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PRESS INVITATION
Dear Friend,
To protest against the continuous torture and violence
on the sex workers of Bangladesh , we, Durbar Mahila Samanwaya Committee
(DMSC) will organise a peaceful rally from Sealdah station followed
by submission of memorandum to the Deputy High Commissioner, Bangladesh
in Calcutta, tomorrow. The rally will start sharp at 12 p.m. and will
be participated by members of DMSC at local and district level. Following
the murder of Jesmin, a sex worker at Tan Bazar brothel in early July,
major political forces have been at work to close the brothel in the
name of rehabilitation, a program funded by UNDP within the Ministry
of Social Welfare. While the UNDP project was not meant to be coercive,
other forces have taken control and, despite fervent resistance by
the residents of Tan Bazar and their supporters, violence and disregard
of human rights continues. This brothel and another nearby named Nimtoli,
also similarly affected by these events, represent nearly 30% of all
brothel-based sex workers in Bangladesh. DMSC, has already taken initiatives
worldwide to raise voice of the like minded sex workers organisations
against such inhuman torture on the sex workers in Bangladesh . In
this regard, we would like to inform you that Amnesty International
has taken a resolution against the eviction , violence and the kidnapping
of Sathi (leader of the sex workers, at Tanbazar, Bangladesh) in a
workshop titled "Human Rights Defender workshop" held in Bhubaneshwar
(29 to 31 July'99 ). We look forward to your kind co-operation and
active participation in the rally, and we hope to receive your support
as always. With warm regards,
( Ms. Putul Singh ) Secretary,
DMSC
Dated. 4rd August,1999
Incident
at TanBazar
- From Dr. Samarajit Jana at Calcutta and Bangladesh
In early July'99, Jesmin, a sex worker at the Tan Bazar brothel in
Bangladesh was murdered. Since then major political forces are trying
to close down the brothel in the name of rehabilitation. The programme
is UNDP funded. And they have sactioned $20 million . It is being
implemented incollaboration with the Ministry of Social Welfare. Though
it is assumed that UNDP does not recomend violent means, large scale
violence is being used at Tan Bazar and at Nimtoli nearby. Nearly
30% of all the brothel-based sex workers of Bangladesh live in these
areas. Here HIV prevalence is 15 per 1000 persons and, syphilis prevalence
is about 50%. Hence the impact of scattering away of these women all
over the country, will result in the spread of HIV epidemic all over
Bangladesh and in its neighbourhood. The situation took a very ugly
turn at 3a.m., 24 July'99. Police entered Tan Bazar brothel in collusion
with the project staff of UNDP. Herded the women out. Beat them and
forced them into buses and drove them away. Sathi, leader of the sex
workers' movement against eviction and forced rehabilitation here
has been kidnapped by the police. Though they deny it. Her whereabouts
are not known. Some of the sex workers lost their children in the
melee. The fate of the women captured by the police is abuse, torture
and rape by the keepers of 'law'. Some have fled and, are living as
fugitives. All this is in blatant violation of the UN Human Rights
charter, Women's rights championed by the UN, the HIV and STD reduction
policies of the WHO and UNAIDS. So far 51 himan rights groups and
other organizations of Bangladesh have lodged their complaints against
Tan Bazar violence to the local government. They plan to develop a
legal action to try to keep the brothel from being destroyed or occupied
and, to demand humane conditions for the women living there. They
have already organised demonstration and myself was present at that
period. I left Dhaka the very next day following the deamonstration.
What we expect at this moment is that NSWP and other like minded organisations
should raise their voice and if possible, arrange for some demonstrations
before the UNDP headquaters in Washington D.C. and in Geneva. and
create pressure upon UNDP to stop so called rehabilitation programme
immediately at Tanbazar. Let us raise our voice together.
Policy
Implications of STD/HIV Intervention
among Sex Workers and Their Clients
Dr. S. Jana of All India Institute of
Hygiene and Public Health, Calcutta, India in his paper . The STD/HIV
Intervention Program (SHIP) was initiated at Sonagachi in September
1992, after a baseline survey was conducted from April to June 1992.
The aim of this intervention program was to reduce the burden of sexually
transmitted diseases (STDs) among female commercial sex workers (CSWs)
and to curtail the transmission of STDs and HIV through reformation
of behavioral habits of CSWs and their clients
Three
Years at Sonagachi
Dr. S. Jana of All India Institute of
Hygiene and Public Health, Calcutta, India in his paper. Recognition
of the sex workers' profession has evoked an atmosphere of faith and
mutual reciprocity. It has also strengthened the sense of professionalism
among the sex workers. Now they aspire for a better environment within
the locality. They have learned to identify their occupational rights.
In addition, emphasis has been placed on the inclusion of sex workers
in all spheres of program activities.
The
Manifesto
A new spectre seems to be haunting the society. Or maybe those phantom
creatures who have been pushed into the shades for ages are taking
on human form -- and that is why there is so much fear. The sex workers'
movement for last few years have made us confront many fundamental
questions about social structures, life sexuality, moral rights and
wrongs. We think an intrinsic component of our movement is to go on
searching for the answers to these questions and raise newer ones.
Mahila Samanwaya Committee
secretary Sandhya Mukherjee discusses problems of right in a Reuter
quoted report. This report also points that a debate among international
women's organizations about trafficking emerged in the context of
the the demonstration. This is reported by Sanfransisco
based Bayswan organisation.
The
World Bank press release notes that Non-governmental organizations
(NGOs) can sometimes avoid this controversy and are often more effective
than governments at working with people with very risky behavior.
In Calcutta's Sonagachi red-light district, for example, the Indian
government, donor countries, three local NGOs, and sex workers are
working together in a prevention program that has held HIV among the
sex workers in the area at low levels.
''Sex Work is Real Work, We Demand Workers' Rights'', say slogans
splashed on walls here in Sonagachi, one of India's biggest red-light
areas where sex workers have joined hands to demand dignity of labour.
Every town and city has brothels, but there are no rules or laws to
protect sex workers. ''There is no specific law on prostitution,''
says Amina
Banerjee, president of the Durbar Mahila Samanway Committee
(women's integration committee), recently set up by sex workers
in Calcutta.
It is perhaps time to take an unbiased look. Stopping prostitution
is impossible, while opening it up to regulation improves matters,
even if it is morally unacceptable to many. But leaving it as it exists
is neither here nor there -- and sitting on the fence isn't necessarily
the best approach. India
Today takes a look at Legal Soliciting
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5 million truck drivers at heart of looming
AIDS crisis in India , reports Seatlle Times, USA
Dr Michael Merson, Executive Director, World Health Organisation Global
Programme on AIDS, appeals to Asian Leaders "TO
FACE THE REALITY OF AN EXPLOSION OF AIDS IN ASIA"
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The
Health Action Information Network (HAIN) of Quezon City, the Philippines, hails Sonagachi project as one of the
two most successful in World
Family
Health International It is important to recognize
that many aspects of the STD control model of specialized treatment
and referral centers developed in industrialized countries may not
be appropriate. Sonagachi is an example.
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