Global AIDS - India
HIV Woman in India Stoned to death - July 9, 2003
Dear All
It was with shock, disgust and disbelief that we read in a regional
newspaper 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 newspaper (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 bloodthirsty
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! let 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 email id is
cmap@ap.gov.in
In Solidarity
Women's Initiatives (WINS), Tirupati
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