We Have No Orders to Save You - Human Rights Watch

July 2003
Vol. 15, No. 3 (C)
COMPOUNDING INJUSTICE:
The Government's Failure to Redress Massacres in Gujarat
Table of Contents
I. Summary............................................................................................................................................................. 4
Impunity for Attacks Against Muslims................................................................................................................ 5
Inadequate Assistance for Victims and Continued Anti-Muslim Discrimination................................................. 6
Communalism as a Political Strategy .................................................................................................................. 7
II. Main Recommendations to Indian Authorities................................................................................................... 8
To the State Government of Gujarat.................................................................................................................... 9
To the Government of India................................................................................................................................. 9
III. Background to the Violence ........................................................................................................................... 10
Overview of the Violence.................................................................................................................................. 10
State Complicity in the Attacks ......................................................................................................................... 11
The Sangh Parivar............................................................................................................................................. 12
Distribution of Weapons and Training by the Sangh Parivar........................................................................ 13
Foreign Funding of Sangh Parivar Activities................................................................................................ 14
IV. Impunity for Attacks against Muslims............................................................................................................ 15
The Naroda Patia Case ...................................................................................................................................... 17
The Gulbarg Society Case ................................................................................................................................. 20
Non-Prosecution of Rape Cases......................................................................................................................... 22
Bias in the Courts .............................................................................................................................................. 25
The Shah-Nanavati Commission of Inquiry....................................................................................................... 26
V. Police Shootings and False Charges against Victims....................................................................................... 27
Police Shootings ................................................................................................................................................ 27
False Charges Against Victims.......................................................................................................................... 29
VI. The Godhra Investigation ............................................................................................................................... 30
The Godhra Massacre........................................................................................................................................ 30
The Prevention of Terrorism Act....................................................................................................................... 32
Uses of “Terrorism”........................................................................................................................................... 34
Godhra’s victims ............................................................................................................................................... 35
VII. Attack on Akshardham.................................................................................................................................. 36
VIII. Inadequate Relief to Victims........................................................................................................................ 38
Failure to Provide Humanitarian Assistance...................................................................................................... 39
The Forcible Closure of Relief Camps .............................................................................................................. 40
Ongoing Insecurity of Returnees ....................................................................................................................... 40
IX. Lack of Government Compensation for Victims............................................................................................ 41
Compensation Guidelines.................................................................................................................................. 42
Compensation for Damages to Homes............................................................................................................... 43
Compensation for the Death of Family Members.............................................................................................. 45