Dear friends
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information regarding the assault on Kailash Satyarthi, chairman of the Indian non-governmental organization Bachpan Bachao Andolan (Save the Childhood Movement), on 15 June 2004 at the Great Roman Circus premises, Colonelganj, Gonda district, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Satyarthi was leading a group of activists and parents to rescue some children who are enslaved as circus performers at the Great Roman Circus and are treated abominably and even sexually abused. Although Satyarthi had enlisted the reluctant support of the Sub Divisional Magistrate to conduct a raid in the circus, on arriving, the magistrate and his team connived with the circus management and assaulted Satyarthi’s group with knives, iron rods and guns. Satyarthi sustained head and other injuries.
Satyarthi began an indefinite fast on 18 June 2004 outside the Uttar Pradesh State Legislative Assembly in Lucknow, demanding the immediate release of the children trapped in the circus, an inquiry into the conditions of children working in all circuses throughout India and penal action against government officials found guilty. The fast ended when the police forcibly admitted him to the hospital and he was put on glucose on June 22.
Although the circus staff have been charged for sexually abusing the girls, only two of them have been arrested so far. No charges have been filed for the assault on Satyarthi and his companions, but five cases have been filed against Satyarthi and his colleague. AHRC is concerned by the lack of action taken by the state government with regard to the child abuse and the unlawful action of the state officers in attacking Satyarthi and other activists. Your urgent action to pressure the government of India and relevant authorities to ensure the release of the children in the circus and to conduct an inquiry into the details of this case is immediately required.
Urgent Appeals Desk
Asian Human Rights Commission
—————————————————–
CASE DETAILS
On 15 June 2004, Kailash Satyarthi led a group of activists and parents to conduct a raid at the Great Roman Circus, Gonda district, Uttar Pradesh, India. Satyarthi was acting on the complaints of 11 parents and he was accompanied by four parents, as well as by the reluctant Sub Divisional Magistrate. The complaints related to how the children were forced to perform in the circus, and were regularly subjected to exploitation and sexual abuse. Thirteen-year-old Neeta Lama had sneaked out a letter to her parents in Nepal, which mentioned how she was being abused. Her parents rushed to local activists, who in turn alerted Bachpan Bachao Andolan.
However, when the raid began, the magistrate turned against Satyarthi, in conspiracy with the circus administration, who launched a brutal attack on Satyarthi and his companions with knives, iron rods and guns. A circus manager threatened to shoot Satyarthi if he tried to take the children away, and Satyarthi later suffered head injuries and a fractured leg. According to a journalist who was present, the magistrate, instead of checking the violence said to the activists, ‘If you have taken up this cause [to free the children from bondage] get ready for a bashing also.’
Only one girl, Neeta Lama could be rescued. Neeta, 13 years old, later said she could not remember how many times two junior circus managers had raped her in the past year. The girl also said that most of the young girls in the circus were victims of abuse. A medical examination confirmed Neeta’s story, after which charges were filed against the circus owner.
Twenty-four other girls and women were found in the circus during the raid, all of whom were taken by the police. In a subsequent press conference, the police stated that 18 of the 24 females were minors.
On 18 June 2004, Satyarthi began an indefinite fast outside the Uttar Pradesh State Legislative Assembly in Lucknow, demanding the immediate release of the children trapped in the circus, an inquiry into the conditions of children working in all circuses throughout India and penal action against government officials found guilty. About 25 supporters joined Satyarthi in his fast. The fast ended when the police forcibly admitted Satyarthi to the hospital and he was put on drips on June 22. Rather than being orally force-fed, Satyarthi preferred to take a glass of juice from Bishu Maya, the mother of 13 year old Sharmila, a girl still trapped in the circus. Satyarthi was later dismissed from the hospital, and went home to Delhi.
Since then, apparently 12 girls have been released and handed over to the Nepalese government, while human rights groups are filing a habeas corpus writ at the Uttar Pradesh High Court for eight other girls. Five cases have also been filed against Kailash Satyarthi and his colleague Ramakanth Rai.
AHRC is greatly concerned by the slow and paltry actions taken by the Indian authorities regarding both the issue of child exploitation and abuse, as well as the unlawful behavior of the police and circus staff in assaulting human rights defenders.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please send a letter, fax or email to the following authorities expressing your concern about this case.
1.Shri. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam,
President of India,
Rashtrapathi Bhavan,
New Delhi -110001
INIDA
Tel: +91 11 23015321
Fax: + 91 11 23017290 / 23017824
E-mail: presidentofindia@rb.nic.in
2.Mr. Shivraj Patil
Home Minister,
Government of India
Fax: 91 11 23094221/ 23093750
Tel: 91 11 23092462
3.Chief Minister
Uttar Pradesh
Fax: 91 522 2239234
Email: upcm@indiatimes.com
4.Chief Secretary,
Uttar Pradesh
Fax: 91 522 2238409
Email: csup@up.nic.in
5.Committee on the Rights of the Child
c/o OHCHR ¨C UNOG, Palais Wilson,
1211 Geneva 10, SWITZERLAND
Fax: + 41 22 917 9022
E-mail: tb-petitions@ohchr.org
6. Ms. Hina Jilani
UN Sepcial Represetative of the Secretaary-General on Human Rights Defenders
C/o OHCHR-UNOG, 1211 Geneva 10,
SWITZERLAND
Fax: +41 22 917 9006
To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear
RE: Human rights defenders attacked for attempting to rescue children from circus
I am concerned by the information regarding the assault of human rights defender Kailash Saryathi, while he was attempting to rescue children forced to perform in the Great Roman Circus who were reported to have been exploited and sexually abused.
Following a letter from 13 year old Neeta Lama to her parents in Nepal, Satyarthi led a group of parents and activists to the Great Roman Circus in Uttar Pradesh, India on 15 June 2004. Although he was accompanied by a Sub Divisional Magistrate to conduct a raid in the circus, on arrival the magistrate joined the circus management in brutally assaulting Satyarthi and his team. At this time, only Neeta was rescued, and medical examinations later confirmed her story of being repeatedly raped by circus managers. She also stated that other girls were similarly abused.
On June 18, Satyarthi began a fast outside the Uttar Pradesh State Legislative Assembly in Lucknow, demanding the immediate release of the children trapped in the circus, an inquiry into the conditions of children working in all circuses throughout India and penal action against government officials found guilty. About 25 supporters joined Satyarthi in his fast. The fast ended when the police forcibly admitted Satyarthi to the hospital and he was put on glucose on June 22.
Although Satyarthi is out of the hospital now and his condition is stable, five cases have been filed against him and his colleague for their attempt to rescue the children. Twelve girls have been handed over to the Nepalese government, and human rights groups are filing a habeas corpus writ for eight other girls to be produced before the Uttar Pradesh High Court.
I urge you to take immediate action to ensure that all the children trapped within the Great Roman Circus are released, and an inquiry is conducted into the conditions of child employment in all other circuses. The behavior of the Uttar Pradesh authorities must also be examined in conspiring with the circus authorities, and disciplinary action must be taken. The assault on the human rights defenders must also be looked into.
Yours sincerely,
--------------------------------------
Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission
