Caste Discrimination against India's “Untouchables” - Human Rights ...

• “Dalit beaten for entering temple” 194
• “UP Dalit girl resists rape, loses arm as a result” 195
• “Dalit tries to fetch water beaten to death” 196
The need for India to address violence and bodily harm by private actors has also been
documented by the UN special procedures. On June 8, 2004, the Special Rapporteur on
racism, jointly with the Special Rapporteur on violence against women, sent a letter of
allegation to India concerning a group of 200 people who attacked a Dalit settlement in
Kalapatti village, Coimbatore district, Tamil Nadu, on May 16, 2004. 197 According to the
Special Rapporteur on racism’s 2005 Annual Report:
The Dalits’ homes were reported to have been attacked by upper-caste
villagers using swords and other weapons. Allegedly, inter alia, they pushed
the Dalits to the ground, stomped on them, used degrading caste names to
refer to them, sexually assaulted the women and attempted to pull off their
saris. Other specific incidents mentioned were that an 8-month-old baby was
thrown against a wall, a 75-year-old man was attacked, and a middle-aged
woman was hit on the head as she attempted to protect her son. Close to 100
houses were said to have been burnt, money and jewels were stolen, and
cattle owned by the Dalits were reported to have been killed. In total, 14 Dalits
were allegedly admitted to the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital. Many
Dalits are said to have tried to escape but were prevented from leaving the
settlement. Fears have been expressed for their security. 198
193
“Dalit Lynched While Gathering Grain,” Indian Express, April 25, 2006.
194
“Dalit beaten for entering temple,” Indo-Asian News Service, February 22, 2006.
195
“UP Dalit girl resists rape, loses arm as a result,” Hindustan Times, February 13, 2006.
196
“Dalit tries to fetch water, beaten to death,” Indo-Asian News Service, February 4, 2006.
197
Special Rapporteur on Contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, Annual Reports to
the Commission on Human Rights, 2005 (61st session) CHR, E/CN.4/2005/18/Add.1, Summary of cases transmitted to Governments and
replies received, para. 17.
198
Report by the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, Mr.
Doudou Diène, Addendum, Summary of cases transmitted to Governments and replies received, February 23, 2005 (61st Session)
E/CN.4/2005/18/Add.1, para. 17. No reply to his communication had been received from the Government of India at the time this report
was finalized. The Special Rapporteur stated that he intended to follow up on this case, and if no response was received from the
Government, he would no longer treat the case as a mere allegation but would include it in his next general report.
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