We, representatives of women’s groups and concerned individuals from all over the country, are shocked at the remark by the Vice Chief of Army Staff reported in the Hindustan Times today. Responding to the suicide of a young woman officer, Lt.Gen.S.Pattabhiraman expressed the view that “The Army can do without women.” You will agree that an immediate written apology is in order.
We have always expressed our concern at the contribution of the army to the increasing and unnecessary militarisation of our society. We will continue to strongly discourage any young people - men or women - from joining this patriarchal and regressive institution. Nevertheless, we are aware that the Army employs a large number of women (albeit in the lower echelons or in low-profile units like the Nursing Corps) who, despite Lt.Gen.Pattabhiraman’s views, are certainly essential to its functioning.
We are concerned for the welfare of the women who are working in an institution that is unashamedly sexist and masculinist in its interpretations of women’s rights and gender equality. Given the pronouncements by officers at the highest levels, it is not difficult to imagine the culture the bottom.
The record of the Armed Forces in providing dignified working conditions, protection from harassment and equal treatment to women is a dismal one. The resistance some years ago to allowing senior Army nurses to wear uniforms appropriate to their rank, the more recent case of hounding and labelling as ‘insane’ of a woman officer who complained of sexual harassment, and now this unexplained suicide - all point to large- scale suppression and violation of rights.
The Armed Forces are financed with the taxpayers’ money and should be bound by the same rules and norms of equality as any other workplace. We demand a judicial enquiry into the working conditions and rights of women in the Armed Forces and an immediate institution of mechanisms for the hearing and redressal of complaints of sexual harassment, discriminatory treatment, intimidation and abuse of power by senior officers. These issues are too serious to be dealt with through internal procedures that are completely opaque and protected from scrutiny by civil society.
SIGNED
Organisations
DELHI: JAGORI, Nirantar, RAHI, Zubaan, Saheli, Manushi, NEN
TAMILNADU: Tamilnadu Women’s Forum, Tamilnadu Dalit Women’s Movement, TN Women’s Collective, Alliance of People’s Movements, Ekta
MAHARASHRA: Akshara, Vacha, Aawaz-e-Niswan, Labia, WRAG, Aalochana
GUJARAT: Sahiyar, Anandi, Olakh
KOLKATA: Swayam, Human Rights Law Network, Sanchetana, Krishna Roy NFIW-WB Committee, Association of Women with Disability, Sachetana, Lake Garden WCDG
KERALA: Anweshi, Sakhi
Individuals
KOLKATA: Soma Marik, Shatarupa Sengupta, Madhuchhanda Karlekar, Rajashri Dasgupta
DELHI: Jaya Srivastava, Ranjana Padhi, Imrana Qadeer, Gautam Bhan, Abhijit Menon-Sen, Dunu Roy, Geetha Bharadwaj, Ruchi Yadav, Shrutipriya Dalmia, Deepa Grover, Sujai Kumar, Kamla Kumar, Madhu Kishwar, Manjima Bhattacharjya, Radha, Satyavati
(Use the form below to add your own name and comments to this signature campaign)
June 20th, 2006 at 5:19 pm
June 20th, 2006 at 5:37 pm
June 21st, 2006 at 9:26 am
Please add our signature
June 21st, 2006 at 12:55 pm
Please add our name. Though a public apology has been made by the Army chief, it is shameful that such a remark was made.
June 22nd, 2006 at 4:33 pm
June 27th, 2006 at 10:10 pm
Please add my signature.
satyavati
Editor feminist magazine BHUMIKA in telugu
July 26th, 2006 at 4:20 pm
I fully support this intiative. I would want to see more transparency in disciplinary mechanism inside the military. With inclusion of more women, more efforts need to be in place that make things more women-friendly. I can imagine working in an establishment where you superior, peer,junior think you are a sore thumb. Funny thing abt the masculinist argument is that most military tasks in the day of sophisticated technology, are expert/intelligence jobs and not physical jobs…
January 9th, 2007 at 4:51 pm
I’ve no words 2 say…the only thing i wanna write is that i’m interested in joining this website…hats off 2 all u members
April 7th, 2007 at 7:11 pm
Keep up the good work!
April 10th, 2007 at 9:41 pm
ARE YOU AWARE THAT THE IAF IS FOLLOWING THE SAME PRINCIPLE. SOME TIME BACK CERTAIN TOP BRASSES HAD DECIDED THAT WOMEN CAN BE INDUCTED IN TO THE IAF. NOW, AFTER ABOUT 15 YRS OF EXPERIENCE, THEY ARE IN THE PROCESS OF GETTING RID OF THE LADY OFFICERS, WITHOUT ALLOWING THEM TO EARN THEIR PENSION. ( IN IAF THEY REQUIRE 20 YRS MINIMUM SERVICE TO EARN THIER PENSION)
April 19th, 2007 at 3:28 am
April 24th, 2007 at 4:25 pm
May 10th, 2007 at 2:49 pm
Congratulations,
I just came to know about your organisation through my dear frnd.
I am based in Mumbai
Wish i could be of some help in your endeavour.
kindly let me know - how can i spend my spare time(couple of hours a week) for you.
Best wishes
May 10th, 2007 at 8:38 pm
I definitely believe that an apology should be taken from the vice chief of the army staff. All the people on important and responsible positions should stop making such loose statements. after all they are looked as role models in the society………….
June 1st, 2007 at 7:58 pm
it was very shocking to read this. i wonder how do people even think lie this. it is simply ashaming.
June 22nd, 2007 at 8:04 am
July 7th, 2007 at 1:42 pm
You and I are to blame to some extent. When we hear sexist remarks around us, do we protest? As a college student at a prestigious institution, I often wondered what would happen to organizations that may ever get into the hands of some of my insensitive male batchmates. I wish I had done something to change their mentality because who knows - one of those people may be the Vice Chief one day.
July 11th, 2007 at 5:44 pm
July 24th, 2007 at 12:11 pm
i am working in HIV.AIDS field. i am working for a number of issues for PLHIV. i just came across of ur organisatu#ion in internet. really you all are doing excellent. i want to join with you. any offices in orissa?