12/10/13 Gmail - PAKISTAN: Two young scheduled caste Hindu women were raped by Muslim landlords, one of them

one of them was murdered later on

Ripon Das <ripondas657@gmail.com>

PAKISTAN: Two young scheduled caste Hindu women were raped by Muslim
landlords, one of them was murdered later on
RIPON DAS <ripondas657@gmail.com> Mon, Dec 9, 2013 at 5:19 AM
To: secretary@cabinet.gov.pk

Dear Prime Minister,

PAKISTAN: Two young scheduled caste Hindu women were raped by Muslim landlords, one of them was
murdered later on

Name of victim: 1-Mrs. Shrimati Kakoo Kolhi 24, daughter of Veerji Kolhi, resident Lalu Shar village, District
Umerkot, Shadi Pali police station, Sindh Province
2-Ms Nallan, daughter of Veerji Kolhi, resident of Lalu Shar Village, District Umerkot, Shadi Pali police station,
Sindh Province
Names of alleged perpetrators: Mr. Mohammad Khadim Shar, son of Lalu Ilyas Shar, resident of Lalu Shar
village, Shadi Pali police station, Umarkot district Sindh
Mr. Sirajuddin Shar, son of Lalu Ilyas Shar, resident of Lalu Shar village, Shadi Pali police station, Umarkot
district Sindh
Date of incident: October 18 and October 29, 2013
Place of incident: In the jurisdiction of Shadi Pali police station, Umarkot police station, Sindh

I am writing to voice my deep concern regarding the rape of two sisters from Kohli caste of the Hindu religion by
their Muslim landlords and murder of one of them in revenge for daring to make a complaint against a Muslim.

I am appalled to learn that Ms. Kakoo Kohli (24) and her elder sister, Nallan (26), were both raped by Mr.
Mohammad Khadim Shar and his brother Mr. Sirajuddin Shar, the sons of the landlord and the owner of the
village, Mr. Lalu Ilyas Shar.

According to the information I have received, the girls and their family members were working in the fields of Shar
and were provided a hut to live in. The main culprit, Mohammad Khadim Shar, was lusting after Shrimati (Ms.)
Kakoo and on several occasions asked for sexual favors. However each time Shar was denied. The poverty of
Kakoo and her sister and lack of economical support prevented them from leaving their workplace. After a long
session of frustration, anger and shame, generated by the constant denial and rejection from Ms. Kakoo,
Mohammed Khadim Shar finally decided to take her by force.

I was shocked to learn that on October 18, the perpetrator, Mohammad Khadim Shar took his brother Sirajudding
Shar with him and attacked Ms. Kakoo's house at gun point and restrained all the members of the Kohli family,
including the mother and father. Khadim raped Kakoo and Siraj raped Nallan in front of their family members.
After the rape, the attackers threatened the family that if they report the incident to anybody they would be killed.
However, after the incident, Kumar Veerji Kohli, the father of Kakoo and Nallan took the victims to the Shadi Pali
police station to report the rape. However, as usually happens, the police refused to file the report until they
completed their investigation. After two days the police agreed to file an FIR which infuriated the main perpetrator,
Khadim Shar. The police arrested Sirajuddin Shar but allowed Khadim to abscond. Sirajuddin was able to obtain
bail.

In the meantime, the Umarkot police, on the instructions of the landlord, arranged a Jirga, an illegal court
declared by the high court of Sindh, consisting of elders of the area. The Jirga compelled the victims and her
family to reach a settlement with the perpetrators and this was sanctioned by the Judicial Magistrate. The police
officials were happy to serve the landlords and the case against the perpetrators was withdrawn.

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12/10/13 Gmail - PAKISTAN: Two young scheduled caste Hindu women were raped by Muslim landlords, one of them was murdered later on

Khadim Shar was insulted that a Hindu woman from the lowest caste had filed a case against him and this, in his
eyes, was a challenge to the supremacy of Islam. On November 29, while he was at his fields, he received
information that Kakoo and her mother were attending the clinic of a local doctor. He took the jeep belonging to
his friend and abducted the woman and her mother at gun point in full view of many persons. After reaching his
fields he shot Kakoo in the head. He was arrested but still has not been charged as there were no eye witnesses
and police classify the mother as a biased witness.

It is widely accepted that Dalit women, who are mostly defenseless, are considered 'sexually available' and are
targeted for sexual violence by the Muslim community. Dalits in particular and the entire Hindu community in
general are vulnerable and voiceless and unable to oppose the atrocities which are perpetrated on them. The
Kohli Hindus are considered to be the lowest people in the Hindu religion.

A large number of scheduled castes are working as agriculture workers and are in the worst condition of debt
bondage due to their poor working conditions. While men are exploited as bonded workers and are victims of the
forced and bonded labour, the women particularly young girls are often sexually abused by landlords and local
influential people.

I urge you to institute an immediate investigation into this heinous act of rape and murder by an influential
landlord who was protected by the police. The police officials who allowed the perpetrators to abscond and later
forced the victims to settle with their attackers must be investigated and prosecuted. Compensation, including
housing must be provided to the remaining victim and her family.

I look forward to your urgent intervention in this matter.

Yours sincerely,
RIPON DAS
BANGLADESH

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