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A Statement of the Asian Human Rights Commission about the Issue of Dalits at the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance
The World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance (WCAR), held in Durban, South Africa, from Aug. 31 to Sept. 7, 2001, has brought into sharp focus several extreme forms of discrimination. Among these is the issue of caste-more specifically, the issue of the Dalits-for caste became a highly visible issue during the international debate on racial discrimination.
It became obvious during the conference that Indian diplomats, in their extreme activism to keep caste out of the final declaration of this world gathering and its work programme, not only brought the Indian government into high disrepute, but also brought down the moral standing of India before the eyes of the world. India also lost any possibility of claming to be a world leader in the promotion and protection of human rights until it changes its public position on the caste issue. The international conscience, which is being awakened to one of the cruellest forms of discrimination after many centuries of neglect, is naturally questioning the Indian stand and is asking "What kind of nation is this?"
The greatest losers at this conference are those of the Indian upper caste-the Brahmins-who are represented by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government. With the help of their diplomats, they lost a golden opportunity to tell the world that they deeply regret this historic practice and are genuinely concerned in eradicating it. Instead, the harangue about constitutional provisions and laws which exist to protect the Dalits only met with the retort: "How come this draconian discrimination still exists?" The lasting damage the Indian government caused to itself-thanks to its diplomats-can only be reversed through genuine countermeasures that are made known to the international community, which is now quite well-informed about the issue of caste in India.
The delegation of 200 Dalits, wearing their badges and headstraps with the words "Cast away Caste" and telling their histories, won the hearts of everyone. In their demonstrations, they sang, "Down, Down, Casteism; Up, Up, Humanism." Of their drums, an observer at a conference session said, "It was the Dalits' drum that helped all victims here at Durban dance together." These long-time sufferers of one of the worst forms of discrimination that humanity has known stole the hearts of everyone and became the humanising factor at this conference, a conference where a few powerful governments disgraced themselves by arrogantly walking away from the conference because they could not have their own way.
A little more should be said of the Dalits' drum, however. This was at one time called derogatorily the "scavenger's drum." After days of working under the most savage of conditions, these people, the poorest people of India, used to create a short spell of humanity in their own ghetto by dancing to the tune of their drums. The drum, therefore, was the sound of the ghetto and the sound of people who were silenced through the cruellest of punishments and religious sanctions. This drum now has become the symbol of pride of a newly awakened people who proudly sing, "We are Dalits; we are Dalits."
At Durban, these people showed that they are no longer the silent people but a very vocal lot with their own leaders, who included many Ph.D.s and other university graduates, priests (a bishop also), a number of members of Parliament, women leaders and many others who simply call themselves Dalit activists. The quality of their interventions were high, and their sprits showed great resilience. They are now a people who show a remarkable sense of self-respect. Time to time, as they marched along Durban's streets, and even in their small gatherings inside the conference hall, they would suddenly shout, "Ambedkar, Ambedkar-leader, leader." An Indian intellectual remarked that no other leader of the Indian independence period is remembered anymore except Ambedkar-many remember him with great love, some with great hate. Ambedkar though remains very relevant. Singing Ambedkar's name, Dalits of today pay respect to those who in the past helped them in their struggle to gain the self-!
respect they now enjoy.
It is time the international community, particularly the human rights community, speaks with one voice in support of the Dalits and calls for a quickening of their liberation. It is also time to tell the Indian government: "Shame, shame." Likewise, it is also necessary to blame the United States and several European countries for their failure to support the cause of the Dalits. It is time as well to appreciate those countries which had the courage to support the Dalit issue despite heavy pressure not to do so. Above all, it is time to tell the United Nations, in particular Kofi Annan, the secretary-general, and Mary Robinson, the human rights commissioner, to show resoluteness and their proactive support for the cause of the Dalits. It is also time to remind everyone that history is in the making on this issue.
We reproduce below the section on Dalits in the declaration produced by non-governmental organisations (NGOs) at their forum-Caste and Discrimination Based on Occupation and Descent:
"(19) Caste is a historically entrenched form of discrimination based on descent and occupation that results in segregation of communities, including the stigmatisation of certain of these communities as 'untouchable', allowing for flagrant violations of human rights and dignity of members of these communities, and making them, especially women, vulnerable to the most barbaric forms of violence.
"(20) Caste discrimination is a heinous crime against humanity which is based on a false ideological construct sanctioned by religion and culture which affects 260 million Dalits in South Asia, as well as others in the Asia Pacific and African regions at the personal, social and structural levels, irrespective of their religious affiliation.
"(21) 'Untouchability' is a manifestation of caste based discrimination that labels people as "polluted" or "impure", thereby denying them entry into places of religious worship, assigning them menial and degrading work such as cleaning toilets, skinning and disposal of dead animals, digging graves and sweeping
"(22) Discriminatory practices based on caste - distinction, exclusion and restrictions - deny Dalits' enjoyment of their economic, social, political, cultural and religious rights, exposing the victims to all forms of violence and manifests itself in the segregation of housing settlements and cemeteries, denial of access to common drinking water, restaurants, places of worship, tea stalls ('two-cup' system), restrictions on marriage and other insidious measures all of which inhibit their development as equals.
"(23) Caste discrimination and 'untouchability' practised against generations of Dalits for centuries together amounts to a massive and systemic generational genocide, resulting in the gradual destruction of their individual and collective identity, dignity and self-respect.
"(24) Any action or even any sign of an attempt to act by Dalits either individually or collectively to assert their rights is met with extreme measures of violence such as burning or destruction of their homes, property and crops, social boycott, rape or gang rape of Dalit women and murder by dominant caste individuals or groups, police or the bureaucracy, and that in such instances the State often acts with impunity and in connivance with these perpetrators" (WCAR NGO Forum Draft Declaration, Part B, Draft, Aug. 31, 2001, 17:00 p.m.).
Basil Fernando
Executive Director
Sept. 4, 2001
Posted on 2001-09-04
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