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To Dalit Warriors around the Globe:
Jaibhim!
I just returned from Geneva UN Prepcom for World Conference
Against Racism (to be held in September 2001). In the last 10
years of participation of Ambedkar Centre for Justice and Peace
at many UN forums to highlight our problem, I never found that
India was ever interested in promoting Dalit activists, scholars
etc..
To my great surprise for this Prepcom for World Conference
Against Racism at Geneva, India (indirectly financed and)
supported the Dalit Delegation to attack our efforts to address
the major workshop on "Castism". India uses
International Institute of Non-Aligned Studies and Indian Council
of Education as fronts to voice its policy. The
"Traitors" among the Dalits sponsored by these
organisation are:
- Mr. Baburao Pakhiddey, Lawyer settled in Delhi, native of
Wardha District, Maharastra State (who shows off as an
Ambedkarite but whose wife may be trying to get BJP
ticket, I was told by his collegues from Delhi)
- Mr. B.R.Tamta, a retired Civil Servant from Delhi (who
was notoriously responsible for destroying thousands of
Dalit hutments within days during Sanjay Gandhi period, I
was informed)
- Ms. Meira Kumar, a daughter of late Jagjivan Ram, Delhi,
- Mr. Uday Narain Choudhary, activist, recent Samata Party
MLA, Bihar
- Mr. Nathulal Meena, Delhi
Besides these 5, Mr. A.S.Narang and Ms. Pramila Shrivastava
were also part of above group.
Among the Dalit Activists Groups participated were:
Ambedkar Centre for Justice and Peace-Yogesh Varhade
Dalit Solodarity Forum- Mr. Paul Diwakar, Ruth Manorama, Henry
Thagraj, Martin Macwan,
Priest Yesu from TN, Mimroth lawyer from Rajasthan working in
Delhi
Dalit Media Network- Dr. Sridhar ,TN
Human Rights Watch-Smita Narula
Ms. Meira Kumar said in her intervention".. there is no
real problem in India on Caste System since the laws are in place
and there are strong constitutional provisions. It is the
creation of the west that there is a problem (of untouchability
and caste system)." She refused to circulate the copy of her
intervention when asked by NGOs.
Mr. Pakhiddey and Choudhary, Narang, Tamata participated in
the NGOs workshop discussion on themes for Asia-Pacific and
Middle East Regional Workshop.
Mr. Martin Macwan and Ruth Manorama did the intervention on
behalf of Dalit groups. I couldnot do the statement as I went
through Canadian NGO, with consultative status, who had 12 other
delegates to intervane. Dr. Shridhar, a young doctor, activist in
Dalit Media Network, from TN also did intervention on Dalit
issue. Smita Narula, Human Rights Watch did the same on behalf of
her NGO.
In NGO Forum I insisted that since the Caste System and
Practice of Untouchability affects quater billion population, it
is the largest and biggest discrimination, seggregation,
destitution on Earth and it must have major theme and workshop at
Regional Prepcom in Tehran before final World Conference in South
Africa. Anything less will not be acceptable. DSF Paul Diwakar,
Martin Macwan, Mimroth, Henry Thagraj etc. all were also
supporting the theme-"Caste System".
BJP sponsored puppets were trying to stop discussion on Caste
System because India sees the serious consequences to its
"so called largest democracy in the world" image
alongwith the real truth about Hinduism.Also India worries about
future Draft Declaration in the World Conference in 2001 in South
Africa and solutions to Caste System in it.
Pakhiddey insisted that he was opposed to having a theme on
"Caste System" because he said"Dr. Ambedkar
mentioned that we are of the same race" Caste is not a
discrimination. Even the Brahmins have 354 sub-castes. They are
also discriminated".
Mr. Pakhiddey should do some reading on the literature of
Babasaheb, specially his last speech at Nagpur on 14-15th October
1956 during the Conversion to Buddhism.
There Babasaheb clearly stated, explaining why he selected
Nagpur for Conversion that" Nagpur was the centre of Naga
Kingdom and Culture. There is a river known as Nag River around
this city, I heard... Nagpur name also came from Nag People. At
one time Nagas were the warriors and rulers of India...Nagas were
the staunch followers of Buddhism... After Aryan invasion, there
were many wars between them. India's history is nothing but the
struggle for supremacy between Buddhism and Brahminism..They
annihilated Nagas by hook or by crook..We heard the story of
saving a Nag, the serpent, by Augusti Rushi in the hindu
literature.. that was not the nag serpent but Nag people.. we are
supposed to be the descendants of that Naga Person....."
This clearly states that we, the Dalits, are different from
Indo-Aryans.
There is a need for our people in Delhi to give some lessons
to this "TRAITOR" and others like him who studied on
the scholarship created by our liberator.
For the information of our readers: In 1996 August, Committee
on Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD), while discussing
Country Report India submitted to Treaty Bodies, heard the claim
of India that situation of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes
does not fall under the Scope of the Convention and ruled that it
does fall under the CERD Convention. Ambedkar Centre had lobbyed
very hard and majority of 18 Experts were totally in favour of
Dalits. The report was very critical of India and it gave many
strong recommendations to impliment immediately.
Two most important recommendations were:
(UNdocument # CERD/C/304/Add.13, 17 Sept.1996)
1)"#31-..Continuing campaign to educate the Indian
Population on Human Rights ..aimed at eliminating the
institutionalised thinking of High-Caste and Low-Caste
Mentality"
2)"#32-..just and adequate reparations to people suffering
from the acts of discrimination ..belonging to caste or
tribe." More details on 3 major Conventions and Treaty
Bodies of UN who gave very strong recommendations to India on
Dalit problem will be available on "www. Ambedkar.Org"
very soon.
As our saviour, one and only liberator, Babasaheb, Dr.
B.R.Ambedkar said " Our battle is for Justice, reclaiming
the human personality...Justice is on our side. We are bound to
succeed." Let us have a faith in our strength and unity.
There is a need for more Dalit Groups to work in International
Arena with firm belief in our cause and commitment till we
succeed.Dalit Solidarity Forum, with the support from Churches,
is doing good work in internationalisation in some parts of
Europe.But for better results we need to bring more serious
workers globally and sooner than later civil society in the west
will have to come to our rescue.It is the only choice they have
to keep the stability in South Asia and world peace -dismantle
this hidden Apartheid!
Yours in the mission for a just society,
Yogesh Varhade,
President,
Ambedkar Centre for Justice and Peace
For www.ambedkar.org
from UN
Posted on 2001-08-10
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