WUNRN
Women's Feature Service
Humiliated,
Won a National Bravery Award
By Saadia Azim
Birbhum (Women's
Feature Service) - Sixteen-year-old Sunita Murmu is quite the celeb in her
locality these days. This teenager had the courage to approach the remote
Mohammadbazar police station in Birbhum, one of
Sunita survived sexual harassment and torture to be honoured with the National Bravery Award for her exemplary act of courage.(Credit: Saadia Azim\WFS)
There was a time, not so long ago, when Sunita was just another tribal girl, with little education, living quietly in a male-dominated society. She had no idea of her rights and spent her days working as a daily wage labourer to support her parents. And like most girls her age, she too fell in love. Her life, however, turned into a nightmare the day her involvement with a non tribal boy from the nearby village was discovered by the local tribal panchayat
last year.
The self-proclaimed
panchayat met and decided on what they thought could be the only punishment for
her romantic attachment: She was stripped publicly and made to walk around the
village, even while being jeered at and sexually harassed by random villagers.
Those who were party to this heinous crime even went a step further - they took
photographs and videos of her in that situation, which were later made into
multi-media messages (MMSes) and sent to everyone in the village to ensure that
no other village girl would dare to repeat Sunita's 'crime'.
Not one person came
forward to help the traumatised young girl while she was being treated in this
heinous manner. The authorities at the nearby Mohammadbazaar police station did
not bother to come to her rescue. As for her shocked parents, they too could be
of little assistance. The incident lasted for about two hours - she was made to
walk for around eight kilometres after which she was literally dumped. Plucking
up whatever courage she had left, Sunita made her way back home only to be
taunted by her neighbours and others. No case was registered against her
attackers and no one dared to defy the tribal panchayat's diktat, even though
there is an elected panchayat body in the area.
Since the leaders of
the community had been party to the crime, all evidence was tampered with. For
two months Sunita lived in a corner of her hut, left in isolation and generally
neglected. It was during those dark days that she made up her mind to raise her
voice for justice. When she told her parents that she wanted to see action
being taken against her culprits, they tried hard to dissuade her, even keeping
her secluded and trying to divert her attention to other matters.
Meanwhile, the MMSes
were still being circulated within the community. All those close to her family
suggested that she forget what happened and move ahead. Says Sunita, looking
back, "I wondered how people can ever think that I can forget what
happened with me. I am living with that pain which will be there all the time.
But I shall now fight against all crimes against women in the name of old
traditional values."
When the police came
knocking at her door to conduct an inquiry two months later, she was dissuaded
by her family to cooperate with the investigation. But Sunita decided to go it
alone and fight all the way. She told the police everything that happened and
lodged a formal complaint. But there was no evidence except for the MMSes that
were doing the rounds. No one was ready to testify - some stayed away fearing
the criminals, others because they thought they were standing up for their
traditional tribal values.
But there was no
stopping Sunita. Recalls Bidhan Ray, the SDO of Rampurhat, who followed up and
investigated the case, "It was amazing to see a victim so confident. We
thought she may really be in a deep depression and would not cooperate. Also in
such cases the chances of victims turning hostile are very high. But Sunita
could identify the criminals since they were from her locality and she knew
them well. Her confidence could win everyone's support."
Just two days after
filing the complaint, the six main accused were arrested. These culprits,
barely out of their teens, had incited the crowd and later influenced people to
keep quiet.
Fearing a backlash
from the community, Sunita was sent to a government welfare home - 'Pushparag'
in Rampurhat. She continues to be there, trying to pick up the pieces of her
life. She has also now learnt weaving and embroidery, and the district
administration has opened a savings account for her.
When the district
administration decided to propose her name for the National Bravery awards, it
was a proud moment for Sunita. "It is an unusual case because despite
being a victim, Sunita fought for herself. We decided to propose her name as
she has not just taken on criminals but has also stood up against organised
crime, regressive and outdated values and self-proclaimed, unauthorised
panchayat-like bodies," says Saumitra Mohan, the district magistrate of
Birbhum.
Today Sunita is one
among the 26 children who has been honoured by President Pratibha Patil with
the National Bravery Award for her exemplary act of courage. The award is
conferred annually by the Indian Council of Child Welfare to children for their
acts of courage in everyday life.
"Sunita has been
able to take back control of her life. She is a fast learner and mixes well
with other teenagers. Yet she is still living a life of seclusion and
ostracism," confesses Satyabrata Banerjee, the superintendent of the
'Pushparag' welfare home.
Banerjee bases this
observation on the fact that Sunita has not been able to go back home. Many of
her family members still refuse to talk to her. The culprits are out on bail
and the local people say that her life could be in danger in her Santhal
Fortunately, even
though her own village is shying away from taking back its courageous daughter,
her story is bringing smiles to the faces many girls in the region. Remarks
Kuntalshree Bhatacharya, a headmistress of a local girls' school, "I keep
telling my girls that enduring crime is equal to being a party to it. Learn
from Sunita, who could win accolades for defying the wrong in the
society." Adds Sunita's friend from the village, who is too intimidated to
give her name, "We are proud of her. But what is alarming is that the
culprits are roaming free while the one who fought for what is right is living
away from home."
But things are slowly changing. Voices are now being raised in her support. Women organisations are demanding that Sunita be rehabilitated within the community. Says District Magistrate Saumitra Mohan, "We are trying our best but for now she has to concentrate on her studies and better the skills that she is learning at the welfare home. It is a three-year course and Sunita is enjoying interacting with her new friends.
Meanwhile, her
accomplishments are being recognised even within her community. Our assessment
is that her medal, the cash prize and the national recognition that has come
her way, will gradually changed public opinion in her village."