Dubai May 1, 2004 K E R A L A M O N I T O R S P E C I A L by Sennie Varghese Chennai Story of Neel Behind the wall, far away from the new School building, my friend Neel lost her consciousness. Her friend Amritha tried to pacify her all along the way. But Neel's could not control herself. She wept all the way. I was in a remote hamlet near Chennai, where Internet cafes are not known. It was raining in Chennai and suburban areas. My mobile was flooded with SMS. All messages are coming from Neel alone. I don't have her phone number. But she is having my number. ‘Come online’, ‘Come online’ was her message. I was little confused. I couldn't understand why Neel is rushing with her messages. I reached Office around 3pm and the first thing I done was to send her an online message. Neel was waiting there for me. I started like this. Neel, after so many weeks we are getting nice rain in Chennai. Then she said there in her place also nice rain. She wrote: Even then I went for an interview. I wondered. This is because, I know her well through our online friendship. Mother of a 3 year old boy, wife of a co -operative bank clerk who earns hardly 1,800 rupees per month, Neel staying in the school hostel with another teacher. Accommodation and food are free in this School. She earns 1,200 rupees per month. She rushes to home somewhere in the Karnataka state every Saturdays. There she has to take care of her son, hubby, mother in law and father in law. Sometime she may not be able to visit home due to busy works. Neel has told me once that her prime aim is to build a small house in their village. Neel and her hubby already fixed plan. They have land. But no bank will lend loan because both of them don't have a regular job. Neel once asked me about my house in Chennai and its details. She knows that she can't build a good house, but even then they dream about it. So whatever the things she has in her mind she discusses with me. She always told me that she is pouring her heart to a brother or to an intimate friend. I always supported her. Even on yesterday night we met online but she didn't say anything about this interview. So I asked. Do you write? Send your stories and poems to us.. Where did you go for the Interview? She said it was between Mysore and Mandya. School name is... How was the Interview? I didn't get any reply. Then I enquired. Neel, are you there? You and all men are same- was her reply. It was like something bursting. I could see her mind. I asked. Neel? Yes I am here. What happened? Nothing Nothing? And you said I am one among the crowd. Again, there was a deep, long silence, I could felt. I kept silence for few seconds. I got her messages again. I attended an Interview today in the famous ...School. The interview was tough. But Amrutha and myself were came out successfully. We were supposed to teach Computer Science to the students. So after the Interview the Head of the School asked me to go and see the Computer lab. When I came out one Sanyasi came there to show me the Computer lab. He talked to me beautifully. He took me to the Computer lab, which has so many rooms and showed most of the equipment. Inside the lab Sanyasi tried to... Sanyaasi? Tried to.... ????? I typed my words in agony. Yes. He tried to molest me. Within seconds he took my saree and I begged to him to get my saree back. What? He didn't listen. Then I tried to seek help from some one nearby. I couldn't open my mouth. I lost my sound. I was in such a mental shock. I begged to him repeatedly. At that time he was like a psycho. I don't know what happened. At one moment I thought I might die. Then I feared I am losing my consciousness. In a strip of seconds I realised that if I lose my consciousness I will lose my soul, body and all my.... I tired to kick him. That might have worked. He has given my saree. I rushed to outside and at that time I shouted for help. But none has heard it. I didn't see any one there near the area. I was stunned. Astonished. Couldn't breathe well for few minutes. I went to the hall. Put my saree in order. When I came out I saw Amrutha coming out from the other Computer lab with another team of Sanyasis. Then I realised my mistake. I trusted that Sanyasi and went with him alone. I could have gone with some other group. Neel Wrote. Why didn't you inform authorities? My immediate question. I thought it like that . But soon I realised another problem. If I complain it my name will become public. Others will come to know. That is not the problem. If my present School authorities came to know about this incident definitely they will throw me out on the first day itself. They won't accept my words and my reasons. So I didn't say it to Amrutha at that time. When I came out of the school area I couldn't move a step forward. Then Amrutha asked me why. I couldn't say anything to her. I hugged her and started to weep. After few seconds Amrutha realised that I had a 'cruel, dirty' experience in the lab. She insisted me to go back and give complaint to the authorities and even to the police. But I said no. You could have given it Neel. No. You know - every day, every second number of women in this country are facing such cruel experiences. What shall I say now Neel. I am not getting any words to pacify you. I know you. I am leaving to home tomorrow. I want to tell it to my husband. I don’t know whether I can tell it to him. If I say it he won’t allow me to go school again. To be frank I am in deep trouble. I want to pour my heart to someone who really support me, understand me. That is why I rushed to you. Then only I realised that online friendship has such an impact. A girl whom I have never seen, never spoken consider me as her brother or as an intimate friend or some one who can really discuss about her personal problems. To be frank, so far I haven't seen even her photo. On the next day I participated in a seminar 'Sexual abuse' in one of the Chennai women’s college.

R Malavika, presenting her research paper on sexual abuse told that about 74 per cent of college-going girls in Chennai city have suffered some form of sexual abuse from the age of 10 or even earlier. She said her findings had shown the highest number incidents involved violators unknown to the victim. Most of the people don't interested in giving complaint, fearing about their future. She said. I know that Neel's case is one among them. AIDS infected Kerala Society ! She looked on us and sent a vague smile. It was one of her last days. Her three-year-old daughter, Rekha slept in the next room. After some time the child started to cry and she tried to look at that side. She couldn't turn her face. She doesn't have the power to look that side. Again she passed her eyes to us. I didn't see any tear in her eyes. Not a single smile. But she smiled when we entered her room. That I remember. Her body was almost blue in colour. Mouth was not red in colour. It was white, may be because of secretions. She couldn't drink. She can't swallow anything. She looked on us and tried to smile again. That time she failed. Her mother was busy with taking lemon juice for the visitors. We were the only visitors in that house for the last nine months! The lady who lied on the bed was an AIDS patient. - Mina. I t was a typical Kerala village. Cent percent literacy, telephone connection, electricity, school, Dispensary and road facilities were there. But I realised that they are missing one. Heart. Mina who worked in Bombay as a Nurse built her new house close to a colony. In that colony all walks of life are there. But they never visited Mina. They might have avoided the meeting not to become a victim of AIDS just visiting that ailing woman. When we entered the house we saw frightened faces only. Mina's parents were around 60. Her two younger brothers were in twenties. The neighbours and society already rejected this family. They thought the visitors are from some other Agencies to inquire and put Mina behind the bars even at this stage! We said we are from the Press and would like to know something about Mina. A relieved mother told us that we are the only visitors they have since last nine months. “All of them, including our close relatives in the village rejected us. We can't die”. I met Mina's younger brothers inside the house. They were shocked to see the things. They told me that they forgot how to smile. The trauma in which that family had gone through, I don't think that any one can think about it. Mother asked us. “Shall I take a piece of pineapple”? She had a sobering sound. We were wondering. I couldn’t understand why she is asking it in such a low, tremble voice? At that time she told us that nobody comes to us. We can't sell our cow's milk. We can't sell our agriculture items in the village. To sell we have to take it to Pathanamthitta or Pandalam. It is not possible for us to go like that. Then only we realised the seriousness of their social life. We said we need coffee also. I still remember her face. She smiled. I think that may be the first time she smiled in last nine months. Mina got Aids not from her husband. It was not a result of her wrong doings. She hailed from a god-fearing family. Her family was the hard core Christian believers, Pentecost. She got AIDS when she received blood from one of her friend's brother. Mina’s case was unique in Kerala at that time since she got AIDS after a blood transfusion. During delivery time Mina lost excess blood and Doctors in the Mumbai hospital asked her husband, Manoj to find A -ve blood. His search ended after four hours when he got the man, who worked in Mumbai as a Trainee Manager. It was none other, Mina's intimate friend Ligi's younger brother. Mina delivered the child, received blood and left the hospital. After 18 months Mina and her husband came to know that, the person who given bloods to her committed suicide. Mina's husband Manoj didn't say that the man committed suicide after he was tested positive for HIV. Manoj realised that both Mina and he are in a trap and better to die than living. Mina realised the thing from her friend. On that day three of them went to the Hospital. After 15 days Manoj received the result. Both Mina and he are victims of the AIDS. Luckily their daughter Rekha was not affected. Within days Manoj fallen ill and he never returned to his life. He left Mina and Rekha within three months. Before two months Mina's body also fallen in line. She and her daughter were shunned to the hamlet where I met them.   Even educated people, College Professors and others in her village too frightened to visit that family. Just think about two youngsters, who can't talk to any one in the village because their sister was an AIDS patient. Mina died and they cremated her body in their land. No church has given place to bury her body. When they tried to bury neighbours started to quarrel. They said they are taking drinking water from the wells near the place. But later some how they pacified themselves and left. Not even a single one turned for the burial. Meanwhile I got a transfer to the Headquarters and I don't know what happened to that family. Memories of Mina and her family were rushed to my mind when I again came across with another AIDS case. It was also from the same district. Vishnu and Priya are the victims in this case. Vishnu is now seven-year-old and Priya 5 year old. Their parents Vijayan and Prema died following AIDS. Here the main villain was Prema's brother Ravi . While carrying Priya in her womb Prema had an accident and received Ravi 's blood. At that time Ravi was well aware that he has AIDS. But without giving any hint he has given the blood to his sister. After few months Ravi died and District Hospital authorities informed the media that the patient died because of AIDS. Soon things changed and the whole family put under the AIDS 'blanket' by the media and villagers. Every one in the village knows that Vishnu is not affected. A Blood result of Priya also says that she is negative to HIV. But in her case things may change. Now the Vishnu Priya case is haunting the State of Kerala . Now both kids love to study. They put pressure on Grand mother and she bought Notebook and a bag for them.   Close to their house Government is running a Primary school. Vishnu's grand mother Gowri took him to the school and applied for an admission. Soon the villagers protested. Even the Headmistress also supported the villagers. Parent Teachers Association met soon and decided not to admit both kids in their schools. Political parties, NGO'S never tried to interfere in this matter. Vishnu always goes to school. He can't go inside the class. So the boy sit outside the class or in the verandah and listens. When there is a bell he moves back. When classes start he reaches again to the same seat.   It was on a Sunday that we visited them in their house. The kids were gone to see cinema in Tele Vision. They are not allowed in the neighbours’ house. So seven-year-old Vishnu took Four-year-old Priya to a house which is situated more than a kilometer from their home. I decided to visit the kids in that house. I met them. They are sitting on the floor of the big hall. I asked about these kids to those house owner and wife. They told me that these kids are most welcomed in their family. They know that they won't be a victim of AIDS just because of these kids visit. These people are not much educated. They are not any professionals. They are only laymen. But they take care of these kids. Still I remember the cute, loving faces of Vishnu and Priya. I also remember Mina, the poor woman.

Media Monitor - Double Standards? WSF (Why Such Fuss) Go through the national newspaper today with a fine comb and you would find hidden deep in the recesses of Page - 11 the following news item: ' Judge Desai exonerated ' . For those of us who remember much less than what we used to, let me provide a refresher. The World Social Forum took place amidst much fanfare in Mumbai. What got it much more coverage all around the world, apart from the reams and/ or bytes of stuff, which was written about the WSF being the ' other alternative ' was the controversy surrounding an Indian born South African Judge, Justice Siraj Desai. Judge Desai was accused of raping a fellow delegate! The coverage Given to the episode by newspapers and television channels all around the world rivaled that for the then ongoing American invasion of Iraq . Nobody could resist writing or discussing about the immoral conduct of a man of law and to say the least, ' It hit the ceiling ' . The Mumbai courts refused bail for the Judge and he was relegated to spending a couple of nights with the friendly Mumbai police department as his host. The lady and her husband meanwhile went to town on how her trust, has been take advantage of etc. Nobody, for the first couple of days tried to look under the skin of the case, till the Judge ' s lawyers started asking a some uncomfortable questions: e.g. Why would the lady carry a condom to the room where the ' rape ' happened, and what the heck was she doing in his room, all by herself at 3.00 AM . With the spot light turning on her, we saw a volte-face from the victim; charges were withdrawn, albeit with the rider that, ' ... it is not because he is innocent, but I don ' t want to get into a legal wrangle ... ' . The Indian Judicial System, whatever its shortfalls, does not permit withdrawal of charges in a rape case and expects the matter to be settled in the courts. By this time however, public opinion had changed from ' horny old man ' to ' there is something fishy happening ' . Justice Desai was allowed to travel back to his country, a man of honor returning in shame. Everyone moved on, Justice Desai and his troubles were his own now and the media lest of all cared two hoots about what happened next. Cut to the present, and the emergence of the news item surprised me. It had to happen and it did, but the media lived up to its present day image of ' sensationalistic ' by ensuring that the coverage accorded was as miniscule as possible. When you outperform yourself in the efforts to ensure that a man who has been accused - who is ' innocent until proven guilty ' , has tar and feathers on his face and use that as a plank to sell more and more copies, doesn ' t it bother you that when he is set free and comes out right honorable, you shirk your responsibilities in giving it ' decent ' coverage? Today we see the same newspaper, which voiced eloquent on ethics and freedom of the press, when it was under fire, shriveling to a tabloid in spirit. Don ' t we owe it to Justice Desai, or is asking the media to have conscience utopian?

Dubai Festival City Completes Retail Leasing Team Recruitment  Release Date: 2nd May 2004   Dubai Festival City, the ‘city-within-a-city’ under construction on the banks of Dubai Creek, has completed recruitment of its retail leasing team ahead of foundation laying for its multi-level, 2,500,000 square foot entertainment, hospitality and retail super-centre - The Waterfront. The team joins Phil McArthur, Director Leasing & Marketing, to begin the process of selecting brands to compliment those already signed up for the centreplace destination on the banks of Dubai Creek.  “With major construction beginning at The Waterfront and a number of high-profile brands already on board, this team will be key to its success,” said McArthur. Hussam Ahmed, Ehab Kamel, and Girish Kamath have joined the team as retail leasing managers; Dalia Finj and Tomas Dvoracek as retail leasing co-ordinators and Yoosaf Mohamed is retail leasing administrator for The Waterfront. “The entire team is excited by the prospect of building the brands in The Waterfront,” said Phil McArthur, Director “Dubai Festival City has a unique proposition for hospitality, retail and entertainment brands with profiles that match the experience we are seeking to create at The Waterfront.”  According to McArthur, the retail component of Dubai Festival City would not join a race to be the biggest in the world but would, instead, concentrate on delivering: “a wonderful environment for people to shop, dine, play and relax.”  “The Waterfront, the main retail project within Dubai Festival City, will open in September 2006 and have five distinct retail zones, including a value retail centre with a 280,000 square foot IKEA store, a 200,000 square foot international hypermarket and 350 line shops and ‘The Boulevard’ with 10 iconic international flagship retailers,” said McArthur. “The true points of difference in Dubai Festival City will be our commitment to the engagement of the people and the environment. The project is designed to create a focal point for Dubai, on the Creek, the traditional gathering place of the city.    Caption: (L to R) Tomas Dvoracek, Retail Leasing Co-ordinator, Hussam Ahmed, Retail Leasing Manager, Ehab Kamel, Retail Leasing Manager, Phil McArthur, Director Leasing & Marketing, Dalia Finj, Retail Leasing Co-ordinators, Yoosaf Mohamed, Retail leasing administrator, Girish Kamath, Retail Leasing Manager.    : Dubai Festival City is being developed on 1,600 acres on the banks of Dubai’s historic Creek. Comprising 15 distinct development zones, Dubai Festival City is a property development by the Al-Futtaim Group and is the Middle East’s largest, privately-funded, mixed-use, real estate project. It will comprise a unique mix of entertainment, dining, shopping, edutainment, sport and leisure facilities, automotive dealerships, hotels, a marina, residential and office components.  The first phase of construction is underway with The Al Badia Golf Resort, an 18-hole championship golf course designed by world-renowned golf course designer Robert Trent Jones II LLC, surrounded by Mediterranean style apartments and town homes, set to open in late 2004. The Waterfront, a 2,500,000 square foot retail, dining and entertainment centre set on a Creekside marina, is also under construction. Foundation work will commence soon on Tthe Hotel InterContinental Dubai Festival City, an iconic convention hotel situated on the north-west peninsula of the marina.