From: iview-AT-technologist.com
Date: Sun, 22 Nov 1998 11:21:12 -0800
Subject: Collective Letter to the "Bride-burning and Dowry" Conference


To those who wish to sign this, here's the letter I came up with...if
you have suggestions, comments, or changes, please send them to me for
incorporation for the final version:

Dear Dr. Witzel,

RE:  Bride-burning and Dowry Conference

Please provide a clear account of the reasons for having this conference
being held at Harvard University, a forum that is heavily populated by
VHP/BJP presenters.  We have several questions we wish to ask you:

1.  Are Harvard scholars aware of the history, rise, and known
oppressive actions of the RSS/BJP/VHP in India (the state of Rajasthan
is a BJP stronghold, for example, where bride-burning is accepted
practice)?  

2.  What is the political make up of the Sanskrit and Indian Studies
department faculty at Harvard University? 

3.  Does Harvard support fundamentalist views, which this
conference seems to suggest?  

4.  What is Harvard's investment in women's issues other than purely
academic research based on observing oppressed populations of women
(victims of sexual harrassment, abuse, battering, job discrimination,
e.g.)?

5.  Why is this "conference" an *academic* one?

6.  Why are non-academic representatives from among women activists
around the world absent from this forum?

7.  Why is the focus only on "bride burning and dowry" -- what's the
link
to Sanskrit and Indian Studies?

8.  How should the public perceive the *incorporation* of a
cause:  "International Society Against Dowry & Bride-Burning in
India, Inc."? 

Thank you for your time and consideration.  We look forward to your
reply.



Sincerely,


Signatures:




iview-AT-technologist.com wrote:
> 
> lizzy wrote:
> 
> > As to the email address provided (thanks) of witzel -AT- harvard etc.,
> > now that I've shot my mouth off about wanting to help, I realize I don't
> > know what to say to him - maybe because I don't know his role in all
> > this. Guess I need more information.
> > Lizzy
> 
> Maybe women's voices shouldn't be alone and isolated, but a letter
> composed that we can all sign and send to Witzel.
> 
> Some quesitons I have are:
> 
> 1.  Why is this "conference" an *academic* one?
> 2.  What is Harvard's investment in the suffering of abused/battered
>     women globally?
> 3.  Why focus only on "bride burning and dowry" -- what's the link
> to        Sanskrit and Indian Studies? (I can hear the answer to this
> already!)
> 4.  How should the public perceive a man who has incorporated a
> cause:      "International Society Against Dowry & Bride-Burning in
> India, Inc."? 6.  What's the "business" angle?
> 
> After getting answers to these, I'm sure I'd have more questions!
> 
> But, my suggestion is we write a collective letter to him.
> 
> -Manjusree