Take 20: Shame on you CAN!
The Public Absolvement of Rape-Accused Sandeep Lamichhane by the Cricket Association of Nepal.
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The dominant representation of mothers on the screen, in literature, and in our everyday interactions is that of a selfless, sacrificial, almost-divine being. But, what impact does such kind of one-dimensional representation have on society at large and how does it limit or suppress the nuanced interior and exterior lives and identities of women?
Come join us for an evening of memes, and popular geet sangeet, as we deconstruct the symbolic representation of the mother figure. We will be joined by writers Anbika Giri and Babita Rai who, with their ingenious wit and in-depth knowledge, will help us in our ‘चिरफार’.
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And now, let’s move on to yet another Lamichhane making headlines.
The Public Absolvement of Rape-Accused Lamichhane
Last November, when we wrote about the ‘meteoric rise in sympathy’ towards Lamichhane and Nepali media’s himpathy problem, little did we know that we would end up sharing and re-sharing the piece several times in the coming weeks and months. But we had to because the himpathy problem we called out in the Nepali media, is unfortunately rife across all sections of our society.
We saw that when Sandeep Lamichhane, who has been charged with the rape of a minor, received a hero's welcome when he was released on conditional bail less than a month ago. The wide coverage of Lamichhane covered in garlands and tika, thronged by a sea of supporters, with police officers smiling in the background, made it seem as if he had been cleared of all criminal charges.
It's not just random people in the comment section defending Lamichhane, particularly after the bail order, even powerful bodies like the country’s official governing body, Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) seem to be in a hurry to show their unconditional support for Lamichhane.
Last week, CAN lifted the suspension ban on rape-accused Sandeep Lamichhane and included him in their closed camp training. According to media reports, CAN’s decision paves the way for Lamichhane to play in national and international tournaments.
What’s most troubling and infuriating in all of this is when the country’s official governing body, Cricket Association of Nepal goes out of its way to not just defend the rape-accused cricketer, but brazenly take steps to reinstate his reputation in the public’s eye, because #talent.
There have been pictures from the closed camp posted through CAN’s official Twitter handle, which has been making the rounds on Nepali social media. In one of the pictures, Lamichhane is captured in action on the field, sporting the team’s jersey. The fact that CAN decided to release these photos is almost like saying we are okay with having players like rape-accused Sandeep Lamichhane, and we are willing to give him space on the field and on social media, to help with his reputation management. This public absolvement of Lamichhane, while the criminal proceedings against him are still ongoing, is not only shameful, but also telling of how institutions are at the forefront when it comes to dismissing survivors’ testimonies, and protecting perpetrators.
And then there’s the interview of the general manager of CAN, where he goes to great lengths to express concern for the future of rape-accused Sandeep Lamichhane, revealing once again the deeply rooted himpathy in our powerful institutions.
This is what Britant Khanal, the GM of CAN said when asked about Sandeep Lamichhane:
“Sandip’s case has brought a bit of a hiccup and ruined everyone’s mood. Earlier the environment was different, it was all about excelling (in the game), but now everyone’s scared that we might actually fall into a trap. The boys are a bit stressed out which can be seen in the field.”
And then he goes on for another hour about “Sandip’s value” in the team, only taking a break from the glowing praise when he’s questioning claims of rape survivors.
![Twitter avatar for @narendrapokh94](https://substackcdn.com/image/twitter_name/w_96/narendrapokh94.jpg)
But amidst all these attempts to reinstate Lamichhane's 'reputation' in the national team and the nation, there was finally a much-needed story focusing on the survivor and how she felt after seeing the “heroic welcome” of her perpetrator upon his release on bail.
Last week, Tufan Neupane wrote an in-depth story from the survivor's point of view. It was the kind of empathetic, in-depth story centering on the survivor, which had been missing for all these months since the case was filed last September. Here’s an excerpt we translated from Nepali:
“… a lot of them have been questioning her why she didn’t immediately file a complaint after she was raped. She says such reactions and questions remind her of movies and the way they depict rape. 'When a woman is raped in a movie, we see her being strangled, her body in torn clothes, and drenched in blood, or even killed. Maybe because we’ve seen these images in movies repeatedly, we don’t think someone has been raped unless these ghastly visible things happen to them,' she said, 'that’s why people are now instead questioning me. I want to ask them - should I have been killed to prove that I had in fact been raped?”
She also said that there was an attempt made by Sandip's brother to get her to change her testimony. She was offered half a million U.S. dollars to settle outside of court and was even told that Lamichhane's family would help her settle abroad in any country of her choice. The survivor explained why she refused their offer:
“Earlier, the girl who accused Paul Shah of rape was made to change her testimony. They weakened the survivor’s voice. If I change my stance, then no one in a similar situation will dare to raise their voice. And even if they do, the world will not believe her. I am standing my ground because I don't want other girls and women to be forced to endure such wrongdoings.”
CAN as an organization had the opportunity to set precedence through a survivor-centric response to allegations against Sandeep Lamichhane. Instead, it has decided to side with the perpetrator. Before, the survivor stood her ground against the pressures coming from Sandeep Lamichhane’s family, and hateful comments from his fanbase, but now she will also have to stand against such a powerful entity like CAN.
We hope messages and acts of solidarity reach her, so she knows that there are many people who are standing with her.