http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/davinder-kumar/dalits-remain-untouchable_b_984691.html
Dalits Remain 'Untouchables'
Posted: 28/9/11 13:02 GMT
Davinder Kumar
Development journalist and Chevening Human Rights Scholar
The UN General Assembly sessions, like listings at bookmakers'
parlour, have favourites, and on occasions, even clear winners. As a
scribe, for instance, you have a fair idea that Israel-Palestine issue
will incite passions and dominate the agenda. From leaders with
well-rehearsed speeches to news channels on a countdown, the stage is
purpose-set for a grand show.
Political careers are pitched; channels get a ratings boost; activists
have a field day before a global audience; and street vendors in New
York too make a brisk business. Everybody wins. Then, who are the
losers?
Ask 170 million dalits of India. For decades, organisations
representing dalits who are traditionally regarded as 'untouchables'
in centuries-old caste grouping in the Indian subcontinent, have tried
relentlessly to make themselves heard at the UN forums. However, they
very much remain outcasts in the world outside, as much as they remain
excluded and marginalised within the South-Asian societies they live
in.
Ten years ago in Durban, the UN World Conference Against Racism
adopted the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action. Heralded as a
united global action against racism, the declaration expressly set out
to tackle racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.
But despite years of protests, lobbying and advocacy, mention of
dalits and caste-based discrimination were ignored in the declaration
following a strong opposition led by the Indian government.
Organisations representing dalits have for decades argued that
caste-based discrimination is a distinct form of racism and must be
acknowledged and addressed in its own identity. Being born a dalit may
mean being made to sit separate from other children in a classroom or
denied education altogether; forbidden to touch other higher caste
people; denied entry into temples and places of worship; not allowed
to own land or property; only expected to do menial jobs; and face
risk of violent retribution if you dare to challenge or transgress
your social ranking.
Even though caste-based discrimination is a crime and punishable in
local laws across South Asia region, yet centuries of social hierarchy
is still deeply rooted in the subcontinent and governs daily lives of
hundreds of millions. It is existent more or less uniformly across all
religions and cultures in the region, making it a very unique social
practice of discrimination endemic to the region and even common among
the South Asian diasporas across the world. As a result, millions are
deprived of dignity and freedoms which constitute the basic core
values of human rights. It is common to read about atrocities
committed on dalits because of their caste and status in the society.
Very often, their status is exacerbated by poverty and limited chances
they enjoy to progress in life.
Dalit organisations are often blamed for their failure to articulate
their standpoints and advocate their rights. This, to a certain
degree, is true. I recall sending stories to Outlook magazine in New
Delhi from the media hub in Durban conference describing how fractured
the dalit caucus was as compared to the Palestinians or the Israelis.
However, we are missing the point. It is not the failure of the dalit
organisations or their leadership for their lack of ability and
success in putting a robust case together. It is fundamentally a
failure of the system that guarantees parity and fairness for all at
platforms such as the UN. On the crest of political clamour, media
rally and raucous protests, poorly resourced groups and unfashionable
causes routinely fall off the agenda at key UN sessions. The case of
dalits also exposes the fact that like the nations projecting
themselves as moral torchbearers, human rights discourses too have a
tendency to follow popular causes.
Last week, world leaders met at a high-level UN General Assembly
meeting to reaffirm their commitment to the fight against racism on
the 10th anniversary of the Durban Declaration. Once again, there was
no mention of dalits. A scourge that blights the lives of millions who
collectively represent more than half the population of the United
States or roughly the populations of United Kingdom, France, Canada
and Australia put together, continues to be underplayed or buried
under generic definitions.
For leaders there is no political leverage to be gained; for sheer
force, dalit protests rarely go beyond playing of traditional drums
and sporadic sloganeering; caste-based discrimination isn't a sexy
story for the media; and often broke dalit activists travelling on a
shoestring budget from rural pockets in India are no joy to
enterprising street hawkers either. Nobody wins, certainly not dalits.
In their quest for a separate identity, dalits are fighting a very
lonely battle. Not only at home, but also on global forums they
continue to be 'untouchables.'
Follow Davinder Kumar on Twitter: www.twitter.com/davtox
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