WHAT was the source of the courage and the iron will with which the residents of Vachathi took on such a large number of officials and other personnel who had the backing of the government and political bigwigs? When the question was posed to Paranthayi, a 59-year-old tribal woman of the village, pat came the reply: Sengodi (red flag).
With eyes brimming with tears, the frail woman, who has already become the role model for many of the 1,000-odd residents of the village, recalls with gratitude the support extended to Vachathi residents by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Tamil Nadu Tribals Association.
How can we forget them? In the wake of the terrible attack launched by the uniformed personnel, no politician visited this village. When a sizable number of us, along with our children, were languishing in jails and many of the villagers were hiding in the hills, it was they who came to our rescue. They provided us food, utensils and clothes. Above all, they taught us to stand up and fight the repression let loose on the innocent persons, she said. That is why we decided to reject the relief offered by persons belonging to other parties who turned a blind eye to us when we were left in the lurch.
Her daughter was one of the 18 rape victims. After the raid, the girl and her brother dropped out of school. More than the lathi blows that fell on us, the verbal abuses and humiliation heaped on us left an indelible scar on our minds, she said in a choked voice.
Several other women in the tribal village expressed similar feelings. C. Alamelu, a farm worker, said her house was badly damaged in the attack, which took place when she was 10 years old. She hid in the hills with her elders. When we returned to the village, we found that our house site pattas were torn to pieces by the raiding party.
V. Vellaichi, an elderly farm worker, said she was at home when the combined team raided the village. I was stripped and caned. P. Unnamalai, K. Panchalam and M. Ramayee were among the tribal women who bore the brunt of the attack.
P. Lakshmi, sister of the village head, Perumal, said even children were not spared by the raiding forces. My brother was beaten up so badly that he was thoroughly immobilised. My sister-in-law's hand was fractured. Even a six-month-old baby was not spared by them. Two of her daughters were among the rape victims, she said.
Another rape victim said, It is not that easy to get out of the trauma. I shudder to think of the incidents that unfolded in our village 19 years ago. We have to cope with the nightmare. As an act of atonement the government should take immediate steps to provide employment to the local people by starting some industry so that the large-scale migration of youth to other places, including Tirupur, seeking jobs can be prevented.
Welcoming the judgment, P. Shanmugam, general secretary of the Tamil Nadu Tribals Association, said the conviction of all the accused in the case offered tremendous hope to members of Scheduled Tribes all over the country to fight against the atrocities unleashed on them. The judgment also came as a warning to the perpetrators of such crimes against the voiceless. The details of the case would be brought out through a documentary film and publications in different national languages to enhance awareness among the tribal people. He urged the government to take up rehabilitation measures, including distribution of two acres of land to each of the victims and disbursement of enhanced compensation to the affected families.
Local MLA and CPI(M) leader P. Dillibabu said a sustained struggle by the tribal people with the backing of the Tamil Nadu Tribals Association and the CPI(M) for the past 18 years had resulted in the judicial victory. Recalling that the entire village was ransacked, livelihoods were destroyed and drinking water and electricity supply was cut for several days after the attack, he called upon the State government to send a high-level committee to Vachathi to study the situation and obtain feedback from the locals and their representatives to take up rehabilitation measures. The government has not disbursed adequate compensation to the victims.
Vice-president of the State unit of the All India Lawyers Union, G. Chamki Raj, said the dilatory tactics adopted by successive governments and the accused during the last 19 years only betrayed their total disregard for the lives of tribal people. The judgment in the case was unprecedented in view of the number of the accused, all of whom had been found guilty, she pointed out. Referring to the evidence given bravely by the rape victims in court, she said that was possible as they were not under any taboo.
S. DorairajCOMMents
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