Indian sisers

That's brilliant.

www.amnesty.org.uk/issues/Action-for-individuals

The sisters have been saved. They do not feel safe enough to return to their village, but are safe, thanks to Amnesty and all those who signed.

Words fail me.
I've signed.

Even if the girls are safe and choose to return to their village, the power of this petition and the hundreds of thousands of voices behind it, should keep them safe (I hope) and send a clear message to these morons.

Signed.

After I signed the petition I got a follow up email with a link so I could share it on Facebook. A good way to spread the news and get lots more signatures

Petition signed.

Yes lets just hope they are kept safe. Whilst it must be hard for them to leave their familiar day to day lives, I think they must stay in Delhi until they are guaranteed a safe return to their community.

If these courts are illegal I think India must do more to ensure that is the case, if necessary, punitive sentences for perpetrators who take it upon themselves to dole out such punishments to make others think twice. India has come so far so quickly, but instances like this, illustrate they have a long way to go in some areas.

Thank God they are safe. Not sure that they would want to return to a village where there are people who even think like these 'elders'. Hard for them to have turned their lives upside-down as it is.

From Amnesty's website:

INDIA: ORDERED THE RAPE OF TWO SISTERS DALITS IN INDIA

By Amnesty International ,23 August 2015, Index Number: ASA 20/2316/2015

On July 30, in Baghpat, Uttar Pradesh, in northern India, a non-elected municipal council and composed solely of men ordered a dalit woman and her teenage sister was violated, and that would make them parade naked. The sisters and their families have fled the town and are currently in Delhi.

According to this news from Australia, the girls are safe in Delhi and requesting protection so they can return to their village. These 'kangaroo courts' were made illegal in 2011.

www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/india-rape-outrage-village-order-on-sisters-sparks-new-outcry/story-fnb64oi6-1227503963664?sv=49f82f1ebf54c97ba3608fd97eefc965

I damn well hope so, when, about the before bit.

Similar vigilante behaviour by tribal elders last year in Bengal. They and the perpetrators of the rapes were arrested and dealt with by the law. Presumably, the same will happen here before they carry out this threat.

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/india/10592303/Indian-village-elders-arrested-for-ordering-gang-rape.html

Petition signed. Cold-blooded planning is sickening when carried out by individuals but to have it ordered by tribal elders is atrocious, inhumane. They should be arrested and brought to justice.

This made me weep with despair when I first heard of it. The response to the brother's crime is deeply unconscionable and saddening.

OMG those poor girls. Unfortunately I suspect that this must be a tip of the iceberg situation: this sort of thing must be quietly going on without it coming to the attention of the media. I will sign the petition immediately. I had thought that after the uproar about that poor girl on the bus that there would be a massive governmental push to stop that sort of thing. Men's natures are so repellent when they have the opportunity to take advantage of this sort of atrocious bullying of the vulnerable.

When I first read the article in the Independent, I had to read it again, I just found it unbelievable. Hideous!

Of course the whole caste system, whilst cultural, is pretty incongruous in a modern society, no doubt some would argue other countries have class systems, which is true to an extent, but that's another argument.

I do hope other countries, including our own, will bring pressure to bear and this dreadful assault will not be carried out.

I think Indian women are beginning to rise up and protest about this sort of thing anyway.

Absolutely appalling. What is the government doing about these disgusting laws and practices. Is there a massive outcry from the educated Indian people? If not, there education counts for nothing.

Rape is surely illegal even if a so-called "village council" has made this judgment? There appear to be dozens of cases like this - India really needs to get into the 21st century or, despite being part of the "space race", it will, in my opinion rightly, be viewed as a savage and backward country.

petra The UK is, from this year, no longer giving Aid to India.

I am truly horrified and have signed.

Thank you Indinana, I have now signed it.

It's depressing enough to read about all the horrible things that happen in war zones, particularly the treatment dished out by ISIS to women and girls. I'm absolutely gobsmacked that India, a democracy, can allow these rural kangaroo courts to exist.

Luckgirl, I too am having problems connecting to the petition page.

Here's the Amnesty International petition.

Sickening. I'm completely lost for words

DH showed me this yesterday. Incredible.

For some reason my computer will not connect to the petition page of AI - could someone please post it as a link? I will see if that will work. Thanks.