An HIV Positive Widow forgives a man, saves his conviction

[Guest guest]

Imphal, July 06 2009: Despite efforts are made by the government and

non-governmental organizations (NGOs) not to stigmatized and look down the

people living with HIV/AIDS specially to the women in Manipur, many well

educated people are indulging in the act.

On the other hand, many people living with the dreaded disease are able to live

with firm decision to fight with the disease as they got counsels from the

government and NGO authorities.

They are struggling for living among the people with the disease.

In what could be a fruit of the efforts of the government agencies and NGOs,

many women living with HIV/AIDS who can justified those people who lookdown them

are also coming up.

Last month, as an instant of coming up of such women, a woman living with

HIV/AIDS in Thoubal district with the help of Lawyers Collective lodged a

complaint with the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Thoubal against a a youth,

educated graduated, alleging of hurting the modesty of widow living with

HIV/AIDS by sending SMS with obscene words and luring her to indulge in immoral

activities.

In response to the complaint, a case was registered with the Thoubal police

under section 500 (deal with (Punishment for defamation)/509 (Word, gesture or

act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) and arrested the person.

But in the later part, the women withdrew the case.

If convicted in the case the youth even can meet a two year jail term.

With regard to the return of the case, the woman today said, " She wanted nothing

else when the well educated youth came to realize himself what is good and bad

keeping such discriminating act toward me " .

Apart from this, she does not want to go to police and court repeatedly in

connection with the case as it not a good one to appear in the court frequently

for a woman like her who loss her husband and struggling for life with the

dreaded disease.

Society will not think any good to me, she added.

" When the person offered apology at my feet with the plea not to indulge in such

activities in future urging to forgive him for the sake of his prestige, I feel

pity for him, but to know him that such is not agreed with me, is a must.

That was why I am doing, " she added.

The person admitted his misconduct and offered apology in the presence of

elderly people.

So, she decided to withdraw the case from the police, the widow said.

Lauding the decision of the woman, legal cum advocacy officer, Soibam Hemanta of

Manipur unit of the Lawyers' Collective said the condition of the widow can be

said " double victim " .

First the woman in question is a widow apart from a living with HIV/AIDS.

How the HIV/AIDS positive widow is for living in the society is well known by

all.

Educated men must know it better.

Secondly, it is an illegal act to try to demoralize a woman and hurting her

modesty by using obscene words through mobile as mention in the section 509 of

the Indian Penal Code (IPC) Despite all this, on humanitarian ground, the man

has been forgiven by the woman in presence of elderly people, he observed adding

that such women need encourage and respect their modesty.

If not, the efforts of the government and NGOs to control the dreaded disease

will be fruitless.

Lawyers' Collective tried it best to delivered justice to the woman without

delay.

Police and court also help a lot in the effort, Hemanta said thanking them for

the assistants.

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