The press release below was circulated among UK NGOs involved in the
tsunami relief efforts by the Dalit Solidarity Network UK - for further
details contact Gina Borbas, Coordinator, Dalit Solidarity Network UK
Thomas Clarkson House, The Stableyard, Broomgrove Road, London SW9 9TL.
Tel: +44 (0)20 7501 8323 Fax: +44 (0)20 7738 4110 DSN UK
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Dalits Face Severe Discrimination in India's Tsunami Relief Efforts



(Copenhagen: January 11, 2005): Dalits affected by the Tsunamis in India
now face severe discrimination in relief and rehabilitation efforts.  Many
Dalits, or so-called untouchables, have lost their lives, their villages,
and all means of livelihood.







NGO and news reports from the affected areas reveal that members of the
higher-caste fishing communities are barring Dalit entry into relief camps
or forcibly expelling them from their only place of refuge.  The
government has also denied Dalits equal relief. Government officials have,
for instance, refused to provide water, food and shelter alongside fishing
communities in Nagapattinam district, Tamil Nadu. Registration of missing
and deceased Dalits by officials hardly takes place and ex-gratia payments
to the kin of deceased have not been provided. In Tarangambadi district,
Tamil Nadu, camps have been segregated along caste lines as a result of
this discrimination.  .







India's National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights (NCDHR) and Human Rights
Forum for Dalit Leberation (HRDFL) have documented the lack of
rehabilitation efforts in severely damaged and destroyed Dalit villages,
including in Nagapattinam district. While restoration of drinking water,
roads, and public health and communication services in the fisher
community has begun, no such efforts have been initiated in Dalit areas
where the debris has yet to be cleared.  Campaign representatives have
raised these concerns with local and state level authorities. "We demand
that Government and NGOs that rehabilitation occurs in an equitable and
unbiased manner and that Dalits receive their share of assistance," says
Vincent Manoharan, NDCHR General Secretary.







In addition to suffering severe discrimination, Dalit manual scavengers
have been "assigned" the task of removing decaying corpses often without
any protective gear such as masks, gloves or even shoes.  Manual
scavenging is an occupation that is exclusively performed by Dalits in
India as it is deemed too "polluting" for other castes.







The National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights has now formed monitoring
cells in all affected Dalit areas to monitor the actions of both the
government and NGOs to ensure Dalits equal access to relief and
rehabilitation. While some state and district level authorities have
responded with concern, hardly any special measures have been taken to
prevent systematic discrimination.







The members of the International Dalit Solidarity Network wish to express
deep empathy with all the victims of the Tsunami disaster. We urge all
relevant authorities, relief organisations and communities to respect
Dalit rights and Dalit dignity by providing equal access, equal support
and protection in relief and rehabilitation operations.  Discrimination
against Dalits in the aftermath of the Tsunami disaster is but one
manifestation of the overall, daily disaster of caste-based
discrimination. Therefore IDSN appeals to the international community to
pay much more attention to this enormous human rights problem and to
contribute seriously to the elimination of caste-based discrimination.







Further information: Link to appeal from the National Campaign on Dalit
Human Rights: www.idsn.org/Tsunamiappeal.doc and to IDSN www.idsn.org



Vincent Manoharan, General Secretary-NCDHR;  + 91 (0) 11 309 66 234, cell:
+ 91 (0) 11 258 63 166



Rikke Nöhrlind, Coordinator, IDSN;  + 45 29 70 06 30







The International Dalit Solidarity Network (IDSN) is a network of national
solidarity networks, national advocacy groups from affected countries and
international organisations concerned about caste discrimination and
similar forms of discrimination based on work and descent. IDSN brings
together organisations, institutions and individuals and links grassroots
priorities with international mechanisms and institutions to make an
effective contribution to the elimination of caste discrimination.



*Human Rights Watch, the Lutheran World Federation, the International
Movement against All Forms of Discrimination and Racism, Anti-Slavery
International, the Minority Rights Group, Asian Human Rights Commission,
the International Catholic Movement for Intellectual and Cultural Affairs
and the World Council of Churches.