DanChurchAid

Tip a friend Print Enlarge text Minimize text
 
 

India

EU will stop violence against casteless

09/02/2007: On 1 February 2007, the EU Parliament approved a resolution asking the Indian government to stop violence against Dalits, the approx. 165 million Indians living at the bottom of the caste system.

© Mikkel Østergaard

Dalit woman working with her children, Jaipur, Pachala Kei, Dhani Bagaria, India.

The resolution is a huge victory for the movement against caste discrimination, which is now asking governments to place further pressure on the Indian government to stop discrimination of casteless.

”We are happy for approval of the resolution,” says Jonas Nøddekær, chairman of the Danish Dalit Solidarity Network .

Read more

International Dalit Solidarity Network

EU: Motion for a resolution

Casteless in India

Hope for dialogue

”I see the resolution as a clear manifestation of the European parliamentarians that the present situation is completely unacceptable, and that a country like India, with one of the world’s highest growth rates right now, must do much more to eliminate this discrimination,” says Jonas Nøddekær.

He hopes and expects that dialogue and cooperation will be established with the Indian government to improve the conditions of the casteless.

The EU did not criticise

Danish member of the European Parliament, Margrethe Auken, who drafted the resolution, is quite happy with the approval, too.

“Caste discrimination in India is one of the best kept secrets regarding violation of human rights. But until now, the EU has abstained from protesting openly against this serious problem. For years, the Indian government has escaped criticism from both the EU and the UN, and has even tried to tone down the criticism in the resolution,” says Margrethe Auken.

She underlines, that in connection with the growing trade with India the EU should pressurise the Indian government and demand observance of basic rights for all Indians.

Corporations must act

Jonas Nøddekær hopes that corporations investing in India will also work for improvement of conditions for Dalits and thus contribute to reducing the systematic discrimination.

For years, DanChurchAid has been active in the combat of discrimination of casteless – both through local Indian partners and through the Danish and International Dalit Solidarity Network.

Read more: The casteless in India