Dear friends
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) had previously issued urgent appeals and wrote appeal letters to the Congregation of Mother of Sorrows Servants of Mary calling for the justice for Sr. Vanaselvi who was exqelled by the Congregation while she was in detention. Sr. Vanaselvi was arrested by the Suramangalam Police of Salem on her way from Bangalore in Karnataka State to Tirunelveli in Tamilnadu State on 20 November 2001. Sr. Corona Mary, the former Superior General, and the Congregation exqelled her without prior information or any inquiry into the incident by reason of her involvement in socio-political activity. Sr. Vanaselvi has completely devoted her life to the service and upliftment of the poor in India, especially she was championing the cause of human rights and had worked staunchly for the elimination of child labour.
In May, 2002, The Congregation elected a new Superior General. However, Sr. Ladisca Mary, new Superior General, has kept the same attitude like her predecessor about this matter even though she got the support from the members of the Congregation that she would redeem the situation. Until now, there is no positive answer or reaction from the Congregation.
Sr. Vanaselvi is continuing her toilsome fight to get her dignity and work back from the Congregation with help from a group of women volunteers in a tiny village where she has been educating hundreds of poor children. Your urgent action is required to request the Congregation of Mother of Sorrows Servants of Mary to reinstate Sr. Vanaselvi immediately and to support her.
[To see the detailed information of Sr. Vanaselvi case, our appeals for this case are available at:
http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2002/201
http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2002/207
http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2002/212]
Update on expulsion of Sr. Vanalselvi while in detention
After the arrest of Sr. Vanaselvi, it was found that the police made many irregularities when they arrested her. At hearing, the police were unable to produce any of the pamphlets in Tamil that they claimed Sr. Vanaselvi was carrying, eulogizing the sandalwood smuggler Veerappan and denouncing the present and former Chief Ministers of Tamilnadu, the present Chief Minister of Karnataka and the police of both states. Until now (for 21 months since the arrest of Sr. Vanaselvi), the police has not filed the charge sheet.
One week later Sr. Vanaselvi’s arrest, Sr. Corona Mary, the former Superior General of the Congregation dismissed her without any inquiry into the incident. This dismissal of Sr. Vanaselvi lost the Superior General the Congregation members’ support and resulted in the loss of her position during the election in May 2002.
Sr. Ladisca Mary, who was elected as the new Superior General, had condemned Sr. Corona Mary’s action on Sr. Vanaselvi’s case and the Congregation hoped that she would reconsider the case and redeem the situation. On the contrary, as soon as she became the Superior General, she changed her attitude dramatically and submitted same views like her predecessor on Sr. Vanaselvi’s case to the Vatican on 13 May 2003. At its behest, Rome imposed a three-year expulsion on Sr. Vanaselvi even though the Congregation already expelled her in November 2001. It indirectly showed that the previous Congregation’s reaction against the incident was excessive and not appropriate.
The Council of the Congregation passed the decree of the Vatican to Sr. Vanaselvi but then they arbitrarily imposed 21 conditions on her, which went against all human considerations. The conditions did not even mention where she could stay. The Council offered 6,000 rupees for two month with the 21 conditions but Sr. Vanaselvi returned the money because she didn’t want to accept the conditions.
Meanwhile, Sr. Vanaselvi was also suspended from her headmistress post. They held an internal inquiry without the presence of the accused and the arbitrator appointed by the congregation suggested the Congregation to dismiss her. This one-sided proceeding was challenged in the High Court of Chennai which stayed the process and ordered that no further action can be taken without informing the High Court. Another petition has been filed in the High Court to this effect but the Congregation didn’t revoke the suspension. In addition, the school authority has an obligation to give subsistence allowance. In fact, Sr. Vanaselvi hasn’t gotten any subsistence allowance for 21 months at all even though the school authority (congregation) imposed the suspension.
Under the those difficult situation in the Congregation, a few priests who had preached social analysis and vehemently supported the Sr. Vanaselvi now openly declared that they would tread a middle path which meant in fact that they don’t support her any more.
Sr. Vanaselvi is continuing her toilsome fight to get her dignity and work back against the Congregation with help from a group of women volunteers in a tiny village where she is educating hundred of poor children. Her demand is very simple: “Give me back my job and compensate for the losses I incurred.”
SUGGESTED ACTION
Write to the Superior General of the Congregation of Mother of Sorrows Servants of Mary, requesting that she immediately reinstate Sr. Vanaselvi and offer her every possible help for the baseless allegations being made against her. If you want to send a supporting letter, Sr. Vanaselvi can be reached at vanaselvi@hotmail.com
Send a letter or an email to:
Sr. Ladisca Mary
Superior General
The Servite Generalate,
41-42 Tank Bund Road, Nungambakkam,
Chennai 600034
INDIA
Tel: +91 44-8203819
Fax: +91 44-8203830
E-mail: serviteg@yahoo.co.uk
To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear Superior General Sr. Ladisca Mary
RE: The Case of Sr. Vanaselvi osm
Expulsion of Sr Vanaselvi and dismissal from a headmistress position at a high school by your congregation in 2001 is based on unproved and baseless charge made by the police. The fact that the police didn't show any reliable evidence against Sr. Vanaselvi at the court and haven't filed the charge sheet until now shows that they manufactured the false case. In particular, at its behest, Rome imposed a three-year expulsion on Sr. Vanaselvi even though your congregation already expelled her in November 2001. It shows that the previous Congregation's reaction against the incident was excessive and not appropriate.
I urge you to dismiss 21 conditions imposed on her by the council of the congregation, which went against all human considerations and urge you to reinstate her immediately. I also urge you to offer her every possible help for the baseless allegations being made against her. For 21 months after her arrest, Sr. Vanaselvi didn't get any subsistence help from your congregation and she is living in very difficult situation. It would be an only way that your congregation protects the dignity and human rights of Sr. Vanaselvi and show an evidence of love of Jesus to both of believers and nonbelievers in the world.
Yours truly,
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Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Programme
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC)
