Latest News Update: Jul 22, 2010

Thursday, July 22, 2010

[ZESTCaste] My recent trip to Chennai

Dear friends,

I am indebted to several officers during this trip. Mr Madhava Rao garu was always with me ever since I was introduced to him by Ms Anita. Siddoji became a good friend and another brother to me. Ms Anita and Dr Gautam were always with me whatever I did.

Now, my special thanks to Mr Naresh Penumaka, IRS, whose help enabled my recent trip to Chennai a great success.

Reading my mail about this just-thought-of trip (as I have to spend time meaningfully after reaching Tenali due to my aunt's death), he immediately contacted me offering help. He booked my stay in a guest house. He also arranged a car for the whole of my trip, without which I wouldn't be able to cover approximately 2000 KMs in one day.

I travelled left and right from one end of Chennai to the other, visiting our projects more than once (to meet different people at different times), visiting a couple of slums to understand the situation, interacting with children and parents we are supporting, interacting with people helping them, and visiting a few officers, friends, and relatives (whom I saw after a gap of more than 2 decades) in and around Chennai.

The most notable of all individuals I met were Prof Shiva Shankar of Chennai Mathematical Institute(CMI) whom I knew for several years and never saw his face (except a photo in his 30s on CMI's website). He is a mathematical genius, staunch Ambedkarite, Buddhist, and above all my dear friend in the work I have been doing. He is also the brain behind the Scholarships to Scavenging Children, Vice-president of Friends for Education International (FFEI), and intellectual face of FFEI. He introduced several brilliant academicians from all over the globe to our project and they are all regular contributors. I felt fortunate to see him in person and we had discussed several things in our meetings with other activists.

The other was Ms Shaun Giudice, an American lady whom I met in Skya Hostel (hosting the Tsunami orphans) in Manali New Town near Chennai. I was told that she is a teacher in USA (and the wife of a professor) and came to this place a couple of years ago on a project work. She liked the work so much she came a few months ago on her own expenses started living with the children. I felt she was one among them - living, eating, bathing, sleeping, washing, and doing everything with the boys and girls living there. Her room was tiny, packed with books and all types of material. The bed was a piece of cloth spread in the middle of them. She doesn't know the kids' language and kids do not know her English much. When I visited, she was busy teaching them through pictorial methods. She and her wards looked so happy. Their bond seems to be deep rooted. Thanks to her efforts, I was able to communicate with the children in English – some of them are pretty good.

I dined with them. The food was very tasty (I do not think it was prepared for an occasion as I myself requested to give me dinner though it was not the time for them to have it). I spent almost 2 hours with her and the kids, but still I felt I did not spend enough time as I had to rush to the station to catch my late night train back to AP.

I read about such people in books, but when I see her I realized the greatness of such individuals who came all the way from comfortable places like Europe and America and work among the impoverished slums of Africa, India, and other third-world countries. I realized, we, Indians, have a lot to learn from them.

I also met social workers selflessly working with scavengers and other marginalized people – Mr Israel of Janodaya, Mr Isaiah, Mr Jagan of Skya hostel etc.

I also met Dr Bhagya Rao of Sneha Club. He was my batch mate in Andhra Christian College, Guntur and we met each other after a gap of more than 2 decades. He has been doing great work through Sneha Club. Recently he was awarded a honorary doctorate from a western university for his work.

I visited Mr Naresh garu with a band of several people in his beautiful office that even shame some of the American corporate officers. My companions awestrucked looking at such an elegant government office. As we were packed with schedules to visit places, we couldn't give him a chance to take us to a restaurant. But, we could gauge his feelings of sorry for not offering us a decent meal. That shows his tender and human nature.

I thank Mr Naresh garu with all my heart, for all this wouldn't have been possible without his timely help. Thank you, Naresh garu!

I came back with great joy and felt I should have been there for more days. But the fact is: short trips are always most pleasurable and memorable than long trips.

With regards

Ben

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An educated man without character and humility was more dangerous than a beast. If his education was detrimental to the welfare of poor, he was a curse to society.

-Babasaheb Dr B R Ambedkar

Please visit www.friendsforeducation.org or www.ambedkarscholarship.org

--- On Thu, 7/22/10, Benjamin Kaila <benjamin_kaila@yahoo.com> wrote:

From: Benjamin Kaila <benjamin_kaila@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: Help required:Gurram Seetaramulu presenting paper in Cambridge
To: "Dalit Group" <dalit@yahoogroups.com>, "Dalit-international" <dalits-international@yahoogroups.com>, "DalitCOnference" <dalitconference@googlegroups.com>, "AmbedkarScholarshipGroup" <ambedkarscholarship@yahoogroups.com>, "ZestCaste" <ZESTCaste@yahoogroups.com>, "OfficersForum" <officersforum@yahoogroups.com>
Date: Thursday, July 22, 2010, 6:16 PM

Dear friends,

When asked for help to help this promising young man (Gurram Seetaramulu), a few people contacted me with promise of help.

Since I do not know if he still needs help, I wrote to him and still awaiting reply.

Once I receive a difinitive answer, I will let you know. Till then, please be patient.

Thanks again to those who came forward to help a deserving young man.

With regards

Ben Kaila

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An educated man without character and humility was more dangerous than a beast. If his education was detrimental to the welfare of poor, he was a curse to society.

-Babasaheb Dr B R Ambedkar

Please visit www.friendsforeducation.org or www.ambedkarscholarship.org

--- On Sat, 7/3/10, Benjamin Kaila <benjamin_kaila@yahoo.com> wrote:

From: Benjamin Kaila <benjamin_kaila@yahoo.com>
Subject: Help required:Gurram Seetaramulu presenting paper in Cambridge
To: "Dalit Group" <dalit@yahoogroups.com>, "Dalit-international" <dalits-international@yahoogroups.com>, "DalitCOnference" <dalitconference@googlegroups.com>, "AmbedkarScholarshipGroup" <ambedkarscholarship@yahoogroups.com>, "ZestCaste" <ZESTCaste@yahoogroups.com>, "OfficersForum" <officersforum@yahoogroups.com>
Cc: seetaramulu@gmail.com
Date: Saturday, July 3, 2010, 1:53 AM

Dear donors and friends,

Last night I met a young man in a meeting. Though came from very a terribly poor background, he overcame several hardships to excel in education and currently doing research in Center for English and Foreign Languages, Hyderabad.

It is good for you to read his blog (I posted it here) rather than I tell about his background. It is heartwrenching and unbelievable. It reminds me of the experiences of Mr Omprakash Valmiki as narrated in his autobiography "An Untouchable's life".

On an invitation from Cambridge University to present a paper, he is planning to go UK. As usual, for his background, money required for journey and expenses is a big issue.

Though every person that approaches me for help deserve a helping hand, I feel he deserves it more.
So, I am sending this request to see if any of you are interested to help this young and bright chap to moveforward to realize his dreams.

His to and fro ticket will be paid by the University and looking for $1000-$1500 help towards his expenses in UK.

He doesn't have much time. Please let me know ASAP if anyone can afford to help me.

Thanks
Ben
Blog Entry:

http://gurramseetaramulu.wordpress.com/2009/11/26/rattling-noise-of-bones/
Rattling Noise of Bones Posted on 26/11/2009 by GURRAM SEETARAMULU
Having been born into a poor family from one of the remote villages, I faced acute hunger and untouchability in my childhood. Whatever I write about my childhood, inevitably it is about hunger and untouchability. I can't narrate artistically.
            By then, Lal Bahadur canal of Nagarjuna sagar was yet to be dug. My village used to be reeled under severe draught. Mādigas of my village used to work in the fields of farmers as annual field-labourers. My father, Lachaiah was one of such labourers. The villagers didn't ever address him by his name. They used to address him 'Lachchiga' derogatively. Had he been born into a touchable caste, they would have perhaps addressed him Laxmaiah gāru adding a respectable epithet. He became Lachchi-gādu only because he was born into an untouchable caste. I am the last of the six children in my family. I am the only one to have learnt the alphabet in piecemeal. We don't possess even a cent of land. Amma and ayya, mother and father used to work as labourers. The elder folk used to divide the upper caste houses, and allot them in turns for rendering caste-services to them. We used to work in their families during festivals and other celebrations too. We used to remove the carcass, and keep guard of the pyres if and when someone died in the upper castes. Mādigas had to remove shit manually from dry-lavatories. I didn't use to understand their ethics of assigning menial work to us.
            My folk used to spend their lives in agricultural work. What they ultimately used to get in turn was the leftover grains in the threshing ground. At the most, they used to dole out a few measures of grains by means of alms. However hard they might have worked, they used to be bestowed with the empty grains mixed in the soil. I never used to understand why they never fought for their share of heaps of grains.
            My childhood was spent most dreadfully. There were days when I used to pick discarded betel leaves at the shacks, roast tubers, roast and pound millets, and eat them at the trenches. There were days when I used to gather grains by gleaning, bundle them in a shoulder-cloth, bury it in the ground, and have it cooked. Though semi-cooked, I used to eat it because of hunger. I used to gather raw-grams for eating. Half of my childhood was spent in gathering nuts and wild fruits. After the school hours, we used to assemble at the main junction of my village. We used to fish in the rivulet and trenches, and bring home sundry varieties of fishes. We used to eat this kind of stuff most of the days. There never used to be curds or curries available in my house. If at all anything, there used to be dry bullock meat and cucumber. We didn't own a cent of land; affection among our folk used to be our sole asset. In fact the poor are capable of great love. If there is anything to speak about myself, it is but love and affection. Annayya, my elder brother was fixed for annual field-labour right from his childhood. He used to eat his food at the landlords. On many an occasion, he would eat his morning-food, and hand me the lunch in the school, skipping his own lunch. If I were to write about hunger that I underwent, the ink in my pen may not be sufficient to pen it. I feel like turning into ink the blood that dripped from my eyes, and write!
            Several people didn't allow us near them because we used to eat bullock meat. What's wrong in eating the meat of the dead cattle as long as one does not kill human beings for one's selfish needs? In this country, the fourfold varna system had eaten the people alive. There is nothing wrong in it.
            Another incident worth remembering in my life is selling dry bones of the cattle. It used to be difficult to collect them. When an animal died, they used to throw it far away from the village. Our houses used to be away from the village too. The carcass of the animals used to be dreadful even to look at. Having been putrefied, they used to smell. When it rained, the carcass used to swell. It used to be very awful even to go near. In spite of the smell, the white-warms used to swarm on them. As though competing with them, some red worms used to pound the bones. Eagles and vultures used to prey on them like the capitalists who suck and turn into pulp the economy of this country. One didn't know how, but the moment an animal died, they would arrive timely. They used to eat away the flesh of the animal with a lot of understanding among themselves. They are more disciplined in eating than the human beings. We used to be in need of the bones left out by the vultures and the dogs.
            Due to prolonged draught in the villages, the people didn't use to stay in the villages. They used to migrate en mass in search of work. The children and the aged used to be left out in the village. In the process of searching for livelihood, every village used to seem like parched crops. The locked doors used to mock at us. The children left behind used to be divided into groups for gathering bones. Having bound them into small bundles, we used to bring them home. At times they used to slip off the bicycle. It used to be very difficult to re-bundle them as the bones used to smell horrible stink. If the bundling was delayed, the villagers used to scold us. The kind of humiliation I used to undergo while bundling the bones in a hurried manner could only be understood by one's own experience. The dry bones used to waft sever odor. I didn't use to understand as to how the buyer of the bones would bear the odor for so long. He used to buy them visiting every village with gunny bags hanging either side of his bicycle. He used to eat his lunch at the trench in the outskirts. He would eat by the same hands that held the stinking bones. Gathering them the whole day, he used to sell them in the factory. One couldn't afford to give up bone picking on the pretext of odor.
            There used to be a lot of quarrels, shouting, curses and abuses in the process of gathering them. W used to beat each other at times. The bones used to turn into weapons at times wounding ourselves. The wounds, the blood that dripped and the humiliation we underwent were countless.
            There used to be a factory of bones just beside our village; it's no longer there now. It belonged to a Leftist leader. He was one among thousands of people who migrated to our village in search of livelihood. A poor man that he was in the beginning, he has now earned crores of rupees. Either because of his caste or his Party, he has emassed a lot of clout, expensive apartments and foreign cars too. There might be several of his kind in the Telangana region. Today they accuse us that our ignorance is as big as the sky. To be a millionaire being a Leftist seemed strange to me. Further he teaches the Leftist ideology himself being in possession of a lot of wealth. The bones that we collected, we used to sell in his factory. The bones couldn't change our lives. But the same bones could turn him into a millionaire.
            After a few years the villages of Telangana became barren. The cattle were pushed to the slaughterhouses instead of allowing them die of starvation. How long could the farmers feed them, themselves committing suicide by consuming pesticides that they had bought by mortgaging thaali, nuptial strings of their wives. Their cattle became a burden to them. They had sold out their cattle in terms of herds and Lorries holding back their tears. It became a curse to have been a farmer in this country. Having been a cursed community, they became helpless in selling them out. Not merely cattle. The unnatural death of human beings too was usual to us. The pylons raised in memory of the martyrs would stand a witness to the number of people who had died. Then there was a draught of bones in my village. Our gaze, that used to explore the bones of the dead animals, had turned to the graveyards. We had dared to dig the graves of human beings.
            We had spent our nights more in the graveyard. The half-burnt logs in the pyres used to be afire at the winds. We used to get scared being reminded of the childhood tales of the peys; we used to get scared at the flames of pyres. But the fear was never a matter in the light of the hunger. We had dug graves in search of bones for money driven by hunger. We exhausted bones in so many graves, yet we didn't stop searching for bones. Once, having noticed the difference in the shape of the bones, the buyer of the bones once suspected that they were human bones. Everybody came to know about it in the village, and made it a big issue. The vultures that were knocking away our wealth termed us thieves. They scolded us and thrashed us. They proposed to excommunicate us from the village. They suggested for the consecration of the village so as to purify the portent that had taken place. Since then I hear quite often rattling noise of bones.
But I didn't really understand who the real thieves were.
            The dress I used to wear was rather embarrassing since I had to go to the school in the ragged-dress. We used to make use of amma, mother's old rags both for the bedding and bed sheets. Ever since my childhood I had been wearing torn rags. Baindla Veeraswami used to reside next door. He used to serve in the shrines of Muthyalamma, Mysamma and other deities. People from the neighbouring hamlets used to approach him for exorcising evil spirits. He used to utter some chanting, and make loud shouting. We were not allowed to speak to him. Once when I was roaming in the cemetery, he had flung aside the shroud of a dead body at the time of cremation. Everybody used to fear it. I saw Veeraswami bring it home. Once I mustered courage, and went to his house. I saw lemons and other paraphernalia of exorcising at his threshold. I got scared. Having mustered courage I asked him, 'Peddayya! I want a piece of cloth; can you spare one?'
            'Why do you need it ra?' he asked me.
            'I want to get a shirt stitched.'
            I got a couple of shirts stitched out of the shroud he had given me. I wore the shirts for a long time. This incident made me bold in speaking on certain occasions. Ever since, I began thinking rationally. It made me a rationalist.

His resume:

Name:          Gurram Seetaramulu (Research Fellow)
Father:          Laxmaiah(Late), Yellamma (Mother)
Native Place: Thallampadu (Post&Villege), (Khammama Rural Mondal and District) AP INDIA: PIN: 507170.

Qualifications:
Up to Graduation Khammam: M A (English) Osmania University,
B Ed: Kakatiya University,

Present:   Finished M Phil from English and Foreign Languages University.
My plan is to work on Dalit Oral narratives (Kulapuranas/Caste Myths) as an Authentic Source to Understand Caste Relations and Hierarchy (Find Attachment.)

My paper got selected for An International Conference
http://thesocialsciences.com/conference-2010/, I am planning to go present the paper Questioning Caste Hegemony through Dalit Kulapuranas:A Study of Jambapurana
It is Five Days program and also I am planning to visit SOAS, and Oxford University.
For this program I need support.

Thank you
Gurram Seetaramulu
Room: C-6 EFLUniversity , Hyderabad,

seetaramulu@gmail.com: Phone: 9951661001.

Questioning Caste Hegemony through Dalit Kulapuranas:
A Study of Jambapurana
Abstract
Beginning with the colonial census, social scientists have tried to give an 'authentic' hierarchical order to the various castes and sub-castes in India. These attempts, which later led the dominant understanding of caste system(s), appear to have been influenced by the Kulapuranas of the dominant castes.

Kulapuranas are narratives in the form of songs, depicting the cultural heritage of a particular caste, the claims of its glorious past and the specific understandings of the caste's status and past in relation to other castes and sub-castes. Most of the Kulapuranas are carried forward through generations in the oral form. The rest, of the dominant castes, have taken textual form as well in sacred texts like Mahabharata and Ramayana. These texts that influenced the colonial understanding of the caste system(s) in India, have in turn given legitimacy to the Kulapuranas of the dominant castes.
The Kulapuranas of the lower castes and sub-castes have, at the same time, existed in oral tradition as marginalized, unrecognized, illegitimate voices that continue challenging the cultural hegemony of the dominant castes. These marginalized Kulapuranas narrate a different history of caste and sub-caste relations, providing a counter narrative to the established notions of hierarchical caste relations.
This paper would analyze how the marginalized Kulapuranas exist as potential sources for the alternative understandings of history, culture and caste relations. I intend to critically examine the Kulapuranas of the Madigas, a Dalit caste, and its sub-castes, to understand the caste relations and its challenges in Andhra Pradesh, where more than 198 castes exist with its sub-castes. I propose this by a detailed study of Jambapurana, a Madiga Kulapurana that discusses the genealogy of the Dalit castes and their social relations, as a text to understand how challenges against the upper caste dominance have arisen from the Dalit castes.
*************************************************************

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An educated man without character and humility was more dangerous than a beast. If his education was detrimental to the welfare of poor, he was a curse to society.

-Babasaheb Dr B R Ambedkar

Please visit www.friendsforeducation.org or www.ambedkarscholarship.org

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[ZESTCaste] Photos of my activities in India

Dear friends and donors,

I have been longing to tell you about my tour in India since May 24, 2010. As I am stuck up in India unintentionally, I am in no mood to say it in detail though I have made good notes of all I did in India.

It was a great and very successful trip sans this problem. I would like to share at least photos to those who are curious to know about it.

Please check this out. This link has photos of visiting several of our projects in AP and Tamilnadu, functions of scholarships and microloans, talking to several of our microloan beneficiaries, interacting with students, meeting several great personalities in addition to the photos of my relatives, friends, places where I lived as child, teenager, and as an adult etc.

http://picasaweb.google.com/benjamin.kaila

Several people received me with unbounded love and affection, several people introduced me to several others dedicated to a cause, several people helped me without asking for help, several people included me in their meetings, and several people still helping me in various ways. To all of them, my sincere thanks and immeasurable gratitude. They all received me with open hands though I did nothing to receive such accolades as what I did is insignificant when compared to the work of many others I met.

With regards

Benjamin

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An educated man without character and humility was more dangerous than a beast. If his education was detrimental to the welfare of poor, he was a curse to society.

-Babasaheb Dr B R Ambedkar

Please visit www.friendsforeducation.org or www.ambedkarscholarship.org

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[ZESTCaste] OBC list may get longer

http://www.hindustantimes.com/OBC-list-may-get-longer/Article1-575846.aspx

OBC list may get longer
Chetan Chauhan, Hindustan Times

New Delhi, July 22, 2010First Published: 00:42 IST(22/7/2010)

The Centre is set to include 185 castes from Chattisgarh and Jharkhand
in the Centre's Other Backward Classes (OBC) list, nine years after
the two states were created. The move is aimed at inclusive
development to check growth of Naxalism. Of the 34 most Naxal-affected
districts, half of them are in Jharkhand (10) and Chattisgarh (7). In
the past few months, there has been a spike in Naxal activity,
especially in Dhantewada district in Chattisgarh.

The Union cabinet is on Thursday likely to discuss a proposal to
include 64 castes from Chattisgarh and 121 from Jharkhand in the
central OBC list in order to allow them a share in central resources.

"Most of these castes are erstwhile tribals who became Hindus several
decades ago," an official said. "These castes have the same culture as
tribals but don't get benefits such as reservation," he added. In
India, tribals get 7.5 per cent reservation in government jobs and
admission in higher education.

Once the cabinet approves the proposal, these castes, numbering
several lakhs, will be eligible for 27 per cent reservation for OBCs
in government jobs and higher education. "It will bring parity in
providing government benefits to the deprived," the official said.

The proposal indicates the central government's view that Naxalism is
not a problem in a only few districts but in the entire tribal
community that resides in the red corridor from Bihar to Andhra
Pradesh.

The Prime Minister's Office has circulated a plan for tribal
development in the National Development Council meeting on July 24.

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[ZESTCaste] 'Adrakhi' caste included in OBC Central List

http://in.news.yahoo.com/139/20100722/808/tnl-adrakhi-caste-included-in-obc-centra_1.html

ANI

'Adrakhi' caste included in OBC Central List

Thu, Jul 22 03:20 PM
New Delhi, July 22 (ANI): The Union Cabinet on Thursday approved the
addition of the caste 'Adrakhi' in the Central List of OBCs for the
State of Bihar based on the recommendation of the National Commission
for Backward Classes.

Inclusion of the community in the Central List of OBCs at Entry No.
132 will enable it to avail the benefits of reservation in Central
Government services and posts as well as in Central education
institutions, thus contributing to the goal of equity and
inclusiveness.

The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment will notify the caste
'Adrakhi' in the Central list of OBCs for the State of Bihar. (ANI)

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[ZESTCaste] Man stoned to death over relationship with Dalit woman

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Man-stoned-to-death-over-relationship-with-Dalit-woman/650312

Man stoned to death over relationship with Dalit woman
Agencies Posted online: Thu Jul 22 2010, 13:16 hrs
Muzaffarnagar : In a suspected honour killing, a man involved in a
relationship with a Dalit woman was stoned to death allegedly by her
community members, police said on Thursday.
Forty eight-year-old widower Prem Singh of Thakur caste was in a
relationship with the woman for the past few years, which was opposed
by her community members, they said.

Singh was cornered near the woman's house in Umarpur village here last
evening and beaten to death after being attacked with bricks and
stones by a group of Dalit men, Deputy SP Rajesh Kumar said.

Police have registered a case against four accused - Rishipal, Ishwar,
Kala and Guddu - who are absconding and a search is going on to nab
them, he said, adding, security has been tightened in the village.

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[ZESTCaste] UN pushes for action in Dalit discrimination cases

http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/fullNews.php?headline=UN+pushes+for+action+in+Dalit+discrimination+cases&NewsID=250565

UN pushes for action in Dalit discrimination cases

Last Updated : 2010-07-22 2:40 PM
The Himalayan Times - Saved Articles(s)

THT Online

KATHMANDU: The United Nations human rights office in Nepal on
Wednesday urged that two landmark verdicts on cases involving
caste-based discrimination be implemented at the earliest.

Last January, the District Court in Baitadi decided on a two year
imprisonment and fine of Rs. 25,000 to the main perpetrator behind
attacks against 12 Dalits at a temple.

In March, the same court found a man guilty of physically assaulting
the father of the groom during a wedding ceremony in July 2009 for
practicing rituals "reserved for high-caste communities." The
perpetrator was sentenced to one year in prison and fined Rs. 5,000.

The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Nepal
(OHCHR-Nepal) and the National Dalit Commission (NDC) said that the
local authorities including the Senior Superintendent of Police in
Mahakali zone and the Deputy Superintendent of Police in Baitadi had
assured that the two verdicts would be implemented at the earliest.

However, in spite of repeated calls by OHCHR, the NDC, Nepal's
National Human Rights Commission and others, the court decisions are
yet to be implemented.

OHCHR and the NDC both welcomed the assurances they received from
local authorities during a four-day joint mission to assess the
overall human rights situation of Dalit communities in Nepal's eastern
region.

According to Jyoti Sanghera, OHCHR-Nepal's Deputy Representative the
mission uncovered many obstacles preventing Dalit communities from
enjoying their fundamental human rights, said Jyoti Sanghera,
OHCHR-Nepal's Deputy Representative.

"I call on the Government to undertake all necessary steps to address
these challenges, and to execute the court orders as soon as
possible," she said.

------------------------------------

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[ZESTCaste] High cut-offs keep SC/ST students out

http://www.hindustantimes.com/High-cut-offs-keep-SC-ST-students-out/Article1-575827.aspx

High cut-offs keep SC/ST students out
HT Correspondent, Hindustan Times

New Delhi, July 22, 2010First Published: 00:14 IST(22/7/2010)

With high cut offs the going has been tough even for the Scheduled
Caste and Scheduled Tribe students who have applied this year for
undergraduate courses at Delhi University. "This year the cut offs for
various courses hovered above 50 per cent as compared to last year
which easily went below 50 related stories
Off to a smooth start
per cent," said Gurpreet Singh Tuteja, deputy dean Students Welfare.

Around 1,500 SC ST students listed for counselling on Thursday (July
22) have to appear for the remaining seats. The bulk of the unfilled
seats in science courses are the Physical and Life Science courses.

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[ZESTCaste] People's initiative can only restore normalcy in Orissa's Kandhamal

http://www.orissadiary.com/ShowOriyaColumn.asp?id=20004

People's initiative can only restore normalcy in Orissa's Kandhamal
Thursday, July 22, 2010

By Hemant Naik, Kandhamal District is a scheduled district mostly
inhabited by the people from indigenous communities with distinct
culture, language, tradition, faith, customary practices and
livelihood dependent on forest and other natural resources. Out of the
total population of the district 6.97 lakhs, the ST population
constitute 52% , SC 18% and Other Backwards, Converted SCs and General
Caste people almost 30%. Hindus 5.27 lakhs and Christians 1.17 lakhs.
Out of 88% of the forest land, 71% reserved forest and 17% unreserved
forest.

Out of the 12% habitable land, major portion is under the position of
higher caste outsiders. 78% of the Tribals are Below Poverty Line. Out
of 18% of SC population, only 9% have some land holding. There was
exceptional growth in population of outsiders between 1961 to 2001,
growth rate, Tribals 70%, Dalits 60% and non-Adivasi – Dalit Hindus
134%.

Unrestricted immigration of outsiders and their illegal settlements in
the scheduled area with lot of influence and dominance over the local
culture, tradition, economic and socio-political condition through
various manipulative means with the help of establishment has created
a lot of crisis in the normal process of survival with dignity, self
sufficiency and freedom. Dalits of the land are not religious but
ethnic by nature and have a symbiotic relationship with mutual
dependency. There is no instance of traditional or cultural conflict
in between the communities.

Cultural Domination, Fundamentalism and Communal Violence in Kandhamal
Traditionally, the indigenous communities and various ethnic groups
never been religious fanatics, culturally intolerant and casteist. The
process of cultural domination only after 1970s with the initiations
of sanskritisation process by some religious radical forces. The
process started from Chakapad and Kandhamal has been experiencing a
series of well planned attacks against the people of religious
minority community mostly from Tribal and Dalit communities including
the women and children. The process was mainly led by a so called
religious leader Laxmanananda Saraswati.

The language, rituals, identity, customary practices, belief systems,
animistic religion of Tribals and Dalits has undergone changes under
domination by physically and economically stronger immigrated
communities. Hinduisation of Adivasis and Dalits has started
vigorously from 1970s till now by the Hindu fundamentalists and
trading communities, which resulted in replacing the indigenous
systems of worshipping and rituals by Brahmanic systems, introducing
untouchability, social discrimination and caste based hatred in
between the ethnic groups particularly against the Dalits to break the
traditional cultural bond and thus weaken the socio – political unity
by creating divisions through spreading hatred campaign basing on
social complexes. There were planned attacks in during 1970 and 1980s
and more number of violent attacks took place after the political
changes came at the centre in the state with the religious parties
came into the power. There were attacks during 1984, 1987, 1994
(during the period of Biju Patnaik) with the loss of lives of more
than 17 of ST/SC people large scale destruction and damage of
household property attacks on women and children, large number of
families forced to live their native places and took shelter in far
away urban slums and cities for survival surprisingly the government
did not take action to identify the victims and bring back home, a
word compensation to the victims to construct their houses on their
native land and also for human loss. Even today, the victims are
leading a miserable life as slum dwellers.

There was again attack on 1997 in Daringbadi Block , in 2000 at
Katingia Godapur , in 2006 at Raikia Catholic Church was attacked and
houses of socially marginalised community damaged, a many believers
and activists deadly assaulted. Two major attacks were organised on
23rd December 2007 onwards at Brahmanigaon and continued and it was
further intensified after the killing of Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati
during the period of coalition government of BJP-BJD government.
During this period of coalition government, a large number of
Saraswati Vidyamandir Schools and Institutions were established to
spread hatred campaign against the religious minority communities and
used government machinery including the aid to protect and promote
Hindu Religious Institutions also encouraged illegal sanskritisation
activities in the name of reconversion. National level convention of
Hindu Sammilanee was organised by Viswa Hindu Parisad (VHP) in which
large number of leaders of religious radical organisations including
the state participated in the convention and spread hatred message
against the religious community.

During the violence in Kandhamal alone more than 300 villages were
ransacked, 4400 houses were burnt, 5000 people became homeless, 59
people were killed including women, disabled persons and children,
Adivasis and Dalits, 18000 persons suffered with injuries, as reported
in the press some were burnt alive including 3 disabled person, young
lady and two women were gang-raped and 151 churches destroyed.

No adequate assessment was made by the government. on the extent of
damage and human loss and proper compensation and relief was given to
the victims. Large number of victims are still not in a position to
return back home and rebuild their damaged structures. Victims are
yet to get adequate protection from the attackers.

Victims are threatened, they could come back home if they withdraw the
cases filed against the culprits and also accept the Hinduism. Large
number of petitions are yet to be converted into FIRs. Many are yet to
file FIRs out of fear. No proper enquiry has been conducted by the
investigation authority on the complaints registered and also due to
the lapses in the prosecution and non co-operation of the victims out
of fear large number of criminals are getting acquitted. Interestingly
the key officials those who were during the violence and neglected to
discharge the duties are yet to be transferred.

The Administrative initiative not up to the expectation. The peace
building, relief and rehabilitation process is not transparent. Not a
single official has been made accountable for negligent of duties.
Even the Church groups though entered into the area late confine to
their activities to some kind of relief, medicine and some inadequate
help to repair the houses.

In addition to appointing some advocates to assist the process which
is also not affective as it is not backed by the community support
system. The Church aid further divides the victims as their is lack of
proper co-ordination within different denominations as their is also
differences in distribution of aid. At present the resource mobilised
in the name of Tribal and Dalit empowerment divides and weakens the
community on the ground of religious denomination, caste identity,
discriminated use of aid.

On the other hand, the divisive forces are still active on the ground
and organising planning meetings to launch further attacks in future
with the knowledge of the Administration. Religious leaders and NGOs
are not in a position to challenge the system to enforce adequate
action programmes to extend and ensure justice to the victims.

Intervention of ODAAN and Kuidina Forum for Peace and justice

ODAAN (Odisha Dalit Adivasi Action Net) is a state level forum of
organisations, peoples initiatives, experienced social and Human
Rights activists from especially tribal and marginalised communities
to work in the communally disturbed and affected areas of Odisha to
restore peace and normalcy by organising strategic interventions. The
forum was created out of the process of ISI sponsored project led by
Fr. Jimmy Dabhi and assisted by Dillip Sebak and Ramesh Ch. Nayak. The
Forum has been doing work even now in the communally disturbed areas
of Odisha particularly through its partner organisations particularly
in scheduled districts like Kandhamal, Koraput, Malkangiri, Rayagada,
Nawarangpur, Sundargarh, Sambalpur, Gajapati, Ganjam, Kalahandi,
Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar etc.

In Kandhamal, the Forum strengthened a local initiative named Kuidina
Forum for Peace and Justice to intensify the action programme in
remote affected villages of Kandhamal to speed up the peace building
process and restoration of normalcy in Kandhamal.

Demand for Human Rights Intervention

Since the Forum felt that many of the key officials in charge of
maintenance of law and order, control of crimes and also management of
relief and rehabilitation affairs did not discharge their duties
properly which encouraged the miscreants to organise more criminal
activities and further aggravated the situation. The Forum approached
the Odisha Human Rights Commission for proper investigation on the
negligence of duties and a formal case was registered on March 23,
2009 and the process is going on.

Demand for Intervention of Governor of Odisha

The Governor of Odisha, Muralidhar Chandrakant Bhandare was also kind
enough to have a long discussion with the delegation on the memorandum
submitted to him on June 3, 2009 and issued instructions to the
district administration to take adequate action on the demands.

Joint Political Action

As an important part of lobby and advocacy the Forum organised a joint
Dharana in co-operation with all political parties, organised mass
Rally and Public meeting in front of Odisha Legislative Assembly on
June 12, 2009 while the Assembly session was going on in which all the
different party leaders participated and submitted a memorandum to CM
with their joint signatures condemning the violence in Kandhamal and
also demanded appropriate action against the culprits.

Approached M.P.Pinto and Chidambaram

Forum Members also met M.P.Pinto, Vice– Chairperson, National Minority
Commission on dt. June 14, 2009 at DRDA Conference Hall, Collectorate,
Phulbani and submitted a memorandum after a long discussion on the
prevailing situation in Kandhamal in the presence of the district
magistrate and Superintendent of Police, Kandhamal.
Forum also met P.Chidambaram, Home Minister, Govt. of India on June
26, 2009 during his visit to Kandhamal and submitted a memorandum
seeking his immediate intervention to restore peace and normalcy in
Kandhamal.

Demand to Arrest the Criminals/Trouble Makers

The real criminals and leaders of the violence are yet to be taken to
task and not arrested. The attacks on the helpless are still going on.
The complainants and witnesses are threatened not to give evidence.
Thus most of the criminals are getting acquitted in the Fast Tract
Court Trials. Social Organisations dependant on so much external
support , sectarian and individualistic in approach and create more
divisions and disunity face the challenges.

Forceful Reconversion

Forceful reconversion was organised at Shankarakhol of Chakapad Block
by the Hindu Fundamentalist Forces in which 15 of Christian families
converted into Hinduism out of fear as the survivors lived in a very
helpless, unprotected and undefended condition. No organisation or
agency has taken up any initiation to oppose this kind of forceful
reconversions and thus protect the innocent believers.

As a strategic action to sensitise and mobilise the state level
different political party leaders alarge number of KFPJ members
approached Janardan Pati, State Chief of CPIM, Orissa Chapter on 2nd
February, 2010. Pati was kind enough to extend his full co-operation
to the campaign of KFPJ.

Organising the Victims in Slums

A consultation meeting was organised on 6th March 2010 at Basti
Unnayan School, Mundasahi, Jayadev Vihar, Bhubaneswar in order to
further consolidate the peace and confidence building process amongst
the victims of Kandhamal violence migrated due to attack and out of
fear and in temporary shelters of different slum areas of
Bhubaneswar.

Plan of Action
The 3rd Co-ordination meeting of ODAAN was organised at Jatrinivas,
Bhubaneswar on June 4, 2010 and it was decided to organise zonal level
meetings to intensify District level processes and also carry out the
Conflict, Resolution and Peace Building Processes through Dialogue
and other need based action programmes by empowering the community
leaders from Adivasi, Dalit, women and Religious Minority Communities.
Thus further it was decided to counter the divisive fascist forces
collectively through a joint Forum. Protecting the common interests of
all indigenous and marginalised communities by organising joint
capacity building training programmes for a deeper understanding of
social conflict and socio-political, economic, cultural and religious
dimensions attached to this, identification of divisive political,
social and cultural forces responsible for creating violence and
social disintegration by developing a strategic action plan to
counter the divisive forces effectively through a mass supported
pressure building and politically bargaining process.

It was decided to organise similar kind of capacity building training
programmes in selected Blocks and Panchayats of scheduled districts
of affected areas with priority to recent worst affected areas through
a well co-ordinated district level monitoring committee guided by the
state level core-committee. It was also decided to sensitize and
mobilize the media to support the said people based process. Besides
mobilising the required resources locally it was also decided to
mobilise the resources externally through different support
organisations with a understanding of having the ownership on
utilization of the said mobilised support in a collective, democratic
and transparent manner.

It was decided to strengthen the ongoing legal support system by
motivating the local advocates , mobilising the minimum required
resources and developing the community support based to effectively
face the situation created by the terrorising and anti-social
elements.

It was decided to have lobby and advocacy in political level and
organise round table interactions with the ST/SC elected
representatives of different political parties during the Assembly
sessions and motivate them to raise questions on relevant issues
relating to deprivation and social injustice and thus to build up
pressure on the government and District Administration to support the
ground level processes.

All the human rights activists should join hands and make this process
more inclusive and effective.

The writer is the Convenor, Kuidina Forum for Peace and Justice based
in Odisha. Please send your suggestions and comments at
janatavikasmanch@gmail.com

------------------------------------

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Thursday, July 22, 2010

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