[IMC-Editorial] [India Thinkers Net] Invitation: International Initiative for Justice in Gujarat (IIJG)

[India Thinkers Net at Zinester.com]

Invitation to the Release of the Final Report of
the International Initiative for Justice in
Gujarat (IIJG)

THREATENED EXISTENCE - 
A Feminist Analysis Of The Genocide In Gujarat

Wednesday, 24 December, 2003. 3.30 pm. Indian
Women's Press Corps, 5 Windsor Place, Near Hotel
Meridien, New Delhi.

The IIJG came into being to develop a feminist
critique of justice and democratic governance in
the context of the genocide of Muslims in Gujarat
last year. The final report of the Initiative,
Threatened Existence will be released in New
Delhi by an eminent panel comprising :

Leila Seth, first woman judge of the Delhi High
Court, and the first woman Chief Justice of a
state High Court (Himachal Pradesh) – who will
speak on the urgent need for the equal and just
application of the rule of law on all citizens of
the country.

Shabana Azmi, well known actor and former MP, who
will speak on increased communalism in our times.

Urvashi Butalia, feminist activist and publisher,
who will focus on the specific impact of
increased communalism on women.

The gathering will also be addressed by two
panellists of the IIJG, Farah Naqvi and Uma
Chakravarti.

Threatened Existence is a comprehensive document
based on hundreds of testimonies, eyewitness
accounts and other relevant information. It makes
the following major points:

- Twenty two months after the massacres of
February/March 2002, the violence continues 'in
different and frightening forms with long-term
consequences on the lives of all members of the
Muslim community particularly women'

- Sexual violence is central to the Hindutva
project in Gujarat, and the use of rape and
sexual assault, occurred with the knowledge of
highly placed State actors.

- The ongoing persecution of the Muslim community
constitutes Crimes against Humanity under
International Law.

PLEASE DO JOIN US FOR THE RELEASE EVENT.

For as the report states in the conclusion, "This
report can operate as a reflection on the
inadequacy of existing processes - both legal and
otherwise - to provide justice and redress to
victims… we need to understand the genocidal
nature of the Hindutva project so as to emphasize
the critical responsibility of intervention that
lies with both, civil society and the State."

The panelists of the IIJG were feminist jurists,
activists, lawyers, writers and academics from
all over the world: Anissa Helie
(Algeria/France), Gabriela Mischkowski (Germany),
Nira Yuval-Davis (UK), Rhonda Copelon (USA),
Sunila Abeysekara (Sri Lanka), Farah Naqvi
(India), Meera Velayudan (India), Uma Chakravarti
(India) and Vahida Nainar (India).

The International Initiative for Justice in
Gujarat and was set up by: Citizen's Initiative
(Ahmedabad), People's Union for Civil Liberties
(PUCL)-Shanti Abhiyan (Baroda), Communalism
Combat, Aawaaz-e-Niswaan, Forum Against
Oppression of Women (FAOW) and Stree Sangam
(Bombay), Saheli, Jagori, Sama, and Nirantar
(Delhi), and Organised Lesbian Alliance for
Visibility and Action (OLAVA, Pune).
-----------------------------------

Courtesy:Harsh Kapoor/SACW
www.sacw.net


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