INDIA: Women Bodies, Activists Condemn 'Witch' Killings In Assam

More than 50 human rights bodies and individuals in Assam yesterday condemned the recent killing of four women as a result of the evil customary practice of witch hunting and demanded immediate action from the government to provide safety and security to women in the affected districts.

A total of six deaths have taken place in last three and half months this year. Four women have been hacked to death in Kokrajhar district in between April 15-18 and all the deaths are the result of the practice of witch hunting. Purni Basumatari, 57, and Modani Basumatari, 55, were beaten to death in Belguri Guwabari village on April 15, and Bifula Narzary, 49, was killed in Bosabeel village the next day. Another woman was killed in Samthaibari village on Sunday. Earlier on January 1, a couple — Sarat Bindo Hazowary, 65, and Tapashree Hazowary, 52, — were killed in Habrubeel village.

The groups expressed that the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) has considered problems relating to the persecution of witches on a number of occasions. The Convention has stressed that the practice of witch-hunting, is characterized as an extreme form of violence against women. The Convention has recommended that India adopts appropriate measures to eliminate the practice of witch-hunting, prosecute and punish the perpetrators and provide necessary rehabilitation/compensation to, victimized women. It also recommended that such measures be based on an analysis of its causes, including control over land. Till date there is no law in Assam that specifically deals with the rampant practice of witch hunting.

The rights groups, in a joint statement on Wednesday, urged the Government of Assam to recognise “Witch Hunting” as a matter of public concern that requires urgent attention and to prosecute and punish those involved in the gruesome practice and to provide for urgent and immediate adequate rehabilitation and compensation to the victimized women and her family.

The state government was also urged to create awareness among the masses to eradicate the evil practice, to ensure adequate health care facilities in the rural areas and to adopt a policy on eradication of the practice at an urgent measure.

Signatories to the statement are:

1. Women in Governance-Assam (WinG Assam)
2. North East Network
3. Assam Mahila Samata Society
4. Nari Mukti Sangram Samiti
5. Purva Bharati Trust
6. Bondita Acharya
7. Anurita Pathak
8. Kokrajhar Chirang District Sanmilita Samiti
9. AIDWA,Kokrajhar
10. sSTEP, Guwahati
11. All Bodo Women Welfare Federation (ABWWF)
12. Nirjatan Biruddhi Aikya Manch
13. Maini Mahanta
14. Anjuman Ara Begum
15. People's Rights Forum
16. Foundation for Social Transformation (FST)
17. Anwesha
18. Jonalee Gogoi
19. Hema Das
20. Mrinal Gohain, Actionaid
21. Meghali Senapati, TISS
22. Sunita Changkakoti, ACARD
23. All India Dalit Mahila Adhikar Manch (NCDHR)
24. Rehana Rehman, VHAI
25. Sadau Asam Pragatishil Nari Sanstha
26. Anju Borkotoky
27. Angela Ralte, Centre for Peace and Development, Mizoram
28. Tasaduk Ariful Hussain, NEST
29. Stephen Ekka, PAJHRA
30. Ashish Dey, GHARUA
31. Bulbul Mushahary
32. Sabanti Pegu
33. Shakti Mahila Mandal
34. Dr. Chandan Sharma, Sociologist
35. Bharat Patel, Anand
36. Dr. Monisha Behal, Chairperson, Northeast Network
37. Sabrina Francis, Executive Director, Chindu, Hyderabad
38. Anjan Bordoloi
39. Fr. Santiago, NEDSF
40. NEADS
41. Mohan Saikia
42. Janki Pegu
43. Loken Das
44. Sanmilito Nari Adhikar Suraksha Manch
45. Nari Adhikar Suraksha Samiti
46. Sanmilito Mahila Kanon
47. Dr. Mahfuza Rehman
48. Indo-Global Social Service Society
49. Mangneo Lhungdim
50. Amrit Goldsmith
51. Tapati Baruah Kashyap