UPDATE ON HUNGER ALERT UPDATE ON HUNGER ALERT UPDATE ON HUNGER ALERT
ASIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION – URGENT APPEALS PROGRAM
Update on Hunger Alerts
21 April 2005
[Re: HU-02-2005: 5 year-old girl, evicted from her home by government authorities, dies of starvation in West Bengal; HA-02-2005: Starvation deaths occurring in Murshidabad district, West Bengal; HU-01-2005: Total negligence by local authorities regarding the eviction of approximately 7,000 Untouchables in Bellilious Park; HA-06-2004: Indian Red Cross ignores starvation of Kolkata evictees; UP-03-2004: An AHRC letter to the president of the India regarding eviction of Untouchables; UP-54-2003: 3 year old eviction victim died due to starvation in West Bengal, FA-27-2003: 7,000 Untouchables in Bellilious Park evicted by the government of West Bengal and the Howrah Municipal Corporation]
HU-04-2005: INDIA: UNICEF still avoiding responsibility in providing assistance to starving women and children in West Bengal
INDIA: Starvation and malnutrition; Inaction by humanitarian organizations and government
Dear friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received further information from Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (Masum) on the current status of Unicef’s interest and involvement in the starvation and malnutrition of several communities in West Bengal. The AHRC, along with staff from Masum, have repeatedly pleaded with the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) in Kolkata, to provide assistance to the families removed from Bellilious Park. The victims currently live in horrendous conditions at the Belgachia garbage dump and go without food, shelter, drinking water, and a proper sanitation system (see: FA-27-2003; UP-54-2003; HA-06-2004 and HU-02-2005).
Unicef Kolkata has been in communication with the AHRC and Masum since they declined to met representatives of the two organizations in February (see: HU-01-2005; AHRC-PL-11-2005 and AHRC-PL-19-2005).
Masum organized a protest outside Unicef’s Kolkata office on March 23, 2005, which was attended by 500 victims from across West Bengal, and met with Unicef staff members (see: HU-02-2005). On April 8, 2005, two Unicef staff members also visited Masum’s office and again restated Unicef’s commitment to starvation cases in West Bengal. However, to date, no action has been taken by Unicef in regards to the Bellilious Park victims or other persons suffering hunger in the state to whom Masum has drawn its attention.
The AHRC urges you to write to Unicef in Kolkata, New Delhi and abroad pressing them to act on their stated commitment to provide assistance for starvation victims. While the dialogue is appreciated it is futile; people in West Bengal will continue to die if they do not receive assistance immediately.
Urgent Appeals Desk — Hunger Alert Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC)
UPDATED INFORMATION:
On April 8, 2005, two staff members from Unicef’s Kolkata office met with Mr. Kirity Roy, a secretary of Masum, at Masum’s office in Howrah. Mrs. Negi and Mr. Suman visited Masum and inquired about the current status of starvation among victims from Jalangi, Murshidabad (see: HA-02-2005) and Bellilious Park. At the meeting, the Unicef representatives were provided with 412 individual family complaints filed by victims from the Jalangi in Murshidabad district who lost their homes and cultivated land. The victims currently have nothing and are not under any government poverty alleviation schemes or humanitarian assistance programmes. The two representatives were also provided with a list containing the details of the victims forcibly evicted from Bellilious Park. Masum further suggested the representatives visit the Belgachia dumping ground where many of the evictees currently reside. However they indicated that they would do so at another time. An unnamed media source did report Unicef visiting with some victims at the dumpsite, though we have not received sufficient information to confirm this.
During the visit, Unicef restated its commitment to providing assistance to starvation victims and informed Masum that they have requested more information from the District Magistrate of Howrah, District Magistrate of Murshidabad and Foreign Ministry. They also informed that they would contact them within the month to discuss any developments in the matter.
To date however, no assistance or ration cards have been provided to the Bellilious Park evictees, Jalangi victims, or E.M. Parvathi (see: UP-54-2003 and HU-02-2005), a former Bellilious Park victim who lost much of her family to starvation. At the protest, opposition leader Mr. Pankaj Banerjee committed himself to providing Parvathi with assistance and a ration card. She and her family however, are yet to receive any aide.
