pieces
She had faith, but felt lost; Finally the mother felt abused by all
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