 |
|
|
|
|
DALIT INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION
|
Major Milestones Towards Dalit Emancipation Year 2001 During the month of November, Dr Udit Raj along with his wife Mrs Seema Raj, who is also a fellow activist and a champion of dalit liberation and their children converted from Hinduism to Buddhism. The rebel within Dr Udit Raj could not carry the caste barrier on his shoulders and neither he nor his wife were willing to be cowed down by narrow mindedness and they showed the way to liberation to millions of Dalits who were struggling in the old Hindu tradition of caste. The breaking of caste barrier was such an event that efforts of the then rightwing government led by the B.J.P. to jeopardize it fell flat against the wishes of millions of dalits who wanted someone to show the path to freedom. On the day of conversion the city of Delhi was converted into a fortress by the police administration and people were not allowed to reach the venue where the conversion ceremony was to take place, even then about a million people gathered and participated in the ceremony and this was despite the best efforts by the government to thwart the conversion ceremony. The ceremony was a milestone in their struggle for freedom and was widely reported both in India and across the globe. It was compared many peaceful epic struggles that have taken place in the past for liberation of mankind. Thereafter the focus of dalit struggle changed and a march towards total liberation from caste shackles and discrimination started. After this Dr Udit Raj, who all through out has been encouraged by his wife, has not looked back and his long march towards dalit freedom has just begun. Year 2001 The Durban conference on racism and caste discrimination was another milestone . This was a place where for perhaps the first time in modern history , struggle of Dalits was highlighted. The issue was taken up in many informal meetings and other forum and was discussed threadbare amongst human right activists across the globe. Dr Udit Raj was among those who spearheaded the movement to get Dalit struggle on the main agenda of the conference but due to some machinations of the then rightwing government led by the B.J.P., the issue though hugely debated and widely circulated, could not make it to the conference table. Year 2002 The incident of Gujarat is well known in the world when Muslims were massacred and their properties destroyed. The All India Confederation of SC/ST Organizations rose to the occasion and worked for unity between Muslims and Dalits. The well known organization- Jamiut Ulama-E- Hind in partnership with us organized an historical rally at Ramlila Ground , N. Delhi on 2nd May 2002 which shook the citadel of right wing forces. A strong unity was built between minorties and dalits and as a result so many demands of Muslims were raised which could have been done much before. In implementation of recommendations of Mandal Commission, the backward castes were given reservation in Govt jobs. About 2/3 of Muslim population is backward but without segregation of their share, they are not getting the fruits. The poor leadership among Muslims never raised it consistently and this unfinished agenda of our movement will continue till these legitimate rights are achieved. In 2003-04, most of our activities were for the cause of Christians and Muslims. The right wing Hindu forces increased their attack on Christians and in partnership with All India Christian Council headed by Dr. Joseph D’souza, a world famed personality, struggle was waged. The issues were raised at global level. Had he not supported us, we could not have succeeded to highlight at international level. The Congressional hearing at US could not have become possible without them. Dalit Christians are denied reservation whereas Hindu, Buddhist and Sikh dalits are getting the reservation and our joint struggle will continue till whatever is due to them is given. Year 2005 During the year 2005, Dr Udit Raj was invited to hearing of Committee on international relations of the house of Representaives of the U.S. Congress and herein below is the excerpt of his speech: The world may not believe this nightmare is factual truth, but it is so. Why did the apartheid problem catch the attention of the world? It is because nature and religion did not help in masking the reality. Blacks and whites are both creations of nature and this realization has helped in exposing the discrimination of brothers with black skin. Such discrimination was not backed by religion, be it Christianity or Islam. But in our case the social discrimination, which has pervaded all walks of life, is caused by the Hindu religion. The untouchables have been consoled to live a dehumanized life because they are said to be condemned to it by the desire of gods. It is so deeply entrenched that even Dalits have internalized their slavery. Accordingly, it is considered good if they suffer because they are washing away the sins of their past lives and their present suffering will supposedly liberate them in the next life. UN article 1 of the UN Convention on Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) is inclusive of caste discrimination as formally interpreted and explained by the CERD Committee in 1996, ICCPR (International Convention on Civil and Political Rights) in 1997 and the UN Sub-Commission for protection and promotion of Human Rights in 1999. Consider this—on the one hand the Indian Constitution recognizes discrimination for the basis of reservation—on the other, the representatives of the Government of India in international bodies consistently deny the existence of caste discrimination. The Indian Government and its dominant castes are not shy about receiving international aid from the UN and developed countries in the fields of health, education, and rural development. Yes, somehow they continue to say that caste discrimination is an internal matter. Even the most developed countries like the USA and Japan have gracefully accepted discrimination in their respective countries. When nature-created differences like blacks and whites are being fought then why can not man-made social norms arising from the caste system also be fought? Our problems are more severe than apartheid. Can anyone deny that the killing, rape, starvation or social discrimination of Dalits is not rampant? Isn’t it a fact that safeguards like reservation provided in the Constitution are frequently flouted? Isn’t it true that today also untouchables are carrying human excreta on their heads? Isn’t it a fact that even in the wake of the tsunami tragedy that struck coastal Tamil Nadu, many relief camps were put up by the Government and other voluntary bodies, wherein Dalits were not allowed to share food and shelter side-by-side with upper castes and others? Even in the cases of death, they were treated separately. Among human beings, caste discrimination still continues to be practiced in India which proves that the dominant castes cannot change their mindset. The only progress made by the Dalits is due to reservation in services and politics. Dalits constitute about 25% of the total population of India, meaning Dalits are due nearly one quarter of all public jobs and political appointments. So far, reservation has not been fully implemented. For example, out of 120 Secretaries in the Government of India, there are hardly any Dalits. Of the 22% of jobs saved from Dalits and native Tribals in India in the central government, only around 14% have been filled at the highest level and the next highest level. These levels are consistent with those at Public Sector Undertakings and Banks. There are almost no Dalit judges. Making matters worse, the government of India has been slowly eroding the power of reservation. In 1997 the Department of Personnel & Training issued five anti-reservation orders on the basis of Supreme Court judgment which have eroded the base of reservation. The All India Confederation of SC/ST Organizations has been struggling since 1997 for restoration of the benefit of reservation and its implementation. Outside of reserved employment, the opportunities afforded Dalits are abysmal. Poverty among Dalits remains around 50%. Dalits often earn less than 1 US Dollar per day. The total budget expenditures from all ministries for Dalits and other lower castes in India amount to Rs. 62,530.4 million. That is only $6 spent by the government per Dalit for the entire year. Currently there are 5.21 million Dalit job seekers registered with the Ministry of Labor who are being denied equal opportunity because of caste. Most of these will only find jobs as manual scavengers and cleaners. Many will have to hide their identity to survive. The untouchables do not have any participation in the fields of industry, trade, commerce, higher education and judiciary, art and culture. Imagine what would be happening to them if there were no reservation at all. I want to close by drawing a comparison between your country and India. 150 years ago slavery was abolished in the United States. At that time, blacks had no legal rights, had a high illiteracy rate, had no culture to call their own, and had few employment opportunities outside of manual labor. Now, I see that here in America there are 75 black CEOs in major corporations. I see African-Americans in sports, film, music, and on TV. I see Oprah Winfrey and other black leaders help lead America. I see legal cases where blacks present their case and are given justice. I see a country with opportunity for all regardless of color or background. In India, a system of caste has kept the Dalits down for 3000 years. There are no Dalit CEOs. Barely one-third of all Dalits are literate. Dalit children dream of becoming actors and actresses but their dark skin prevents them from finding a place on screen. Murder, grievous offences, rape, arson, and other atrocities are rampant against Dalits. Recently, more than 50 houses of Dalits were burnt at Gohana in Sonepat District of Haryana state in India. Before this, five Dalits were lynched for a cow Carcass. They were going to sell its hide to the market and the dominant castes came to know and attacked and brutally murdered them. In reaction to the incident, the international vice-president of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), which is also quite active in the USA, Mr. Giriraj Kishor stated that a cow was more important than Dalits in Hindu scriptures. In 2001, about 44,000 atrocities were reported as per the National Crime Record Bureau, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. This is the official figure, but many more incidents go unreported, and if these are also taken into account, it will be more than hundreds of thousands of cases. The US Government should come forward to save the interests of the Dalits. It should take up the cause with the Government of India so that the interests of Dalits are protected. The United States has a powerful voice in the international community and the Congress is the originator of that voice. Urge your companies to hire Dalits. Urge your diplomats to bring the issue of caste up to the Indian government. Allow Dalits space at the United Nations. The All India Confederation of SC/ST Organizations is the largest organization of government employees in India, but Human Rights Commission of the UN doesn’t provide opportunity to its representatives to articulate the grievances of Dalits. Right now an abundant amount of US funds, donations, and other assistance in the form of education, knowledge, technology, and in kind donations are being transferred to India, but Dalits hardly get anything out of these. Even funds and assistance provided for Dalits are being stolen by others. Almost all NGOs are owned by the upper castes, and it is they who articulate Dalits’ grievances, often without the knowledge of the Dalits. A White businessman established a Medical College in Mississippi exclusively for Blacks, but there are no such examples in India. The US can provide opportunities to Dalits to seek jobs in the USA while providing them Visas. Educational Institutions can be established in India so that not only the knowledge of English is given to Dalit children but also important degrees are available. Break the hold that caste has over CEOs in foreign and multinational companies. Give the Dalits the opportunity to enter the international economy. Due to modern communication and high technology, the world has become like a village and hence people living in any part of the globe are morally bound to stand and share with others in their suffering. I am quite hopeful that members of this Committee will watch to see that from now onwards the Dalits receive fair treatment from US companies and leaders. YEAR 2006 Dr.Udit Raj visited England and met British Parliamentarians- and impressed upon them to take up the cause of dalits. There has been a day long debate in British Parliament about the plight of dalits. During this year the European Parlaiment passed a resolution on human right situation of dalits in India .Herein below is the gist of resolution passed:
European Parliament Resolution On The Human Rights Situation Of The Dalits In India P6_TA-PROV(2007)0016 The European Parliament , – having regard to the hearing held by its Committee on Development on 18 December 2006, – having regard to its resolution of 28 September 2006 on the EU’s economic and trade relations with India (1) and Parliament’s Human Rights Reports of 2000, 2002, 2003 and 2005, – having regard to General Recommendation XXIX (descent-based discrimination) adopted by the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination on 22 August 2002 and the 48 measures to be taken by the State Parties, – having regard to the study being undertaken by the UN Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights, in which draft Principles and Guidelines for the elimination of “discrimination based on work and descent” are being developed, and noting the preliminary report issued by the Special Rapporteurs on discrimination based on work and descent, – having regard to the various provisions in the Constitution of India for the protection and promotion of the rights of Dalits, concerning at least 167 million people, including the provisions on the abolition of the practice of untouchability, the prohibition of discrimination on grounds of caste, equality of opportunity in matters of public employment and educational, employment and political affirmative action through reservations in State-run institutions and political representative bodies; having regard also to numerous legislative measures ordering the abolition of some of the worst practices of untouchability and caste discrimination, including bonded labour, manual scavenging and atrocities against Dalits, – having regard to the National Human Rights Commission, the National and State Commissions for Scheduled Castes and the National Safai Karamchari Commission, dealing with the problem of manual scavenging, – having regard to Rule 91 and Rule 90(4) of its Rules of Procedure, A. whereas India is the largest functioning democracy in the world where every citizen is equal before the ballot box, India’s immediate past President and Head of State was a Dalit and Dalits have served as ministers; whereas there are Hindu schools of thought which reject caste discrimination and exclusion as an aberration of their faith, B. whereas Dalits and similar groups are also found in Nepal, Pakistan and Bangladesh, C. whereas the National Human Rights Commission of India has reported that the implementation of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act remains very unsatisfactory, and whereas it has published numerous recommendations to address this problem, D. whereas, despite twenty-seven officially registered atrocities being committed against Dalits every day, police often prevent Dalits from entering police stations, refuse the registration of cases by Dalits and regularly resort to the practice of torture against Dalits with impunity, E. whereas, despite the fact that many Dalits do not report crimes for fear of reprisals by the dominant castes, official police statistics averaged over the past 5 years show that 13 Dalits are murdered every week, 5 Dalits” homes or possessions are burnt every week, 6 Dalits are kidnapped or abducted every week, 3 Dalit women are raped every day, 11 Dalits are beaten every day and a crime is committed against a Dalit every 18 minutes (2) , F. whereas a recent study on untouchability in rural India (3) , covering 565 villages in 11 States, found that public health workers refused to visit Dalit homes in 33% of villages, Dalits were prevented from entering police stations in 27.6% of villages, Dalit children had to sit separately while eating in 37.8% of government schools, Dalits did not get mail delivered to their homes in 23.5% of villages, and Dalits were denied access to water sources in 48.4% of villages because of segregation and untouchability practices, G. whereas half of India’s Dalit children are undernourished, 21% are “severely underweight”, and 12% die before their fifth birthday (4) H. whereas untouchability in schools has contributed to far higher drop-out and illiteracy levels for Dalit children than those of the general population, with the “literacy gap” between Dalits and non-Dalits hardly changing since India’s independence and literacy rates for Dalit women remaining as low as 37.8% in rural India (5) , I. whereas Dalit women, who alongside “Tribal” women are the poorest of the poor in India, face double discrimination on the basis of caste and gender in all spheres of life, are subjected to gross violations of their physical integrity, including sexual abuse by dominant castes with impunity and are socially excluded and economically exploited, J. whereas the National Commission for Scheduled Castes has observed substantial under-allocation and under-expenditure of the allocation for Dalit welfare and development under the government’s Special Component Plan for Scheduled Castes, K. whereas Dalits are subjected to bonded and forced labour and discriminated against in a range of markets, including in the labour, housing, consumer, capital and credit markets; are paid lower wages and subjected to longer working hours, delayed wages and verbal or physical abuse, 1. Welcomes the various provisions in the Constitution of India for the protection and promotion of the rights of Dalits; notes however that, in spite of these provisions, implementation of laws protecting the rights of Dalits remains grossly inadequate, and that atrocities, untouchability, illiteracy, inequality of opportunity, manual scavenging, inadequacy of wages, bonded labour, child labour and landlessness continue to blight the lives of India’s Dalits; 2. Expresses its concern at the low rate of conviction for the perpetrators of such crimes and calls on the Government of India to improve its criminal justice system in order to facilitate registration of charges against perpetrators of crimes against Dalits, to increase the conviction rate for such perpetrators, to significantly reduce the duration of court procedures; and to take special measures for the protection of Dalit women; 3. Welcomes the recent ban on the employment of children as domestic servants and workers in roadside eateries, restaurants, teashops etc. and urges the Indian Government to take further steps towards the complete banning of all forms of child labour; 4. Calls on the Government of India to take urgent steps to ensure equal access for Dalits to police stations and all other public institutions and facilities, including those related to its democratic structure such as panchayat buildings (the buildings housing local assemblies) and polling booths; 5. Applauds the fiscal policy followed by the Planning Commission of India and the various Ministries in the provision of the budgetary allocations towards the welfare and development of Dalits, and calls on the Government of India to ensure complete and time-bound implementation of all policy and budgetary measures towards the welfare and development of Dalits, including full implementation of the Special Component Plan for Scheduled Castes; 6. Urges the Government of India to engage further with relevant UN human rights bodies on the effective elimination of caste-based discrimination, including the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and the UN Special Rapporteurs assigned to develop Principles and Guidelines for the Elimination of Discrimination based on Work and Descent; 7. Calls on the Government of India to ratify the UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and to take preventive measures to reduce the risk of Dalits facing torture, to take legal measures to criminalize torture in India, to take punitive measures to prosecute police who commit torture, to consistently provide rehabilitation and compensation for torture victims and to put in place an independent complaints mechanism for victims of torture that is accessible to Dalits; 8. Notes with concern the lack of substantive EU engagement with the Indian Government, notably within the EU-India Summits, on the vast problem of caste-based discrimination; 9. Urges the Council and the Commission to raise the issue of caste-based discrimination during EU-India Summits and other meetings as part of all political, human rights, civil society, development and trade dialogues and to inform the committees concerned of the progress and outcome of such dialogues; 10. Urges the EU members of the Joint Action Committee to develop dialogue on the problem of caste-based discrimination in terms of its discussions on democracy and human rights, social and employment policy and development cooperation; 11. Reiterates its expectation that EU development programmes in India include specific measures to ensure that minorities such as Dalits and Adivasis and other marginalized communities, tribes and castes, are able to close the wide gap with the rest of the population regarding the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals; 12. Recalls its demand that the Council and the Commission give priority to promoting equal opportunities in employment in private EU-based companies and encouraging EU- based companies to implement the “Ambedkar Principles” (Employment and Additional Principles on Economic and Social Exclusion Formulated to assist All Foreign Investors in South Asia to Address Caste Discrimination); 13. Welcomes the EU’s commitment to the development of Principles and Guidelines for the Elimination of Discrimination on the basis of Work and Descent by the UN Sub- Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights, and urges the Commission and the Council to continue that support; 14. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the governments of the Member States, the President, the Government and Parliament of India, the UN Secretary-General, and the heads of the UN Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights, the International Labour Organization, the UNICEF, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.
|