AIDS Widow Stoned to Death in Kuppam, Chittoor District, Andhra Pradesh

[Guest guest]

Dear All

" It was with shock, disgust and disbelief that we read in a regional

news paper about the outrage in the BC Colony of Kuppam.

A woman was stoned to death because her neighbors thought they would get

AIDS from her! Though we have heard of such cases before, we never

thought it would happen so near. But that is the first reaction to any

enormity. According to the news paper (Praja Shakthi) a widow whose

husband had died of AIDS was stoned to death after a series of incidents

involving her and her neighbors. As there was no mention either in The

Hindu or Eenadu, we enquired and ascertained independently that this

was, in substance true. If, in fact, other prominent newspapers failed

to carry this news, it only indicates the apathy that has crept into the

mind of the mainstream. Though none of the witnesses or the members of

the police were very forthcoming on the matter, we found that this

incident had indeed occurred and the residents are trying to suppress

enquiries. We, therefore, feel that this should be brought to your

notice.

Ponnamma, a widow of about 30 years, resident of the BC Colony, Kuppam

in Chittoor District of Andhra Pradesh, was stoned to death on the 4th

of July 2003.

She was given in marriage to a man from Tamilnadu where she went to

live. Subsequently he died of AIDS. Since then she had come back to the

village to her family. As the residents of the colony became aware that

she was HIV positive, they first brought pressure on her family to drive

her away. She was later forced into shifting to another hut. But even

there the neighbors did not agree to have her in their midst and brought

pressure on her family to drive her out of the colony.

Apparently, on that gruesome day, some persons attempted to carry away

the bench on which she was lying. Sensing that her life was in danger,

she tried to get up and run away. She was then chased, stoned and hit

with the bench, killed and burnt.

The terror and agony of that woman being chased and killed by a blood

thirsty mob, is blood-curdling.

We need not remind you of the bleak HIV/AIDS scenario in our country.

Nor the huge international monetary support for HIV/AIDS prevention,

awareness and for countering stigma. Apart from raising questions about

the effectivity of our HIV/AIDS awareness programs, one such ghastly

incident wipes out years of hard work with the positive community. At a

deeper level something more valuable is lost as we take one step more

towards the Stone Ages. The trust. As an organization as well as a

group of concerned citizens fighting against stigmatization of positive

persons and societal prejudices, we very strongly feel that the

administration must put its entire weight behind efforts to bring all

the perpetrators of this horrendous crime to justice.

This hair-rising incident shows the country and specially our high

profile state in a very poor and disgusting light. It gives us a glimpse

of the dark underbelly of our society. In plain words it is a stain on

each and every one of us in the district, state and country. Unless we

all speak up as one and condemn the incident and make an example of the

criminals to prevent other 'Kuppam's from happening, we are afraid, our

nation, as a whole might one day burn because some of us are sick or ill

and our neighbors can carry out a sentence of death.

In agony we remain sadly yours

WINS Team "

We from WINS have already transmitted the above message to the District

Collector and The SP, Chittoor. Kuppam is also the Chief Minister's

Constituency, and is always in focus in media and elsewhere. Yet such a

ghastly incident never even got a mention in any newspapers! leave alone

any action to apprehend the criminals concerned.

We request all to strongly condemn this and write to Sri. N. Chandrababu

Naidu, the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh. His e-mail id is

cmap@...

In Solidarity

Women's Initiatives (WINS), Tirupati

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