As horrifying and sickening as this story is, there is much to celebrate as well. The fact that a government official took swift action on a tip and rescued 500 human beings from slavery. Kudos to the police, government officials and the International Justice Mission for carrying out this well coordinated and successful mission.

We’re hoping they will have as much success in rehabilitating the rescued, ensuring they receive all the wages due to them and bringing the kiln owner to justice.

As we celebrate the decision by India’s Supreme Court granting bail to Dr. Binayak Sen, let’s pause to remember this – Dr. Sen has spent the past 121 days in jail convicted of sedition, a charge even the Supreme Court finally deemed unproven. He also spent two more years in jail from July 2007 to May 2009 before the Supreme Court had to step in to grant him bail.

Dr. Sen had the visibility of a world press, numerous international human rights organizations, 40 Nobel Laureates who wrote on his behalf, and finally the eminent lawyer and politician Ram Jethmalani handling his case. What happens to the ordinary Indian who has none of this support?

A quick reminder of what India’s sedition law, section 124A of the Penal Code is:

124A. Sedition – Whoever by words, either spoken or written, or by signs, or by visible representation, or otherwise, brings or attempts to bring into hatred or contempt, or excites or attempts to excite disaffection towards, the Government established by law in [India], shall be punished with [imprisonment for life], to which fine may be added, or with imprisonment which may extend to three years, to which fine may be added, or with fine. Explanation 1.- The expression “disaffection” includes disloyalty and all feelings of enmity. Explanation 2.- Comments expressing disapprobation of the measures of the Government with a view to obtain their alteration by lawful means, without exciting or attempting to excite hatred, contempt or disaffection, do not constitute an offence under this section. Explanation 3.- Comments expressing disapprobation of the administrative or other action of the Government without exciting or attempting to excite hatred, contempt or disaffection, do not constitute an offence under this section.”

Via The Jakarta Globe:

Two couples in staunchly Muslim Aceh were caned in public on Friday for separate acts of indecency. The first pair, Sudirman, 43, and Irdayanti, 34, each received nine lashes of the cane by the Wilayatul Hisbah, or Shariah Police, for committing adultery. Both are married to other people, though Irdayanti is in the process of divorcing her husband.

As with every single time we read this kind of news an overwhelming rage follows the disgust and sadness that millions of people around the world still live under such horribly tyrannical laws forced on them by state and/or religion.

As for the 200 some people who gathered to watch the punishment: What kind of depraved sadistic beast goes and prays before coming out to watch and jeer and cheer as fellow human beings being caned? Shouldn’t they be caned too for deriving pleasure from watching pain being inflicted on someone else?

h/t: Huffington Post

Without a doubt, Anna Hazare’s fast-unto-death protest is now a full-fledged citizens movement, with Bollywood and political parties thrown in for good measure. Something good will come out of it. The pressure on the government is coming from all quarters because of one and only one reason – the consequences of not meeting Hazare’s demands are just too drastic.

Meanwhile another fast-unto-death protest has gone largely unnoticed for the past 11 years. In the year 2000 a young 28-year old woman declared her protest to not eat food or drink water. She did so because security forces brutally gunned down 10 civilians standing at a bus stop in Manipur. The security forces were operating under the rights granted them by the 1958 Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA), a draconian act that gives them the powers to:

• “Fire upon or otherwise use force, even to the causing of death, against any person who is acting in contravention of any law” against “assembly of five or more persons” or possession of deadly weapons.
• To arrest without a warrant and with the use of “necessary” force anyone who has committed certain offenses or is suspected of having done so
• To enter and search any premise in order to make such arrests.

Irom Chanu Sharmila is now 39 years old. She is being force fed through a nasal tube at a Government hospital. In the 11 years since her protest began she gets in the news for two reasons, an arrest and/or winning an award for her determination.

Hers is a protest that never garnered the support that Hazare’s movement is getting. Corruption is an evil that must be rooted out of India. Irom Chanu Sharmila’s protest fights for an as- if not more important and fundamental human right – that no citizen of a democratic country should have to die at the hands of its government who is there to protect and serve them.

Irom Chand Sharmila - social and political activist on fast for 11 years in India.