Outreach worker under attack in Kolkata

[Guest guest]

I am writing on behalf of PLUS- National support group of Male and Transgender

Sexworker,india. We are under Attack.The information in detail is given below.

We are under attack( official Press Release)

The time: 7.45 p.m., 7th January 2003.

The place: Subhas Sarovar(Beliaghata Lake), an outreach area in

Kolkata, India for Lower Income Group Koti Sex worker

The incident: Local mastans (anti-socials), who masquerade as the

Neighborhood big brothers severely beat up Mr. Swapan Dey, an Outreach Worker of

Plus –Nationwide support group for sexual variant Sex worker. They said he

needed to be punished for not having sex with them, where as all other will

agree to do have sex with them. In the middle of the night and even today

morning several times he was threatened over Phone. The reason – he needed to be

taught a Further lesson, the beating alone was not enough.

Agniva Lahiri, the Founder Director of Plus (People Like Us)and the Asia

Representatives of INSWP (Amsterdam) and also the Country Representative Of Asia

Pacific Network Of Sex worker vehemently protests and also Harassed verbally

and Physically .Both Of them Are Injured and Wounded. Agniva Lahiri Has a

problem in his nasal bone and Swapan in injured thoroughly. Later With Agniva’s

support Swapan Protest and dares to lodge a complaint with the police, in

PhoolBagan Police Station.(GD.No.459) PLUS too lodges a first incident report.

The police take no action against the perpetrators.

Yesterday Evening was the day of Regular weekly meeting in Kadapara Lake

(proposed site) with the male and Koti sex worker in that area. All of them

uneducated feminized male earning money through sex work, and their basic

clients are the Migrant Laborer working in the construction site in Saltlake,

and Bypass area and Worker from Jute Mill. The local boys are harassing them

regularly. 6 months back they beaten up some of the sex worker but when somebody

come to help it become a political issue and it was unresolved. Later on We

started intervening and try to establish our work over there.

4 outreach worker and 1 Field supervisor is working regularly on that area. We

are holding meeting generally on Saturday ad Sunday from 7.30 to 8.30.But as we

are going to organize the national meeting on male and transgender sex worker In

Kerala March 2003,As a part of Festival of Pleasure, we are conducting regular

orientation camp over there.

Yesterday Swapan Was allocated for conducting session, and Agniva Was there for

Research work-A study was going on sexual culture and pleasure of Koti sex

worker under 18yrs old who are uneducated and earning money through sex work in

Calcutta for The Gender Center Australia. Agniva was a part of this research

and he was there to take some In-depth Interviews.

In the Evening when Swapan Starts his session there was 4 other Koti Sex worker

there. After 15b minutes suddenly Two Person Unknown and Unidentified came and

started abusing them verbally and physically.

They started Harassing through their sexual organ. They also Try to Molested

Sexually.

Swapan try to protest but Nobody Can Help him. They are try to rape him in front

of all the others in the road itself and they shout that we want to rape you and

try to show all others that you are not a Sati (Chaste wife). All the other

Gandu (Receptive Partner for anal Penetration) give their Gand (Anal) Except

you. Boohut Nkhra, Why are you guys come over here we all know that You are a

Gandu and You have to Had Sex with ‘us.

Swpan Refused and Shouted Suddenly Agniva Came and He Also

Protest Then they Attack Agniva. They started beating him and try to molest him.

Suddenly Swapan Escape and go to the Local Clubs And Tell Them But He was Unsure

About Agniva So He came back to rescue Agniva And then Again They attack on

Swapan Through Wicket and Cricket Bat just opposite the District Sports Main

Entrance.

After that Both Of them Went to the Police Station (Phool Bagan P.S.) and try to

lodge a complain. The Police incharge refused to take their Statement and try to

use his own opinions in the GD. The GD No.is 459.

The officer couldn’t write the word molestation in the GD.The Complained was

lounged at 8.15 p.m.

After coming back they again Harassed Swapan and then till the morning they

called up Swapan several times and abusing verbally over phone.

The bigwigs of the neighborhood, who live through extortion and running various

other rackets in the locality retaliates

by launching a hate campaign against PLUS. They Also thrented us not to continue

our work over there.

The Campaign run by PLUS as part of their HIV prevention program for Sex worker

in area is closed down. Here we would like to mentain that Both of them Swapan

and Agniva are Identifying themselves as Koti Sex worker and then they are

Worker In AIDS Service Organisation.

So what is new? Sex workers are after all routinely subjected to violence and

human rights abuse all around India and rarely do the administration intervene

in their favor Particularly the if they are sexually variant.

But this incident has a wider significance. Few Days back There is an attack on

the President of DMSC. After that this incident. Actually This was Not an

isolated incident against individual sex workers. This was a premeditated act to

undermine this movement, and strike at the heart of its leadership. As

marginalised and exploited people come together and attempt to take control of

their lives, those whose interests are vested in their subordination have to hit

back. Significantly They Attack on our Out reach worker in that time when we are

oriented for forming a National Network of Male And Transgender Sex worker, when

we are try to organize ourselves nationally. They attack our Director to break

our initiatives and make us feel more vulnerable.

Friends, our soul met, the constitution of our state guarantees equal right and

security to all its citizens, irrespective of the class, gender or occupation.

The state takes special responsibility towards guaranteeing and promoting the

rights of those who have been historically exploited and marginalised. Our

public administration is charged to uphold the constitution and law of the land

without fear or favor. So why is the police so reluctant to intervene? Why do

the mastans, who are known criminals with police records so sure of their

immunity from law that they persist in persecuting u? Is it because We are

feminine, an under-class, and a sex worker? Or has it more to do with the fact

that both of them are involve in PLUS – the first ever support group for sexual

variant sex worker’s India. which is challenging the very basis of persisting

inequalities and violence on the basis of class, gender and sexuality?

We appeal to you to act as individuals or on behalf of your organisation now and

write to the Chief Minister of West Bengal, the state Home Ministry, the Human

Rights Commission and demanding justice. If we do not protest and act now, once

again we will be party to the increasing assault on the democratic basis of our

country.

Addresses of the above mentioned offices are mentioned below.

Yours in solidarity,

Subharthi Mukherjee

President, PLUS(People Like Us)

254 Bonomali Banerjee Road Calcutta – 700 082

Phone: 91-33- 2402 3983

plus@...

apnsw@...

Addressess :

1. Mr. Buddhadev Bhattacharya

Chief Minister of West Bengal

Writer’s Building

Kolkata – 700 001, West Bengal,India

Fax No. : +91 33 221 5480

2. Mr. Buddhadev Bhattacharya

Home Minister of West Bengal

Writer’s Building

Kolkata – 700 001, West Bengal,India

Fax No. : +91 33 221 5480

3. The Chairperson

State Commission for Women

10,Rainey Park

Kolkata – 700 019,West Bengal,India

member_secretary@...

4. The Chairperson

National Human Rights Commission

Sadar Patel Bhavan

Sansad Marg

New Delhi – 110001,India

Fax No. +91 11 334 0016

+91 11 336 6537

5. Mr. Mukul Gopal Mukhopadhayay

Chairperson, State Human Rights Commission

Bhabani Bhavan

Alipore

Kolkata – 700 027,West Bengal , India

Fax No. +91 33 479 9633 Email : wbhrc@...