Atrocities on Dalits

Friends,

We hear a lot of lamentation about atrocities on our people. It seems just lamenting would end our woes.

We lament every time there is a new atrocity. The matter is reported. Some times, we protest and arrange morchas, seminars, lectures and write petitions. Then we forget about that till next episode occurs.

We have no short time methods to oppose these atrocities.

We do not have medium term methods to prevent these attacks and protect out people through legal means by arranging law help etc.

We do not have long time methods to prevent atrocities. Babasaheb had told us everything. We do not follow his advice.

He said leave your traditional occupations. We do not want to do that. We just get angry that Brahminists killed our five people at Jahjjar for skinning a dead cow. Why should our people still employ themselves as skinners? They should have left that long time back.

We lament that our people are still doing manual scavenging. How many scavengers have sent their girls to cities for learning and away from scavenging work?

We were told by our father to renounce the villages and come to cities. Why are we doing rotten work for these people in their village? We should have sent ALL our children to bigger cities by now, and preparing to sell out whatever rural assets we might have. It is better to work as a manual labor in cities than as a farm labor in a village.

City people did not do much for society, said Babasaheb. The least we could do NOW, is to form numerous housing projects for our inland-refugees coming from villages. This needs to be done on massive scale and on war footing.

Babasaheb said convert to Buddhism. Why did we not do this? Why there are still non-converted Dalits among us in most provinces?

I do not like postings describing atrocities. I would like to see the posting which mention what we have done about such atrocities.

Thanks!

Dr. K. Jamanadas

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From: Gerard Oonk <g.oonk@indianet.nl>

PLEASE SHARE THIS WIDELY

PRESS RELEASE:

100 day campaign against caste discrimination and untouchability launched in Nepal

"I commit to end caste-based discrimination and untouchability!" said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, in her video message, kicking off the bold 100 day campaign launched by her office and the National Dalit Commission (NDC) in Nepal.

September 21, 2011---The High Commissioner is encouraging everyone to pledge their commitment to end caste discrimination* and untouchability and the campaign website is collecting pledges and turning them into colourful fingerprints symbolising all those who are against this atrocious type of discrimination.

The International Dalit Solidarity Network (IDSN) has been working to end caste discrimination for more than a decade and wholeheartedly welcomes this new campaign.

"The campaign is a fantastic initiative and we would like to encourage everyone to go to the website and register their commitment to help end one of the biggest human rights issues the world is facing today," says IDSN Coordinator, Rikke Nöhrlind.

While the campaign is primarily focused on Nepal, IDSN would like to encourage the global community, Dalits and human rights defenders in other caste affected countries to take this opportunity to pledge their support to a cause that can help 260 million people affected by caste discrimination worldwide out of oppression.

IDSN would also like to encourage political leaders, business leaders and influential decision makers from across the globe to speak out against caste discrimination and to go to the campaign website and make their pledge to end caste discrimination.

The President of Nepal, Dr. Ram Baran Yadav, has led the way by inaugurating the campaign, giving his commitment and commenting that, "It is a matter of shame to know that people in the 21st century are still practising caste discrimination and untouchablility."

The government of Nepal recently introduced Caste-based Discrimination and Untouchability (Offence and Punishment) Act, 2011. NDC and OHCHR partnered in 2008 to jointly advocate for the swift passage of the draft caste-based discrimination and untouchability bill and for its compliance with international standards.

"By taking this important step to end these practices, Nepal has become a leader on the world stage in the fight against caste-based discrimination," said Ms. Pillay in her speech commending the role Nepal has taken in this global struggle.

Various awareness-raising programs like audio-visual activities, distribution of posters and pamphlets and interaction programs among others will be organised country-wide throughout the 100 days campaign till it comes to an end on 24 December 2011.

More Information:

Visit the campaign website and make you pledge against caste-discrimination: http://www.100daysagainstcastediscrimination.com/index.php

Download the High Commissioner's statement as a PDF: http://www.100daysagainstcastediscrimination.com/downloads/UN_HCHR_Message_on_Campaign_Launch.TRANSCRIPT.ENG.pdf

Learn more about caste discrimination: http://idsn.org/caste-discrimination/

Visit the IDSN website: http://www.idsn.org/

Visit the website of the Dalit Networki Netherlands: http://dalits.nl/english.html

* Caste discrimination subjects those at the bottom of the caste system, known as Dalits or 'untouchables', to horrific acts of repression and violence and forces them to live in apartheid style segregation from the rest of society, severely impairing equal rights in access to work, education and basic services such as water, sanitation and healthcare. There are 260 million Dalits globally, with the majority living in South Asia.

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Gerard Oonk

director India Committee of the Netherlands

and co-ordinator Dalit Network Netherlands

Mariaplaats 4e, 3511 LH Utrecht

The Netherlands

http://www.indianet.nl

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