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r brutality and convenient roadblocks encountered a c i e f m f v - O O e by the marginalised looking for a modicum of justice. PRABHAT SAMGIITA { Song No. 44 } PROUT Cry of the Suffering Humanity Shrii Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar Progressive Utilization Theory What is PROUT : PROUT is an acronym for the Progressive Utilization Theory. Conceptualized in 1959 by Indian Philosopher Shrii Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar, PROUT is a viable alternative to the outmoded capitalist and AA communist socio-economic paradigms. Neither of these approaches has adequately met the physical, mental and spiritual needs of humanity. PROUT seeks a harmonious balance between economic growth, social development and cultural expression. Combining the wisdom of spirituality, the struggle for self-reliance, and the spirit of economic democracy, Proutist intellectuals and activists VibrantVibrant are attempting to create a new civilizational discourse. PROUT news- magazine aims at conveying comprehensive and visionary goals of PROUT Philosophy. PROUT magazine invites scientists, economists, politicians, artists, Advancing from Darkness intellectuals and others to join us in the creation of a new, spiritually bonded society by propagating and popularising unambiguous elevating MagazineMagazine thoughts. Through Proutistic views and Neo Humanistic analysis, it strives to serve as beacon for the benighted civilization of our times. Main principles of PROUT and Neo-Humanism : Neo-humanism expands the humanistic love for all human beings to Towards the Light include love and respect for all creation - plants, animals and even inanimate objects. Neo-humanism provides a philosophical basis for whichwhich creating a new era of ecological balance, planetary citizenship and cosmic kinship. Basic necessities guaranteed to all : People can not strive toward their highest human aspirations if they are lacking the basic I’ll notI’ll acceptnot accept anything anything else else requirements of life. PROUT believes that access to food, shelter, clothing, A´R KONO KATHA´- A´MI MAŃI NA´-, MAŃITE CA´HI I don’I don’t, don’t, don’t wantt want to accept. to accept. Informs education and medical care are fundamental human rights which must be NA´-, CA´HI NA´-- AŃDHA´R HOITE CALI A´LOR PAŃE--- AdvancingAdvancing from from darkness darkness Informs guaranteed to all. GAHVAR HOTE CHUTÍ TA´RA´R GAŃE--- TowardsTowards the light the light Balanced economy : Prout advocates regional self-reliance, SABA´R MANER VYATHA´ NIYE PARAŃÉ--- FromFrom the abyss the abyss I rush I rush cooperatively owned and managed businesses, local control of large scale A´R KONO KATHA´- A´MI SHUNI NA´- To songsTo songs of the of stars. the stars. SHUNITE CA´HI NA´-, CA´HI NA´---, The Thepain painof all of minds all minds key industries, and limits on the individual accumulation of excessive MAŃITE CA´HI NA´- CA´HI NA´-- I carryI carry in my in lifemy force.life force. wealth. I don’I don’t wantt want to hear to hearanything anything else else && Women's Right : PROUT encourages the struggle against all NAĆER CHANDE CALI TOMA´R PAŃE--- I don’I don’t, don’t, don’t wantt want to hear to .hear. forms of violence and exploitation used to suppress women. PROUT's PRAŃÉR MA´DHURI BHARI TOMA´R GAŃE--- goal is coordinated cooperation, with equal rights between men and SABA´R MANER KATHA´ NIYE PARAŃÉ--- In theIn rhythm the rhythm of dance of dance women. A´R KONO KATHA´ A´MI JAŃI NA´-, I rushI rushtowards towards You You Cultural Diversity : In the spirit of universal fellowship PROUT JAŃITE CA´HI NA´- CA´HI NA´--- FillingFilling life’ slife’ sweetnesss sweetness encourages the protection and cultivation of local culture, language, A´R KONO KATHA´ A´MI MAŃI NA´, WithW Yithour Y songs.our songs. MAŃITE CA´HI NA´-, CA´HI NA´----- The Thestories stories of all of minds all minds InspiresInspires history and tradition. I carryI carry in my in lifemy force.life force. World Government : PROUT supports the creation of world I don’I don’t wantt want to know to know anything anything else else government with a global constitution and a common penal code. I don’I don’t, don’t, don’t wantt want to know to know. .

(Translated from Bengali original) For both civilization and science, intellectual knowledge is indispensable. Purport: Ignoring all obstacles and pebbles along the way, I am moving together with the minds of all people on earth, with all their pleasures and pains. And at the same time I want to remove their pains and sorrows as I Spiritual or intuitional development is possible through the happy blending move ahead. I am moving towards You and You alone, so I will listen to Your words only, to no one else’s. I will accept no between civilization and science. - Shrii Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar one else but You – and I do not want to know anything else. Volume 24 Issue 09 PROUT I N S I D E September 2013 September 2013 C r y o f t h e S u f f e r i n g H u m a n i t y

Editor COVER STORY A'ca'rya Santosananda Avadhuta Contributory Editor A'ca'rya Maheshvarananda Avadhuta 40 Copy Editor Minakshi Chakraborty JUSTICE Editorial Board A'c Vedaprajinananda Avadhuta A'c Krsnasevananda Avadhuta Marginalisation of the Sohail Inayatullah Ganga Grace Sarabjit Prakash Tribal People of Jharkhand Correspondents Kanhu Charan Behura Rajesh Singh Layout & Design Pranav Koul Suman Jha contents Head Office Prout Bhawan, JC-48, Khirki Extension Main Road, 08 HISTORY OF EXPLOITATION Malviya Nagar, New Delhi - 110017 Great Personalities Mobile No. : 09212199658 Email : [email protected] 12 12 CULTURAL RENAISSANCE General Manager Ramkesh Choudhary - 9350860274 Prabhat Samgiita - Songs of Awakening Circulation Manager Beyond Millennia Rajiv - 09650055058

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Printed, Published and Edited 05 EDITORIAL For Enquiries by A'carya Santosananda Avadhuta on behalf of Neo Humanist Education Foundation 06 LETTERS Please Contact JC-48, Khirki Extension, Main Road, Malviya Nagar, New Delhi - 110017 07 INSPIRATIONAL Mob. : 9650055058, 9350860274 and printed at Cyber Creations, JE-9, Khirki Extension, 48 ACTIVITIES Email. : [email protected] Malviya Nagar, New Delhi-17 Online link http://www.earthrights.net/prout September 2013 | PROUT PROUT | September 2013 03 PROUT From the Editor's P R O G R E S S I V E U T I L I Z A T I O N T H E O R Y Desk Mafia Writ on Governance Fundamental Principles : Moralists to Confront 1. No individual afia is a term that describes certain family or culturally based organized crime syndicates. The best should be allowed ROUT advocates a new known of these, and the originator of the term, is the Sicilian Mafia that emerged in the mid 19th century to accumulate any Min Sicily, Italy. Today it has come to metaphorically mean criminal organisation. The mafia in India as elsewhere in the world is no exception and more specifically the Mumbai underworld has been a topic of great physical wealth and unique approach to fascination for Indian filmmakers and audience alike. Besides Mumbai there are mafias active in the rest of India without the clear including cities like Kolkata and Bengaluru. permission or decentralization based Today mafia has begun to influence government in India as the recent case of an honest and upright young officer approval of the P Durga Shakti Nagpal illustrates. It is difficult to pinpoint when this began. Initially, they operated clandestinely and collective body. on the formation of socio- common people were not affected as they got what they wanted easily after satisfying greedy politicians, bureaucrats and police. But years of comfortable existence under the protection of the authorities multiplied their numbers and 2. There should be economic units throughout the diversified their operations. Now, in full public view, they loot the public of their legitimate due, the exchequer of maximum taxpayers' money and the earth of its vitals. utilization and world. Socio-economic units The first public admission of their operations was made by Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1985 when he actually rational distribution expressed helplessness by saying for every one rupee sent to the common man, only 17 paise reached him. Nearly a of all mundane, should be formed on the basis of quarter century later in October 2009, Planning Commission deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia told a seminar that a plan panel study on Public Distribution System (through which highly subsidized food grain is distributed to the supra mundane and factors such as common poor) concluded that only 16 paise out of a rupee reached the people it was meant for. Who took away the colossal spiritual amount of money that was spent on paper between 1985 and 2009? In this year's budget, the earmarked amounts are: potentialities of the economic problems; uniform NREGA Rs 33,000 crore, PM Gramin Sadak Yojana Rs 21,700 crore, mid-day meal scheme Rs 13,215 crore, Integrated universe. Child Development Scheme 17,700 crore, Backward Region Grants Fund Rs 11,500 crore. So, considering the estimates by Rajiv and Ahluwalia, it would mean 85% of these funds too will end up in the pockets of politicians, 3. There should be economic potentialities; ethnic bureaucrats, police, contractors and the mafia? On July 9, 1993, PM Narasimha Rao constituted a committee under N N maximum Vohra, then home secretary, to “take stock of all information about the activities and links of mafia utilization of the s i m i l a r i t i e s ; c o m m o n organizations/elements, for further action”. With inputs from Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, and the heads of the physical, geographical features; and CBI, Intelligence Bureau (IB) and Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), Vohra produced a 100-page report on October metaphysical and 5, 1993. Because of its explosive nature it was immediately suppressed but great public pressure reflected through people's representatives forced the government to table it in Parliament on August 1, 1995. spiritual people’s sentimental legacy, These few excerpts are real eye openers: “There has been a rapid spread and growth of criminal gangs, armed potentialities of unit senas, drug mafias, smuggling gangs, drug peddlers and economic lobbies in the country which have, over the years, and collective body which arises out of common developed an extensive network of contacts with bureaucrats/government functionaries at the local levels, politicians, of the human media persons and strategically located individuals in the non-state sector. Some of these syndicates also have society. socio-cultural ties like language international linkages, including foreign intelligence agencies. In certain states like Bihar, Haryana and UP, these gangs enjoy the patronage of local level politicians, cutting across party lines and the protection of governmental 4. There should be a and cultural expression. Each functionaries. Some political leaders become the leaders of these gangs, armed senas and over the years get themselves proper adjustment elected to local bodies, state assemblies and the national Parliament. Resultantly, such elements have acquired amongst these socio-economic unit will be considerable political clout seriously jeopardizing the smooth functioning of the administration and the safety of life physical, and property of the common man causing a sense of despair and alienation among the people. The big smuggling completely free to chalk out its syndicates having international linkages, have spread into and infected the various economic and financial activities, metaphysical, including hawala transactions, circulation of black money and operations of a vicious parallel economy causing serious mundane, supra own economic plan and the damage to the economic fibre of the country. These syndicates have acquired substantial financial and muscle power mundane and and social respectability and have successfully corrupted the government machinery at all levels and yield enough spiritual utilizations. influence to make the task of investigating and prosecuting agencies extremely difficult; even the members of the methods of its implementation. judicial system have not escaped the embrace of the mafia. Certain elements of the mafia have shifted to narcotics, drugs 5. The method of and weapon smuggling and established narco-terrorism networks especially in the states of J&K, Punjab, Gujarat and utilization should - Shrii Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar Maharashtra. The cost of contesting elections has thrown the politician into the lap of these elements and led to a grave vary in accordance compromise by officials of the preventive/detective systems. The virus has spread to almost all the centres in the with the changes in country, the coastal and the border states have been particularly affected”. time, space and How could anyone running the country remain silent after reading the report? With no tangible action taken on the ground to decimate the mafia in every sector and corroding governance like termites, there is little hope of the rupee person and the reaching the poor and honest civil servants getting a pat on their back. Durga Shakti Nagpal and other honest officers in utilization should be Tamil Nadu, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh and elsewhere have paid a heavy price. of progressive Prout’s founder Shrii Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar has rightly said way back on January 1, 1983, “More the honest nature. people are firm on morality, more the evil forces will be active against them. So all moralists of the universe should remain organised and confront the evil forces unitedly”.

04 September 2013 | PROUT PROUT | September 2013 05 PROUT From the Editor's P R O G R E S S I V E U T I L I Z A T I O N T H E O R Y Desk Mafia Writ on Governance Fundamental Principles : Moralists to Confront 1. No individual afia is a term that describes certain family or culturally based organized crime syndicates. The best should be allowed ROUT advocates a new known of these, and the originator of the term, is the Sicilian Mafia that emerged in the mid 19th century to accumulate any Min Sicily, Italy. Today it has come to metaphorically mean criminal organisation. The mafia in India as elsewhere in the world is no exception and more specifically the Mumbai underworld has been a topic of great physical wealth and unique approach to fascination for Indian filmmakers and audience alike. Besides Mumbai there are mafias active in the rest of India without the clear including cities like Kolkata and Bengaluru. permission or decentralization based Today mafia has begun to influence government in India as the recent case of an honest and upright young officer approval of the P Durga Shakti Nagpal illustrates. It is difficult to pinpoint when this began. Initially, they operated clandestinely and collective body. on the formation of socio- common people were not affected as they got what they wanted easily after satisfying greedy politicians, bureaucrats and police. But years of comfortable existence under the protection of the authorities multiplied their numbers and 2. There should be economic units throughout the diversified their operations. Now, in full public view, they loot the public of their legitimate due, the exchequer of maximum taxpayers' money and the earth of its vitals. utilization and world. Socio-economic units The first public admission of their operations was made by Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1985 when he actually rational distribution expressed helplessness by saying for every one rupee sent to the common man, only 17 paise reached him. Nearly a of all mundane, should be formed on the basis of quarter century later in October 2009, Planning Commission deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia told a seminar that a plan panel study on Public Distribution System (through which highly subsidized food grain is distributed to the supra mundane and factors such as common poor) concluded that only 16 paise out of a rupee reached the people it was meant for. Who took away the colossal spiritual amount of money that was spent on paper between 1985 and 2009? In this year's budget, the earmarked amounts are: potentialities of the economic problems; uniform NREGA Rs 33,000 crore, PM Gramin Sadak Yojana Rs 21,700 crore, mid-day meal scheme Rs 13,215 crore, Integrated universe. Child Development Scheme 17,700 crore, Backward Region Grants Fund Rs 11,500 crore. So, considering the estimates by Rajiv and Ahluwalia, it would mean 85% of these funds too will end up in the pockets of politicians, 3. There should be economic potentialities; ethnic bureaucrats, police, contractors and the mafia? On July 9, 1993, PM Narasimha Rao constituted a committee under N N maximum Vohra, then home secretary, to “take stock of all information about the activities and links of mafia utilization of the s i m i l a r i t i e s ; c o m m o n organizations/elements, for further action”. With inputs from Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, and the heads of the physical, geographical features; and CBI, Intelligence Bureau (IB) and Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), Vohra produced a 100-page report on October metaphysical and 5, 1993. Because of its explosive nature it was immediately suppressed but great public pressure reflected through people's representatives forced the government to table it in Parliament on August 1, 1995. spiritual people’s sentimental legacy, These few excerpts are real eye openers: “There has been a rapid spread and growth of criminal gangs, armed potentialities of unit senas, drug mafias, smuggling gangs, drug peddlers and economic lobbies in the country which have, over the years, and collective body which arises out of common developed an extensive network of contacts with bureaucrats/government functionaries at the local levels, politicians, of the human media persons and strategically located individuals in the non-state sector. Some of these syndicates also have society. socio-cultural ties like language international linkages, including foreign intelligence agencies. In certain states like Bihar, Haryana and UP, these gangs enjoy the patronage of local level politicians, cutting across party lines and the protection of governmental 4. There should be a and cultural expression. Each functionaries. Some political leaders become the leaders of these gangs, armed senas and over the years get themselves proper adjustment elected to local bodies, state assemblies and the national Parliament. Resultantly, such elements have acquired amongst these socio-economic unit will be considerable political clout seriously jeopardizing the smooth functioning of the administration and the safety of life physical, and property of the common man causing a sense of despair and alienation among the people. The big smuggling completely free to chalk out its syndicates having international linkages, have spread into and infected the various economic and financial activities, metaphysical, including hawala transactions, circulation of black money and operations of a vicious parallel economy causing serious mundane, supra own economic plan and the damage to the economic fibre of the country. These syndicates have acquired substantial financial and muscle power mundane and and social respectability and have successfully corrupted the government machinery at all levels and yield enough spiritual utilizations. influence to make the task of investigating and prosecuting agencies extremely difficult; even the members of the methods of its implementation. judicial system have not escaped the embrace of the mafia. Certain elements of the mafia have shifted to narcotics, drugs 5. The method of and weapon smuggling and established narco-terrorism networks especially in the states of J&K, Punjab, Gujarat and utilization should - Shrii Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar Maharashtra. The cost of contesting elections has thrown the politician into the lap of these elements and led to a grave vary in accordance compromise by officials of the preventive/detective systems. The virus has spread to almost all the centres in the with the changes in country, the coastal and the border states have been particularly affected”. time, space and How could anyone running the country remain silent after reading the report? With no tangible action taken on the ground to decimate the mafia in every sector and corroding governance like termites, there is little hope of the rupee person and the reaching the poor and honest civil servants getting a pat on their back. Durga Shakti Nagpal and other honest officers in utilization should be Tamil Nadu, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh and elsewhere have paid a heavy price. of progressive Prout’s founder Shrii Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar has rightly said way back on January 1, 1983, “More the honest nature. people are firm on morality, more the evil forces will be active against them. So all moralists of the universe should remain organised and confront the evil forces unitedly”.

04 September 2013 | PROUT PROUT | September 2013 05 LETTERS E m a i l : p r o u t . a m @ g m a i l . c o m Inspirational

HOMELESSNESS I have just received an e-copy of your beautifully produced journal courtesy of Alanna Hartzok, General Secretary of the International Union for Land Value Taxation etc. It would appear that the homelessness about which your journal is so well illustrated and informed, is the result of poverty. However, this is an assumption which is unproven and untrue. My Mom Only Had One Eye The cause of homelessness is due to BAD GOVERNMENT and the failure for the local government to provide suitable sites on which the unemployed poor may build their homes. Control of the land is deliberately (and probably My mom only had one eye. I hated her… She was such an corruptly) allowed to be placed in the hands of a comparatively small number of greedy monopolists, the land owners. Their involvement is in the amount of rent that is possible to squeeze out of the tenant farmers, in terms of much of embarrassment. She cooked for students and teachers to their hard-won crops. These same owners are also involved in the rise in land prices, after their speculation in the support the family. There was this one day during elementary value of the land has caused its price to have risen. Part of this rise is due to the resulting scarcity of the available land school where my mom came to say hello to me. I was so for use and part of this rise is because of it being held out of use pending population increase and land sale after its embarrassed. How could she do this to me? I ignored her, threw price has gone up. Land prices depend on local population density, so the few improvements in the roads, schools, her a hateful look and ran out. The next day at school one of my water supplies, etc. (which are the result of tax payers money anyway), reflect indirectly in what gain eventually comes to the land owner. classmates said, “EEEE, your mom only has one eye!” I wanted to Clearly this is a government matter and not one of relieving poverty alone (for should this be done by charitable bury myself. I also wanted my mom to just disappear. I donations the money would temporarily benefit the poor, but then find its way to the monopolists, who also control confronted her that day and said, “If you’re only going to make the sale of the produce). So many people seem to think that poverty relief by giving money or food is vital, when in the me a laughing stock, why don’t you just die?” My mom did not long-run it is the knowledge of how to eliminate it is what really counts. So much panic results from an outbreak of a respond… I didn’t even stop to think for a second about what I disease, when its basic existence is due to a lack of care by governments, including a shortage of housing in the first place. But so little understanding is spread about how the social system could function, so as to avoid unhygienic con- had said, because I was full of anger. I was oblivious to her ditions. feelings. I wanted to get out of that house, and have nothing to So this journal should be directed toward the government not the academics per se. The power in the land should do with her. So I studied real hard, got a chance to go abroad to be shared between the people so as to provide them with the opportunity to help themselves. As Alanna rightly sug- study. Then, I got married. I bought a house of my own. I had kids gests, a tax on land values instead of on produce and labour would help to restore this imbalance of working and resi- dential opportunities. of my own. I was happy with my life, my kids and the comforts. David Chester, Then one day, my Mother came to visit me. She hadn’t seen me in Petach Tikva, Israel, by email years and she didn’t even meet her grandchildren. Agreed, poverty is not the only cause of homelessness. It is more due to governmental policies which ought to be pro- people. For this a systemic change is a must. The problems of poverty and deprivation will continue to exist till capitalistic When she stood by the door, my children laughed at her, and I yelled at her for coming over psychology which goads one to thrive by exploiting others exists. We need genuine pro-people, nay pro-all forms of life uninvited. I screamed at her, “How dare you come to my house and scare my children! Get out of order so that society is rid of such like agonising problems.- Editor here! Now !!!” And to this, my mother quietly answered, “Oh, I’m so sorry. I may have gotten the wrong address.” – and she disappeared out of sight. WOMEN THE WAGELESS life sustaining commodity on planet Government bodes ill for the people. One day, a letter regarding a school reunion came to my house. So I lied to my wife that I was SLAVES earth, not only for humans but also Reminds me of an old Gujrati say- going on a business trip. After the reunion, I went to the old shack just out of curiosity. Neighbours Shrii PR Sarkar’s article so lucidly for all forms of life. Among all the ing, “Jab Raja bano vyapari praja said that she died. I did not shed a single tear. They handed me a letter that she had wanted me to billions who are starving or under- bano bhikari” – When the king explains how women were treated have. during various phases of social cycle nourished there are 1.6 billion peo- becomes a merchant the subjects of humans. While the warrior class ple who suffer from diseases of over- become beggars. “My dearest son, respected their women, the intellec- eating. The images on page 15 por- Rambhai, Okha tuals kept exploiting them. This is traying anger of the people say it all. I think of you all the time. I’m sorry that I came to your house and scared your children. ABUNDANT FUTURE indeed a sad commentary on human The portents of the future are grim I was so glad when I heard you were coming for the reunion. But I may not be able to even get out of bed to see you. I’m affairs, when actually with intellect indeed. Equitable distribution under The way we are going today spells the situation should have improved. the aegis of PROUT is the only cure doom for planet earth with resources sorry that I was a constant embarrassment to you when you were growing up. You see……..when you were very little, you Sadly wisdom was lacking and to ward off the impending disaster. being depleted at a rapid rate. Ravi got into an accident, and lost your eye. As a mother, I couldn’t stand watching you having to grow up with one eye. So I gave Santosh Sinha, Silchar greed came to the fore. Logan rightly points out that the you mine. Shyambhavi, Jaipur future can truly become abundant if CORPORATOCRACY – economic policies of PROUT I was so proud of my son who was seeing a whole new world for me, in my place, with that eye. GLOBESITY & COOPERATOCRACY together with social policy of neo- With all my love to you, WORLSTARVATION An incisive eye opener by Apek humanism are followed. The terminologies are quite apt. Mulay. It goes to fully illustrate how Ray Brian D’Souza, Your mother.” Food is indeed the most important corporate takeover or influence of Puerto Rico by email - Author Unknown

06 September 2013 | PROUT PROUT | September 2013 07 LETTERS E m a i l : p r o u t . a m @ g m a i l . c o m Inspirational

06 September 2013 | PROUT PROUT | September 2013 07 HISTORY OF EXPLOITATION

existence of their strongly-cemented edifice than with and strong arms. Those who hammered in this way building society according to people’s needs. It were welcomed with open arms by the downtrodden seemed as though their social edifice was not created masses, but vested interests defamed them. This In the Vipra Age those who tried to bring about even a little social indirectly helped those great social leaders to popularize their causes. Such great leaders included change in the interest of the common people either died smashing their Shrii Krśńa, Buddha, Vardhamana Mahavira, Hazrat heads on the hard bricks or broke the bricks with their hammers and Mohammed, Mahaprabhu Chaitanya, Raja Ram strong arms. Mohan Roy and Ishvarchandra Vidyasagara. In the middle period [of Indian history] Shrii Krśńa united all the kings of India in order to apply SHRII PRABHAT RANJAN SARKAR force and to destroy those powerful leaders who were doing evil and who, in the name of morality and justice, were encouraging unrighteousness within the accepted structure of society. He gave a clarion call to the human race and declared that the human body is Great the medium through which dharma is realized. However, it should not be utilized only for performing spiritual activities and breathing through alternate nostrils in a darkened room. People also have to Personalities become karma yogiis so they can destroy the root causes of sin in society. They should even mercilessly n the Kśatriya Age society had been like a from time to time according to people’s needs and take up arms against their relatives if necessary. On well-arranged stack of bricks, as at the brick desires. In the Vipra Age, however, the strongly- behalf of the common people Krśńa declared war on a Ikiln, but in the Vipra Age the bricks in the cemented edifice could not be rearranged at will. In social system built on a base of selfishness in order to stack became cemented together into a firm structure. order to change the edifice strong arms and a strong smash it. He stood defiantly against the systems of Just as new stacks of bricks can be built either hammer would have been needed. exploitation of the gurus and priests and propounded according to necessity or according to one’s liking, in We can say that in the Vipra Age the leaders of his own psychologically-based karmaváda [doctrine the Kśatriya Age the social system was rearranged of action]. society were more concerned with preserving the Lord Mahavir at the time of Enlightenment Vardhamana Mahavira tried to evolve a new ideology based on a scientific outlook. Hazrat Mohammed offered a new way of life to the ignorant and oppressed who were swirling endlessly round and round in the muddy whirlpool of superstition. He clearly declared that all the people of the world belonged to one caste. Kabir and Mahaprabhu launched open revolts against the casteism which had kept Indian society crippled by creating a tremendous complex of self- aggrandizement in one section of society and a terrible inferiority complex in another section. Although Mahaprabhu had been born into a well- known Brahman family, he suffered many insults Image of Muhammad by Rashid Al - Din circa 1315 because of his opposition to casteism. Despite this he remained steadfast in his ideology. for people, but rather people for the edifice. The sole aim of the vipra leaders became to preserve their edifice, without considering the interests of the people – without thinking about their happiness and sorrow, their pains and agonies – without listening to the supplications of humanity. In the Vipra Age those who tried to bring about even a little social change in the interest of the common people either died smashing their heads on Kabir Das blessing Mahaprabhu Chaitanya Guru Gobind Singh the hard bricks or broke the bricks with their hammers

0608 September 2013 | PROUT PROUT | September 2013 0709 HISTORY OF EXPLOITATION

0608 September 2013 | PROUT PROUT | September 2013 0709 Burning innocent women to death was once machinery of exploitation. mental or spiritual wealth as a gift of love – as an ideal. That is why the society of that era kept considered by Hindus to be a part of their religious The most distinctive feature of the vipras’ [social expression of affection – to be one’s gurus. Duty progressing step by step in the intellectual sphere: the life. Raja Ram Mohan Roy opposed this practice and system] was that it had supposedly been built for the towards such gurus was not a purely worldly duty, but thought of the ideal gave it no respite. Thus Vedic rśis with the help of Lord William Bentinck did not rest till welfare and greater good of the people, but where became an important sádhaná of jaeva dharma [duties [sages] always exhorted people to move forward, he had stopped it. As a result many attempts were their convenience or the thought of their welfare enjoined on unit beings]. saying that the mantra of a living society was made on his life. Vidyasagara did not rest till he had conflicted with the vipras’ intellectual exploitation, The sweet relationship between parents and their Caraeveti, caraeveti ["Move on, move on"]. compelled the Hindus in his region to recognize the vipras ruled in favour of their own exploitative children made family life in the Vipra Age a lot Vipra society was far more firmly-knit than widow remarriage. system. For this reason the principle of the Kśatriya happier than it had been in the Kśatriya Age. The kśatriya society had been. In kśatriya society it had Age, Viira bhogyá vasundhará children of the Kśatriya Age only took care to become necessary to select suitable brides and ["Might makes right"], was preserve the heroism, traditions and prestige of their grooms for marriages in order to maintain the replaced by a new principle in the parents, but the children of the Vipra Age learned to continuity of social traditions, but the personal wishes Vipra Age, Buddhiryasya balaḿ think about more than this. Just as parents and other of the brides and grooms themselves were not tasya nirbuddhestu kuto balam elders in the Vipra Age prayed, Puttrádicchet disregarded. Grooms and families were selected after ["Where there is intellect there is parájayam ["One should long to be outshone by one’s giving due consideration to the opinions of the brides might; where there is no intellect children"] or Shiśyádicchet parájayam ["One should and grooms themselves. But this was not the practice there is no might"]. long to be outshone by one’s students"], their children in the Vipra Age, when maintaining the continuity of Parents and Gurus not only tried to uphold the prestige of their families social traditions became the primary consideration. Though on the one hand the and of the lineages of their gurus, keeping in view Hence in the Vipra Age the scope for independent vipras became lazy and physically their families’ and gurus’ traditions, but also, in decisions regarding marriage disappeared, as undue weak due to the constant exercise of carefully preserving that prestige, kept an ideal importance began to be paid to the selection either of their intellects, on the other hand, in uppermost in their minds and moved towards that families or of grooms. them the sweetness of humanity became fully expressed. The idea Raja Ram Mohan Roy Ishvarchandra Vidyasagara that children should do something in return for their parents’ love and All historians know that the paths of Shrii Krśńa, affection had first awakened in the True leaders don't create followers Buddha, Mahaprabhu and Mahavira were not strewn Kśatriya Age, but the fact that the mental satisfaction with roses. Even today the standard bearers of vested gained from rendering service to one’s parents in this interests do not sympathize with such personalities. way helps the child to progress towards higher Among people who today appear to us as moral feelings was first deeply felt by the vipras. That is why They create more leaders leaders, those who protested against prevailing in the Vipra Age service to parents ceased to be customs and superstitions, such as Lenin, George limited to the repayment of a debt, but came to be Bernard Shaw and Manavendra Roy, were criticized considered part of one’s dharma sádhaná [spiritual and made the victims of false propaganda. They were practice].

Vladimir Lenin George Bernard Shaw Manavendra Roy

opposed and abused at every step for no reason at all. And why stop at service to one’s parents alone? Their only crime was to deal a blow at the vipras’ The vipras deemed all those who bestowed physical,

10 September 2013 | PROUT 11 PROUT | September 2013 11 Burning innocent women to death was once machinery of exploitation. mental or spiritual wealth as a gift of love – as an ideal. That is why the society of that era kept considered by Hindus to be a part of their religious The most distinctive feature of the vipras’ [social expression of affection – to be one’s gurus. Duty progressing step by step in the intellectual sphere: the life. Raja Ram Mohan Roy opposed this practice and system] was that it had supposedly been built for the towards such gurus was not a purely worldly duty, but thought of the ideal gave it no respite. Thus Vedic rśis with the help of Lord William Bentinck did not rest till welfare and greater good of the people, but where became an important sádhaná of jaeva dharma [duties [sages] always exhorted people to move forward, he had stopped it. As a result many attempts were their convenience or the thought of their welfare enjoined on unit beings]. saying that the mantra of a living society was made on his life. Vidyasagara did not rest till he had conflicted with the vipras’ intellectual exploitation, The sweet relationship between parents and their Caraeveti, caraeveti ["Move on, move on"]. compelled the Hindus in his region to recognize the vipras ruled in favour of their own exploitative children made family life in the Vipra Age a lot Vipra society was far more firmly-knit than widow remarriage. system. For this reason the principle of the Kśatriya happier than it had been in the Kśatriya Age. The kśatriya society had been. In kśatriya society it had Age, Viira bhogyá vasundhará children of the Kśatriya Age only took care to become necessary to select suitable brides and ["Might makes right"], was preserve the heroism, traditions and prestige of their grooms for marriages in order to maintain the replaced by a new principle in the parents, but the children of the Vipra Age learned to continuity of social traditions, but the personal wishes Vipra Age, Buddhiryasya balaḿ think about more than this. Just as parents and other of the brides and grooms themselves were not tasya nirbuddhestu kuto balam elders in the Vipra Age prayed, Puttrádicchet disregarded. Grooms and families were selected after ["Where there is intellect there is parájayam ["One should long to be outshone by one’s giving due consideration to the opinions of the brides might; where there is no intellect children"] or Shiśyádicchet parájayam ["One should and grooms themselves. But this was not the practice there is no might"]. long to be outshone by one’s students"], their children in the Vipra Age, when maintaining the continuity of Parents and Gurus not only tried to uphold the prestige of their families social traditions became the primary consideration. Though on the one hand the and of the lineages of their gurus, keeping in view Hence in the Vipra Age the scope for independent vipras became lazy and physically their families’ and gurus’ traditions, but also, in decisions regarding marriage disappeared, as undue weak due to the constant exercise of carefully preserving that prestige, kept an ideal importance began to be paid to the selection either of their intellects, on the other hand, in uppermost in their minds and moved towards that families or of grooms. them the sweetness of humanity became fully expressed. The idea Raja Ram Mohan Roy Ishvarchandra Vidyasagara that children should do something in return for their parents’ love and All historians know that the paths of Shrii Krśńa, affection had first awakened in the True leaders don't create followers Buddha, Mahaprabhu and Mahavira were not strewn Kśatriya Age, but the fact that the mental satisfaction with roses. Even today the standard bearers of vested gained from rendering service to one’s parents in this interests do not sympathize with such personalities. way helps the child to progress towards higher Among people who today appear to us as moral feelings was first deeply felt by the vipras. That is why They create more leaders leaders, those who protested against prevailing in the Vipra Age service to parents ceased to be customs and superstitions, such as Lenin, George limited to the repayment of a debt, but came to be Bernard Shaw and Manavendra Roy, were criticized considered part of one’s dharma sádhaná [spiritual and made the victims of false propaganda. They were practice].

Vladimir Lenin George Bernard Shaw Manavendra Roy opposed and abused at every step for no reason at all. And why stop at service to one’s parents alone? Their only crime was to deal a blow at the vipras’ The vipras deemed all those who bestowed physical,

10 September 2013 | PROUT 11 PROUT | September 2013 11 CULTURAL RENAISSANCE These could well be called satgiiti or satsamgiita – one that uplifts one’s entire life – such is their promise and 14th of this month marks the 31st anniversary of Prabhat Samgiit – potential. songs of awakening composed by Shrii Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar – PROUT’s Socio – Spiritual Renaissance He wished that the suffering founder, beginning from the first song in Deoghar a quiet hamlet in multitudes devoid of hope that only Jharkhand, India. This piece commemorates that historic and auspicious see darkness in their lives should sing and dance with laughter and event that marks the threshold towards a new crimson dawn of a forge ahead upon the path towards universal society. divinity. Like the ancient sage Bhagirath who brought the sacred Ganga from the heavens down to earth for the deliverance of mankind, these songs bursting with the rhythm of laughter and tears descend like a flood from the world of music upon this earth. They raise world. The first song was composed at unearthly hours at times. As the spiritual consciousness among Prabhat Samgiita on September 14, 1982 in Deoghar, Acarya Nityasatyananda says, “At people, especially among those who an ancinet town in Bihar (now times I was summoned to his room at are assailed with doubts about their Jharkhand), India and the last one on midnight. He told me to write ‘udasi ability to tread the spiritual path. October 20, 1990 at Calcutta, a day hiyate kajla rate keno je eman kare’ – Doubts are cleared by singing the before he departed from his mortal Songs of ‘in a dark night why a heart simple words, which act as star signs frame. An amazing fact to note is distressed feels restless’. Another for seekers of the mystical that, he did not compose a single one time it was before break of dawn unknown. of these exquisite verses in his own ‘sonali bhor jivane mor avar ki re “Mysticism is the never Awakening Beyond Millennia hand in the privacy of solitude and asche phire’ – ‘is the golden dawn ending endeavour to find a link calm reflection, but dictated all these returning to my life again?’ These between the finite and the infinite” songs extempore and sang their songs with depth of feelings, ð said Shrii Sarkar. These songs filled Arun Prakash missionary family members, monks for all. Towards this end, he led his tunes to his aides on the spot in language, melody, rhythm are inter- with a rare exquisite beauty carry us and nuns to spread his teachings of avowed mission till his departure unusual circumstances e.g. on woven in such a unique style that to the magical world of mysticism Acarya Nityasatyananda 'self-realisation and service to from this world on October 21, walks, travelling in cars, while they immediately strike a chord in upon the subtle wings of our inner Avadhuta a renowned poet lyricist humanity' all over India and later 1990. Besides being a spiritual having meals and at times even on the heart conveying a universal spirit. A number of songs raise and singer himself, who spent many throughout the world in over 180 Guru, he was a great visionary his way to the restroom. message. social consciousness among William Blake 1757-1827 years in Shrii Prabhat Ranjan countries with over four million stimulating international attention Beacon of Hope All these songs are not like humans – the most thoughtful and Sarkar's company and also sang for members. with over 200 books on art, As did our ancient sages, Shrii shrutis that came out from the lips of intelligent beings - making them rise him on many occasions observes, Universal Vision literature, social theory, history, Sarkar also believed that lyrics, our ancient sages; they are not above humanism towards neo- “One who was never known to sing Reflecting the broadness of his a n t h r o p o l o g y, p s y c h o l o g y, melody and dance, all combine to compositions of outpourings of the humanism with feelings of composed 5018 songs and gave universal vision, Ananda Marga has economics, biology, geology, para- make a song which exists not only in heart and soul - they are not songs of universalism that advocates a cult of their tunes in his twilight years. b e c o m e a m u l t i - f a c e t e d psychology, linguistics, medicine, the material world but in the spiritual worship alone as in Ramprasadii and love for all created beings of the What a phenomenal and amazing organization with different branches philosophy and philology. Ananda dimension as well. That is why from Rabindra Sangeet - they are blesings universe including inanimate ones. achievement!” That was Shrii dedicated to the upliftment of Marga and PROUT have today ancient times our great ancestors from the very heart of the Supreme. Between the material and spiritual Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar, Prout’s humanity through education, relief, become a powerful force for global have given these three art forms founder whose spiritual name is welfare, the arts, ecology, social change, working ceaselessly m u c h i m p o r t a n c e a n d Shrii Shrii Anandamurti, or simply intellectual renaissance, women's towards a golden dawn of a encouragement. Hence these three ‘Baba’ (father), who was born in emancipation, and humanistic universal society. aspects flourish in abundance in the Jamalpur, India on Vaishaki economy of PROUT (Progressive Immortal Songs world of Prabhat Samgiita. Once Purnima, 1922. Utilisation Theory) for the Over and above these he began, the wonder of creativity Since childhood he attracted collective welfare of the entire phenomenal achievements, he burst forth like a fountain to a small people with his deep love for society that would provide composed the lyrics and melody for stream into a mighty river to finally humanity and guided them along the maximum utilisation and rational 5018 songs in a short span of eight merge into the fathomless boundless path of self-realisation. In 1955, distribution of all resources and years. These immortal songs known sea of supreme consciousness. while leading a normal family life as potentialities of the world — as Prabhat Samgiita encompass his Wherever he went, be it Jaipur, a railway official, he formed the physical, mental and spiritual and vision of the certainty of mankind's Gwalior, Gorakhpur, Delhi, Jammu organisation Ananda Marga ‘The the creation of a new, humanistic ultimate victory over darkness and or Varanasi these outpourings came Path of Bliss’, and began training social order of harmony and justice evil that would herald a bright new regularly at all times of the day and

12 September 2013 | PROUT PROUT | September 2013 13 CULTURAL RENAISSANCE These could well be called satgiiti or satsamgiita – one that uplifts one’s entire life – such is their promise and 14th of this month marks the 31st anniversary of Prabhat Samgiit – potential. songs of awakening composed by Shrii Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar – PROUT’s Socio – Spiritual Renaissance He wished that the suffering founder, beginning from the first song in Deoghar a quiet hamlet in multitudes devoid of hope that only Jharkhand, India. This piece commemorates that historic and auspicious see darkness in their lives should sing and dance with laughter and event that marks the threshold towards a new crimson dawn of a forge ahead upon the path towards universal society. divinity. Like the ancient sage Bhagirath who brought the sacred Ganga from the heavens down to earth for the deliverance of mankind, these songs bursting with the rhythm of laughter and tears descend like a flood from the world of music upon this earth. They raise world. The first song was composed at unearthly hours at times. As the spiritual consciousness among Prabhat Samgiita on September 14, 1982 in Deoghar, Acarya Nityasatyananda says, “At people, especially among those who an ancinet town in Bihar (now times I was summoned to his room at are assailed with doubts about their Jharkhand), India and the last one on midnight. He told me to write ‘udasi ability to tread the spiritual path. October 20, 1990 at Calcutta, a day hiyate kajla rate keno je eman kare’ – Doubts are cleared by singing the before he departed from his mortal Songs of ‘in a dark night why a heart simple words, which act as star signs frame. An amazing fact to note is distressed feels restless’. Another for seekers of the mystical that, he did not compose a single one time it was before break of dawn unknown. of these exquisite verses in his own ‘sonali bhor jivane mor avar ki re “Mysticism is the never Awakening Beyond Millennia hand in the privacy of solitude and asche phire’ – ‘is the golden dawn ending endeavour to find a link calm reflection, but dictated all these returning to my life again?’ These between the finite and the infinite” songs extempore and sang their songs with depth of feelings, ð said Shrii Sarkar. These songs filled Arun Prakash missionary family members, monks for all. Towards this end, he led his tunes to his aides on the spot in language, melody, rhythm are inter- with a rare exquisite beauty carry us and nuns to spread his teachings of avowed mission till his departure unusual circumstances e.g. on woven in such a unique style that to the magical world of mysticism Acarya Nityasatyananda 'self-realisation and service to from this world on October 21, walks, travelling in cars, while they immediately strike a chord in upon the subtle wings of our inner Avadhuta a renowned poet lyricist humanity' all over India and later 1990. Besides being a spiritual having meals and at times even on the heart conveying a universal spirit. A number of songs raise and singer himself, who spent many throughout the world in over 180 Guru, he was a great visionary his way to the restroom. message. social consciousness among William Blake 1757-1827 years in Shrii Prabhat Ranjan countries with over four million stimulating international attention Beacon of Hope All these songs are not like humans – the most thoughtful and Sarkar's company and also sang for members. with over 200 books on art, As did our ancient sages, Shrii shrutis that came out from the lips of intelligent beings - making them rise him on many occasions observes, Universal Vision literature, social theory, history, Sarkar also believed that lyrics, our ancient sages; they are not above humanism towards neo- “One who was never known to sing Reflecting the broadness of his a n t h r o p o l o g y, p s y c h o l o g y, melody and dance, all combine to compositions of outpourings of the humanism with feelings of composed 5018 songs and gave universal vision, Ananda Marga has economics, biology, geology, para- make a song which exists not only in heart and soul - they are not songs of universalism that advocates a cult of their tunes in his twilight years. b e c o m e a m u l t i - f a c e t e d psychology, linguistics, medicine, the material world but in the spiritual worship alone as in Ramprasadii and love for all created beings of the What a phenomenal and amazing organization with different branches philosophy and philology. Ananda dimension as well. That is why from Rabindra Sangeet - they are blesings universe including inanimate ones. achievement!” That was Shrii dedicated to the upliftment of Marga and PROUT have today ancient times our great ancestors from the very heart of the Supreme. Between the material and spiritual Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar, Prout’s humanity through education, relief, become a powerful force for global have given these three art forms founder whose spiritual name is welfare, the arts, ecology, social change, working ceaselessly m u c h i m p o r t a n c e a n d Shrii Shrii Anandamurti, or simply intellectual renaissance, women's towards a golden dawn of a encouragement. Hence these three ‘Baba’ (father), who was born in emancipation, and humanistic universal society. aspects flourish in abundance in the Jamalpur, India on Vaishaki economy of PROUT (Progressive Immortal Songs world of Prabhat Samgiita. Once Purnima, 1922. Utilisation Theory) for the Over and above these he began, the wonder of creativity Since childhood he attracted collective welfare of the entire phenomenal achievements, he burst forth like a fountain to a small people with his deep love for society that would provide composed the lyrics and melody for stream into a mighty river to finally humanity and guided them along the maximum utilisation and rational 5018 songs in a short span of eight merge into the fathomless boundless path of self-realisation. In 1955, distribution of all resources and years. These immortal songs known sea of supreme consciousness. while leading a normal family life as potentialities of the world — as Prabhat Samgiita encompass his Wherever he went, be it Jaipur, a railway official, he formed the physical, mental and spiritual and vision of the certainty of mankind's Gwalior, Gorakhpur, Delhi, Jammu organisation Ananda Marga ‘The the creation of a new, humanistic ultimate victory over darkness and or Varanasi these outpourings came Path of Bliss’, and began training social order of harmony and justice evil that would herald a bright new regularly at all times of the day and

12 September 2013 | PROUT PROUT | September 2013 13 from superlative melodies of India; it is in fact a fusion of both the East and West. Even old and forgotten melodies nearly lost due to disuse have been revived. Besides Bengali, he composed songs in seven other languages, Sanskrit, Hindi, Urdu, English, Angika, Magahii and Maethili. The language of most of them is simple. In some, deep sonorous words and old Vedic words (unused for long) have been used, which add variety of expression to the Bengali language. world lies the world of intellect. For commitment of service. His Folk songs too have a place. Jhumur the enhancement of this human catchwords ‘Art for service and songs in Rarhii dialect of Bengali intellect and its liberation there are blessedness’ is a beacon for artists of enrich the genre of popular folklore. besides describing the glory and are many songs. Children with their many songs on neo-humanistic the future and such songs are rays of should be musical expression for the Though their tunes are catchy the beauty of nature remind us about unblemished minds wish to fly in a themes best described in his words, hope in the dark depressing world of general public and Shiva who was songs lack feelings of spirituality. their Creator too. That is the reason world of fantasy. Prabhat Samgiita “Let humans do all they can for the today. All this is for creating a ‘Nadatanu’ – ‘music personified’ This deficiency has been made up in why such songs do not remain provides a wealth of songs that benefit of humanity but they should society that would be free from did just that. And 3500 years later more than good measure in Prabhat within the bounds of physical beauty appeal to children’s minds; develop remember that animals, birds and exploitation in the not too distant Lord Krishna with notes of his Samgiita. The soul of a song is its alone but elevate the mind to the creative talent, making them soar on insects are not alien to them. Even future. melodious flute and his liila melody. The tunes given by him heights of divinity. These songs play melodies’ waves towards strange plants wish to survive”. enchanted his many devotees. In the were selected from a wide variety of Shibokti and Krishna Liila a very important role in our lives. and unknown worlds with winged There are songs describing the celebrated tomes ‘Namah Shivaya traditions ranging from Indian Before the advent of Lord When viewed through spiritual eyes horses and fairies among clouds and tears of a dying tree, the glory of a S h a n t a y a ’ a n d ‘ N a m a m i classical and folk tunes to Persian, Shiva around 7000 years ago people Nature takes on a different golden lotus in the deep blue sea on dust particle and the viraha Krishnasundaram’ Shrii Sarkar has Israeli, Chinese, Scandinavian and sang and danced and there was dimension as a metamorphosed the wings of fantasy. (yearning for the Lord) of flowers. thrown new light on the life and Iberian. These in fact enhance their music of sorts but all were rather form of the Supreme Consciousness. T h i s a s s u m e s s p e c i a l As this gains expression in society ideals of Lord Shiva and Lord universal appeal. rowdy and wild. Shiva – Sadashiva Then there are songs of seasons significance in today’s world where moving along the path of spirituality Krishna the two great historical His compositions included also known as ‘Nataraja’ – ‘King of that reflect the change of dress of the wealthy young generation is can one truly proclaim the song of personages of India – nay the world. Indian ragas and raginiis like the Dancers’ with his dexterous Mother Nature, these do not simply growing up on laptops, notepads and human triumph and glory. Also by In Prabhat Samgiita there are more Bhaeraviii, Yogiya, Ashvarii, Tori, hands framed the fundamental spirit describe the external visuals that mobile phones with the marvel of introducing the concept of PROUT than a hundred songs devoted to Bhiimapalashrii, Pilu, Iman, of dance, instrumental music and eyes observe, but also provide deep technology – the touch screen – in some of his songs he has them. These songs inspire devotees Khambaj, Bageshrii, Kafi, song on scientific lines. He insight into the joys and sorrows that where the world nay the universe is enshrined the noble human and lift their spirit to levels sublime. Chandrakosa, Tilak Kamod, Kedar, bequeathed to the world the accompany them as well as their literally at their finger tips. It philosophy of service and fight Behag, Malkosa, Chayanat, priceless gift of tandava the Panorama of Songs symbolic meaning in the psychic assumes even more significance for against exploiters who have become Darbarii Kanara, Desh Bahar, primordial phase of oriental dance. When the father of neo- and spiritual realms. children growing up in slums whose demons, where devotional poetry Jayajayanti, etc. To create richer The devas, the Tantrics of that era humanism composes songs, nature Social functions play an minds are bruised by ill treatment. has been fused with social learned tandava and felt that there is in the forefront. These songs expression of feelings he at times important role to create goodwill Lyrics and Tunes blended more than one raga. He among the people. These songs It has been rightly said, “The selected the apt raga to transform the laced with the nectar of spirituality essence of joy works very widely; lyrical image of a song into melody evoke boundless joy and depths of music inspires human beings and its with ease. The words never had to feelings and dwell upon solemn and meanings lead them towards its wait for its tune; both flowed auspicious events in human society inner meaning”. Prabhat Samgiit together out of the heart of such an viz. births, deaths, marriages, does not draw its sustenance only august personage as Shrii PR Sarkar. children’s naming ceremony, birthdays, ‘griha pravesh’ (entering a new home for the first time, called housewarming in the west). For festivals too there are songs, important ones like Diipavali (festival of lights), Holi (festival of colours) and many others like spring festival, harvesting new rice crop etc. For children our future, there Ram Kumar Chattopadhyay Baul singer

14 September 2013 | PROUT PROUT | September 2013 15 from superlative melodies of India; it is in fact a fusion of both the East and West. Even old and forgotten melodies nearly lost due to disuse have been revived. Besides Bengali, he composed songs in seven other languages, Sanskrit, Hindi, Urdu, English, Angika, Magahii and Maethili. The language of most of them is simple. In some, deep sonorous words and old Vedic words (unused for long) have been used, which add variety of expression to the Bengali language. world lies the world of intellect. For commitment of service. His Folk songs too have a place. Jhumur the enhancement of this human catchwords ‘Art for service and songs in Rarhii dialect of Bengali intellect and its liberation there are blessedness’ is a beacon for artists of enrich the genre of popular folklore. besides describing the glory and are many songs. Children with their many songs on neo-humanistic the future and such songs are rays of should be musical expression for the Though their tunes are catchy the beauty of nature remind us about unblemished minds wish to fly in a themes best described in his words, hope in the dark depressing world of general public and Shiva who was songs lack feelings of spirituality. their Creator too. That is the reason world of fantasy. Prabhat Samgiita “Let humans do all they can for the today. All this is for creating a ‘Nadatanu’ – ‘music personified’ This deficiency has been made up in why such songs do not remain provides a wealth of songs that benefit of humanity but they should society that would be free from did just that. And 3500 years later more than good measure in Prabhat within the bounds of physical beauty appeal to children’s minds; develop remember that animals, birds and exploitation in the not too distant Lord Krishna with notes of his Samgiita. The soul of a song is its alone but elevate the mind to the creative talent, making them soar on insects are not alien to them. Even future. melodious flute and his liila melody. The tunes given by him heights of divinity. These songs play melodies’ waves towards strange plants wish to survive”. enchanted his many devotees. In the were selected from a wide variety of Shibokti and Krishna Liila a very important role in our lives. and unknown worlds with winged There are songs describing the celebrated tomes ‘Namah Shivaya traditions ranging from Indian Before the advent of Lord When viewed through spiritual eyes horses and fairies among clouds and tears of a dying tree, the glory of a S h a n t a y a ’ a n d ‘ N a m a m i classical and folk tunes to Persian, Shiva around 7000 years ago people Nature takes on a different golden lotus in the deep blue sea on dust particle and the viraha Krishnasundaram’ Shrii Sarkar has Israeli, Chinese, Scandinavian and sang and danced and there was dimension as a metamorphosed the wings of fantasy. (yearning for the Lord) of flowers. thrown new light on the life and Iberian. These in fact enhance their music of sorts but all were rather form of the Supreme Consciousness. T h i s a s s u m e s s p e c i a l As this gains expression in society ideals of Lord Shiva and Lord universal appeal. rowdy and wild. Shiva – Sadashiva Then there are songs of seasons significance in today’s world where moving along the path of spirituality Krishna the two great historical His compositions included also known as ‘Nataraja’ – ‘King of that reflect the change of dress of the wealthy young generation is can one truly proclaim the song of personages of India – nay the world. Indian ragas and raginiis like the Dancers’ with his dexterous Mother Nature, these do not simply growing up on laptops, notepads and human triumph and glory. Also by In Prabhat Samgiita there are more Bhaeraviii, Yogiya, Ashvarii, Tori, hands framed the fundamental spirit describe the external visuals that mobile phones with the marvel of introducing the concept of PROUT than a hundred songs devoted to Bhiimapalashrii, Pilu, Iman, of dance, instrumental music and eyes observe, but also provide deep technology – the touch screen – in some of his songs he has them. These songs inspire devotees Khambaj, Bageshrii, Kafi, song on scientific lines. He insight into the joys and sorrows that where the world nay the universe is enshrined the noble human and lift their spirit to levels sublime. Chandrakosa, Tilak Kamod, Kedar, bequeathed to the world the accompany them as well as their literally at their finger tips. It philosophy of service and fight Behag, Malkosa, Chayanat, priceless gift of tandava the Panorama of Songs symbolic meaning in the psychic assumes even more significance for against exploiters who have become Darbarii Kanara, Desh Bahar, primordial phase of oriental dance. When the father of neo- and spiritual realms. children growing up in slums whose demons, where devotional poetry Jayajayanti, etc. To create richer The devas, the Tantrics of that era humanism composes songs, nature Social functions play an minds are bruised by ill treatment. has been fused with social learned tandava and felt that there is in the forefront. These songs expression of feelings he at times important role to create goodwill Lyrics and Tunes blended more than one raga. He among the people. These songs It has been rightly said, “The selected the apt raga to transform the laced with the nectar of spirituality essence of joy works very widely; lyrical image of a song into melody evoke boundless joy and depths of music inspires human beings and its with ease. The words never had to feelings and dwell upon solemn and meanings lead them towards its wait for its tune; both flowed auspicious events in human society inner meaning”. Prabhat Samgiit together out of the heart of such an viz. births, deaths, marriages, does not draw its sustenance only august personage as Shrii PR Sarkar. children’s naming ceremony, birthdays, ‘griha pravesh’ (entering a new home for the first time, called housewarming in the west). For festivals too there are songs, important ones like Diipavali (festival of lights), Holi (festival of colours) and many others like spring festival, harvesting new rice crop etc. For children our future, there Ram Kumar Chattopadhyay Baul singer

14 September 2013 | PROUT PROUT | September 2013 15 Tappa and Baul Calcutta who much later was Tappa came from the Punjab ordained as a monk as Acarya and took Bengal by storm Priyashivanada) and Rudrashish. captivating audiences in the These were first checked by Dada nineteenth century through superb Sarvatmananda and later the compositions. Tappa songs of composer would hear them and Prabhat Samgiita through their correct the tune or the words if ideational leanings, language and required. Sometime towards the late tunes have given this form a place of 1980s the first professional honour. The famous singer Ram Kumar Chattopadhyay who has excelled in Tappa and has sung many a Prabhat Samgiita remarked in his characteristic style, “His songs contain all expressions of elements of life and the world and urge humanity to march towards progress”. The far western fringe of Rarh, where the Suvarnarekha, Kansavati and Damodar river valleys meet is the cradle of Rarhi and human civilisation. And in this land, Baul songs with its style and India. On that very day he founded RAWA has expanded worldwide tunes have had a great influence on Renaissance Universal and thus was and conducts cultural programmes born the same day the Renaissance and is the main platform for the folk songs of the people who V Balsara tread their beloved red soil with bare Artists and Writers Association spreading Prabhat Samgiita with feet and whose souls always stirred (RAWA) to deal with life’s finer and performing artists of song dance and with mystical longing for the aesthetic values like music, all dance music, whose images feature in this recordings began in Studio Bombay for Calcutta and settled world of music and Bengali songs infinite. forms, painting and sculpture. Its article are from such programmes in Vibration of the famous singer Usha down in the cultural capital of India are being sung and enjoyed all over Ghazals and Qawallis too, find goal as a cultural organisation is to various cities and towns of India Utthup and the first round of in 1954. His love for music the world. In Brazil and Argentina pride of place with their spiritual unite writers and artists under a and, overseas. All these songs with cassettes were produced for public continued throughout his life and he there is a growing interest in Prabhat quality, depth of feelings and single banner to usher in a cultural their lofty thoughts, beautiful distribution. composed music for 32 Bengali Samgiita, and the locals have begun richness of language using many renaissance in the world. The language and sweet melodies have B y m i d 1 9 9 0 S t u d i o films and 12 Hindi films with over a movement ‘Prabhat Samgiita for Urdu, Arabic and Persian words uniting factor draws sustenance ushered in a new dawn of music to Renaissance was commissioned and 200 albums to his credit. In 1994 he All’ – ‘Prabhat Samgiit Para Todos’ giving them special significance. from true civilisational values of guide and provide solace to recordings continued in full swing feelings of love for the Supreme suffering humanity. and production of compact discs too received from the Sangeet Natak in Portuguese and Spanish. This in RAWA Creator, love for fellow human Whenever songs would come commenced. Akademi the award for Creative and the main is due to the untiring efforts Shrii Sarkar who on January beings, flora and fauna. These with to mind Shrii Sarkar would softly Experimental Music. of Shri Kirit Dave who was born in 26, 1958 began the renaissance inspired artists and writers would sing them in the tunes of his own V Balsara and Balsara passed away on March Bhavnagar (Gujarat), India and now movement on the banks of the holy surely lead to a higher state of creation. Those early days there was Prabhata Samgiita 24, 2005 and lived a life rhythm and lives in the USA. Since childhood he River Ganges in the village of existence for humanity through the a select group who would take down Prabhat Samgiita have been beauty. He said, “If I am asked to was very much interested in music Trimohan, district Bhagalpur, Bihar, medium of culture. Since then the songs in longhand as well as the given the magic touch of the genius pray for one thing, I would only say and then came under the influence of musical notation. These included of the famous music maestro Vistas give me strength to live a life full of Shrii Sarkar and fell in love with A c a r y a s S a r v a t m a n a n d a , Ardeshir Balsara whose music rhythm and beauty and lead a life of Prabhata Samgiita and took them as Cetanananda, Krishnatmananda and according to many stalwarts, will dreams that never die”. a mission. Says he, “Every year I do his bodyguard Pratap. As tape remain a treasure trove for future His close association with one month tour of Brasil to recorders were not allowed, some generations. Prabhat Samgiita began sometime popularize and teach Prabhat songs may have lost few of their Born in June 1922 he learnt early 1990s and these excellent Samgiita. I visit various cities and original lines. music from his mother Nazamaye performances recorded in audio give workshop and training. Baba Later a small cassette recorder and gave his first solo performance cassettes and compact discs under had told me personally about the was procured and in a room on the at the age of six with the pedal the auspices of RAWA have necessity of tabla, so I bring a good 5th floor at Tiljala a studio was harmonium, in use those days. He attracted millions of listeners tabla player from Argentina who opened, and with just a harmonium loved the Piano which he learnt from worldwide like bees to honey, and also travels with me and teaches and table rudimentary recordings of Hildafield a German musician and the numbers keep growing. taals and tabla. This year 2013 we songs began sung by Smt. Kalyani also Univox and Melodica. Bright Future added tabla workshop also. We Ghosh, Didi Anandabina, Prashanta After close contacts with Prabhat Samgiita has ushered imported good harmoniums from (then a professor in City College Bengali musicians Balsara left in a new dawn on the horizon of the India and so a nice PS team is

16 September 2013 | PROUT PROUT | September 2013 17 Tappa and Baul Calcutta who much later was Tappa came from the Punjab ordained as a monk as Acarya and took Bengal by storm Priyashivanada) and Rudrashish. captivating audiences in the These were first checked by Dada nineteenth century through superb Sarvatmananda and later the compositions. Tappa songs of composer would hear them and Prabhat Samgiita through their correct the tune or the words if ideational leanings, language and required. Sometime towards the late tunes have given this form a place of 1980s the first professional honour. The famous singer Ram Kumar Chattopadhyay who has excelled in Tappa and has sung many a Prabhat Samgiita remarked in his characteristic style, “His songs contain all expressions of elements of life and the world and urge humanity to march towards progress”. The far western fringe of Rarh, where the Suvarnarekha, Kansavati and Damodar river valleys meet is the cradle of Rarhi and human civilisation. And in this land, Baul songs with its style and India. On that very day he founded RAWA has expanded worldwide tunes have had a great influence on Renaissance Universal and thus was and conducts cultural programmes born the same day the Renaissance and is the main platform for the folk songs of the people who V Balsara tread their beloved red soil with bare Artists and Writers Association spreading Prabhat Samgiita with feet and whose souls always stirred (RAWA) to deal with life’s finer and performing artists of song dance and with mystical longing for the aesthetic values like music, all dance music, whose images feature in this recordings began in Studio Bombay for Calcutta and settled world of music and Bengali songs infinite. forms, painting and sculpture. Its article are from such programmes in Vibration of the famous singer Usha down in the cultural capital of India are being sung and enjoyed all over Ghazals and Qawallis too, find goal as a cultural organisation is to various cities and towns of India Utthup and the first round of in 1954. His love for music the world. In Brazil and Argentina pride of place with their spiritual unite writers and artists under a and, overseas. All these songs with cassettes were produced for public continued throughout his life and he there is a growing interest in Prabhat quality, depth of feelings and single banner to usher in a cultural their lofty thoughts, beautiful distribution. composed music for 32 Bengali Samgiita, and the locals have begun richness of language using many renaissance in the world. The language and sweet melodies have B y m i d 1 9 9 0 S t u d i o films and 12 Hindi films with over a movement ‘Prabhat Samgiita for Urdu, Arabic and Persian words uniting factor draws sustenance ushered in a new dawn of music to Renaissance was commissioned and 200 albums to his credit. In 1994 he All’ – ‘Prabhat Samgiit Para Todos’ giving them special significance. from true civilisational values of guide and provide solace to recordings continued in full swing feelings of love for the Supreme suffering humanity. and production of compact discs too received from the Sangeet Natak in Portuguese and Spanish. This in RAWA Creator, love for fellow human Whenever songs would come commenced. Akademi the award for Creative and the main is due to the untiring efforts Shrii Sarkar who on January beings, flora and fauna. These with to mind Shrii Sarkar would softly Experimental Music. of Shri Kirit Dave who was born in 26, 1958 began the renaissance inspired artists and writers would sing them in the tunes of his own V Balsara and Balsara passed away on March Bhavnagar (Gujarat), India and now movement on the banks of the holy surely lead to a higher state of creation. Those early days there was Prabhata Samgiita 24, 2005 and lived a life rhythm and lives in the USA. Since childhood he River Ganges in the village of existence for humanity through the a select group who would take down Prabhat Samgiita have been beauty. He said, “If I am asked to was very much interested in music Trimohan, district Bhagalpur, Bihar, medium of culture. Since then the songs in longhand as well as the given the magic touch of the genius pray for one thing, I would only say and then came under the influence of musical notation. These included of the famous music maestro Vistas give me strength to live a life full of Shrii Sarkar and fell in love with A c a r y a s S a r v a t m a n a n d a , Ardeshir Balsara whose music rhythm and beauty and lead a life of Prabhata Samgiita and took them as Cetanananda, Krishnatmananda and according to many stalwarts, will dreams that never die”. a mission. Says he, “Every year I do his bodyguard Pratap. As tape remain a treasure trove for future His close association with one month tour of Brasil to recorders were not allowed, some generations. Prabhat Samgiita began sometime popularize and teach Prabhat songs may have lost few of their Born in June 1922 he learnt early 1990s and these excellent Samgiita. I visit various cities and original lines. music from his mother Nazamaye performances recorded in audio give workshop and training. Baba Later a small cassette recorder and gave his first solo performance cassettes and compact discs under had told me personally about the was procured and in a room on the at the age of six with the pedal the auspices of RAWA have necessity of tabla, so I bring a good 5th floor at Tiljala a studio was harmonium, in use those days. He attracted millions of listeners tabla player from Argentina who opened, and with just a harmonium loved the Piano which he learnt from worldwide like bees to honey, and also travels with me and teaches and table rudimentary recordings of Hildafield a German musician and the numbers keep growing. taals and tabla. This year 2013 we songs began sung by Smt. Kalyani also Univox and Melodica. Bright Future added tabla workshop also. We Ghosh, Didi Anandabina, Prashanta After close contacts with Prabhat Samgiita has ushered imported good harmoniums from (then a professor in City College Bengali musicians Balsara left in a new dawn on the horizon of the India and so a nice PS team is

16 September 2013 | PROUT PROUT | September 2013 17 In Sarkar’s conception, the goal is to create a TRANSFORMING LEADERSHIP new class – the sadvipra - who can use aspects of each class in progressive ways. They The Sarkar Game are service-based, protective, innovators, and wealth-creators, in respectively.

Prabhat Samgiita programme in Madhu Karuna Germany and in Sao Paolo, Brazil mission of uplifting the poor and toiling masses to herald fresh air in today’s dark days and point towards a golden the dawn of a new renaissance, an awakening beyond dawn of the morrow. We may end with the composer’s Action millennia with new light and hope for mankind. words, “I am an optimist. In all matters big or small Prabhat Samgiita’s, sweet melodies besides stirring humans must be optimistic. I have sung songs that show a the soul always evoke a hope for a bright future. While bright future for mankind. I shall continue to sing them, Transforming Leadership through Understanding and Embodying Power humanism was the cry of the European renaissance, because I believe, one whose goal is the Supreme Entity, Prabhat Samgiita and neo-humanism plays a significant for him victory is certain”. ð Professor Sohail Inayatullah role in a world shaken by conflicts and strife, plagued by The writer has translated poverty, hunger, ignorance and disease to usher in a new all 5018 songs into English. renaissance that would turn planet Earth into a paradise in He may be reached at nvented by academics the not too distant future. These songs are like a breath of [email protected] Peter Hayward and Joe IVoros, the Sarkar game is based on the theories of social change of Indian macro-historian, and spiritual mystic, P.R. Sarkar. While I will not articulate his theory extensively, it is worth noting that for Sarkar the purpose of understanding history is to enhance agency so that an alternative future can be created. Even while he posited a cyclical theory of social change, his intent was to create a new form of leadership that could transform the cyclical into a spiral, wherein the patterns of the past are transformed for a progressive future. In Sarkar’s conception, the Writer Voros and Hayward goal is to create a new class – the sadvipra - who can use aspects of each class in progressive ways. nation-state or other narrow forms ensure that the sadvipras do not slip They are service-based, protective, of identity, but rather they must into a particular class, which would innovators, and wealth-creators, think and act for the entire planet. ensure continued social stagnation. respectively. By having a sense of This expanded sense of identity While Sarkar framed his theory the whole, the integrated, sadvipras Sarkar called Neohumanism. in planetary terms, it is equally can judge which skills are required Neohumanism, for Sarkar, liberates applicable to organisations and for the good of all. They thus cannot the intellect, allowing for deeper institutions. Thus, participants can be beholden to either their own ways of knowing and the inclusion ask in a workshop setting, is a personal, ego needs, or to religious, of the other. It is an escape route to particular type of power dominant?

18 September 2013 | PROUT PROUT | September 2013 19 In Sarkar’s conception, the goal is to create a TRANSFORMING LEADERSHIP new class – the sadvipra - who can use aspects of each class in progressive ways. They The Sarkar Game are service-based, protective, innovators, and wealth-creators, in respectively.

18 September 2013 | PROUT PROUT | September 2013 19 the “reality” of truth. We remove error and o r s i m p l y knowledge, then they are either social change and confusion. We use words and speech taken away. ignored by the other classes or discover more of to convey ideas that give knowledge. Recently, I eliminated rather quickly by the their inner selves We value ideas. Some of us have h a v e u s e d warriors. and the strengths knowledge of scientific reality and water pistols, Warriors that are overly prone and weaknesses of some of us have knowledge of so that in case to use their weapons ensure that the the organizations spiritual reality. Some of us as well t h e r e i s a entire system fails. In a recent game and institutions use art, poetry and story to shooting, the with a regional department of health they inhabit. understand the past and present and person who in Australia, the warriors first shot the workers, then the intellectuals The Script create different futures. Our power h a s b e e n “killed” is and then the capitalists. I had earlier T h e g a m e is ideational. Only we can create marked (and asked three players to judge the b e g i n s b y u s u a l l y process, to give an award to the dividing the moves to the person they felt had won the game, participants f l o o r ) s o the person who was the most i n t o f o u r everyone can effective. The evaluators gave the groups. Each Warriors are given plastic guns, see that she or award to one of the intellectuals, group is given a script and and the following script: other three groups. At this stage, all he is no longer an active player who they felt had attempted to work tools. Workers get tools for four groups are active in playing out (though “dead” players do attempt for the system as a whole. The Has a group stayed too long and thus labour, with the following the dynamics of power. The game to speak from beyond the grave). warriors, having eliminated their not allowed the other ways of script (adapted from Hayward can then conclude, either with a And there are times when, once a labour force, and their sources of knowing to be expressed? What can & Voros, 2004): resolution or a total system collapse. number of players are killed, ideas and capital, had reached a be done to keep the cycle moving? I am a worker or a simple Timing when the next group is participants reflect and negotiate dead-end. Can the cycle be transformed into a peasant. I have individual brought in and when the game until a solution is reached. While it I then asked the entire group to spiral? wants; first - safety, security, should be concluded is somewhat may appear that the warriors have reflect on the outcome. They P. R. Sarkar’s ‘Social Cycle’ food (to be free of my intuitive. It is important for the the real power, this is not the case. suggested that the health system was elegantly demonstrates how easily environment). When these are facilitator to allow individuals to All have power, just of different reactive, short-term-oriented, risk ‘social roles’ are adopted and how met I want belief, inspiration, role-play and not judge, i.e. “this is types. averse and that it acted as if threats these roles bring forth partial and faith (to be free from my Capitalists are given cash, how the game is meant to be At one workshop, a worker lay were everywhere, within and limited understandings of change suffering and fear of death). When and the following script: played.” It is best to bring in the next on a nearby couch, resting. Although outside the system. Thus, the and change processes. As a these are met I want material ideas to believe in. We create the group if there is a natural lull in the there was bloodshed around her, her immediate response was to macrohistorical model of social comfort and wealth (to be free from enlightenment. action or conversation, or if it refusal to commit to any solution eliminate all potential threats; the change and as an embodiment the want, work, discomfort and We are the capitalists. We seek appears that there is a deadlock; a that did not respect her human rights result was that the entire system fell process of social construction, it is a struggle). My power is chaos, the to apply ideas to create material new type of power or energy is led to a protracted negotiation apart. p i v o t a l l e a r n i n g e l e m e n t ability to disrupt. When satisfied I growth. We seek opportunities to be required. through which she won the right to An international policing (Inayatullah, Bussey & Milojevic, am quiet (for a while) and then I successful. The more we have the After the game ends, it is rest. She did not actively engage the group followed a similar pattern. 2006, p. 285). want, and demand, more from the more power we have. Our power is crucial that there is a reflection others; rather she removed herself. However, the warriors in this The intent of the Sarkar game is system. I can stand against the economic. Only we can create period for the four groups and for the My conclusion is that non-violent workshop did attempt to negotiate to take theoretical ideals and system and bring it or myself down. material wealth. individuals in each group. What did creative resistance can work, as with the other parties before embody them in role-playing We are the warriors. We The workers are asked to begin they experience? How did they Otpor clearly showed in the eliminating them. Wisely, the situations so individuals experience honour loyalty, the game. As they work – build, experience the other groups? What downfall of Slobodan Milosevic in warriors kept two of the capitalists courage and unity. clean, type - (or not), after a few was their self-learning? What does the late 1990s. However, for alive so that cash would keep We serve to protect minutes the warriors are invited into this tell them about their own capitalists this is not an option. coming to them. Again, the the system from the game. They may suggest organisation? What is needed in Capitalists are least successful evaluators judged that the danger and chaos. improvements, for the workers to terms of governance at the planetary when they do not spend their money, intellectuals had won since they We bring order work harder or with more honour, or level? After reflections, the game is and instead only show it. When they attempted to create win-win where there is they may construct the workers as complete. spend their cash, they can quickly solutions. Recently, at a course for none. We enforce lazy and shoot them. move to a dominant position. They senior executives in Australia at the the wishes of the Case Studies As a discussion between can use their cash to purchase Mt Eliza Executive Education system. Our power workers and warriors begins, after The game can go a number of weapons, to hire intellectuals to Centre, the warriors quickly bullied is the ability to five minutes or so, depending on ways. Sometimes there is extensive create more effective productivity the other classes, eventually killing d o m i n a t e t h e whether there is “regression”, the negotiation between all parties and schemes, or give workers incentives quite a few. However, one of the environment. Only intellectuals are brought in. They attempts are made to move toward to keep on producing. Intellectuals, intellectuals convinced the warriors w e h a v e t h e may engage in dialogue directly consensus. Other times, violence is to some extent, have the most to put down their weapons and weapons. with the workers or with the used to make a point. challenging task. When they inquire negotiate with the other classes to We are the warriors. After another five minutes While warriors begin with the into the conditions of others, they create a productive economic intellectuals. We or so, the capitalists are brought in. guns they do not always end up tend to be successful. However, system for all parties. However, this search for the Intellectuals are given books, and the following script: They can negotiate with any of the keeping the guns - guns can be sold when they claim exclusivity of was only possible once it dawned on

20 September 2013 | PROUT PROUT | September 2013 21 the “reality” of truth. We remove error and o r s i m p l y knowledge, then they are either social change and confusion. We use words and speech taken away. ignored by the other classes or discover more of to convey ideas that give knowledge. Recently, I eliminated rather quickly by the their inner selves We value ideas. Some of us have h a v e u s e d warriors. and the strengths knowledge of scientific reality and water pistols, Warriors that are overly prone and weaknesses of some of us have knowledge of so that in case to use their weapons ensure that the the organizations spiritual reality. Some of us as well t h e r e i s a entire system fails. In a recent game and institutions use art, poetry and story to shooting, the with a regional department of health they inhabit. understand the past and present and person who in Australia, the warriors first shot the workers, then the intellectuals The Script create different futures. Our power h a s b e e n “killed” is and then the capitalists. I had earlier T h e g a m e is ideational. Only we can create marked (and asked three players to judge the b e g i n s b y u s u a l l y process, to give an award to the dividing the moves to the person they felt had won the game, participants f l o o r ) s o the person who was the most i n t o f o u r everyone can effective. The evaluators gave the groups. Each Warriors are given plastic guns, see that she or award to one of the intellectuals, group is given a script and and the following script: other three groups. At this stage, all he is no longer an active player who they felt had attempted to work tools. Workers get tools for four groups are active in playing out (though “dead” players do attempt for the system as a whole. The Has a group stayed too long and thus labour, with the following the dynamics of power. The game to speak from beyond the grave). warriors, having eliminated their not allowed the other ways of script (adapted from Hayward can then conclude, either with a And there are times when, once a labour force, and their sources of knowing to be expressed? What can & Voros, 2004): resolution or a total system collapse. number of players are killed, ideas and capital, had reached a be done to keep the cycle moving? I am a worker or a simple Timing when the next group is participants reflect and negotiate dead-end. Can the cycle be transformed into a peasant. I have individual brought in and when the game until a solution is reached. While it I then asked the entire group to spiral? wants; first - safety, security, should be concluded is somewhat may appear that the warriors have reflect on the outcome. They P. R. Sarkar’s ‘Social Cycle’ food (to be free of my intuitive. It is important for the the real power, this is not the case. suggested that the health system was elegantly demonstrates how easily environment). When these are facilitator to allow individuals to All have power, just of different reactive, short-term-oriented, risk ‘social roles’ are adopted and how met I want belief, inspiration, role-play and not judge, i.e. “this is types. averse and that it acted as if threats these roles bring forth partial and faith (to be free from my Capitalists are given cash, how the game is meant to be At one workshop, a worker lay were everywhere, within and limited understandings of change suffering and fear of death). When and the following script: played.” It is best to bring in the next on a nearby couch, resting. Although outside the system. Thus, the and change processes. As a these are met I want material ideas to believe in. We create the group if there is a natural lull in the there was bloodshed around her, her immediate response was to macrohistorical model of social comfort and wealth (to be free from enlightenment. action or conversation, or if it refusal to commit to any solution eliminate all potential threats; the change and as an embodiment the want, work, discomfort and We are the capitalists. We seek appears that there is a deadlock; a that did not respect her human rights result was that the entire system fell process of social construction, it is a struggle). My power is chaos, the to apply ideas to create material new type of power or energy is led to a protracted negotiation apart. p i v o t a l l e a r n i n g e l e m e n t ability to disrupt. When satisfied I growth. We seek opportunities to be required. through which she won the right to An international policing (Inayatullah, Bussey & Milojevic, am quiet (for a while) and then I successful. The more we have the After the game ends, it is rest. She did not actively engage the group followed a similar pattern. 2006, p. 285). want, and demand, more from the more power we have. Our power is crucial that there is a reflection others; rather she removed herself. However, the warriors in this The intent of the Sarkar game is system. I can stand against the economic. Only we can create period for the four groups and for the My conclusion is that non-violent workshop did attempt to negotiate to take theoretical ideals and system and bring it or myself down. material wealth. individuals in each group. What did creative resistance can work, as with the other parties before embody them in role-playing We are the warriors. We The workers are asked to begin they experience? How did they Otpor clearly showed in the eliminating them. Wisely, the situations so individuals experience honour loyalty, the game. As they work – build, experience the other groups? What downfall of Slobodan Milosevic in warriors kept two of the capitalists courage and unity. clean, type - (or not), after a few was their self-learning? What does the late 1990s. However, for alive so that cash would keep We serve to protect minutes the warriors are invited into this tell them about their own capitalists this is not an option. coming to them. Again, the the system from the game. They may suggest organisation? What is needed in Capitalists are least successful evaluators judged that the danger and chaos. improvements, for the workers to terms of governance at the planetary when they do not spend their money, intellectuals had won since they We bring order work harder or with more honour, or level? After reflections, the game is and instead only show it. When they attempted to create win-win where there is they may construct the workers as complete. spend their cash, they can quickly solutions. Recently, at a course for none. We enforce lazy and shoot them. move to a dominant position. They senior executives in Australia at the the wishes of the Case Studies As a discussion between can use their cash to purchase Mt Eliza Executive Education system. Our power workers and warriors begins, after The game can go a number of weapons, to hire intellectuals to Centre, the warriors quickly bullied is the ability to five minutes or so, depending on ways. Sometimes there is extensive create more effective productivity the other classes, eventually killing d o m i n a t e t h e whether there is “regression”, the negotiation between all parties and schemes, or give workers incentives quite a few. However, one of the environment. Only intellectuals are brought in. They attempts are made to move toward to keep on producing. Intellectuals, intellectuals convinced the warriors w e h a v e t h e may engage in dialogue directly consensus. Other times, violence is to some extent, have the most to put down their weapons and weapons. with the workers or with the used to make a point. challenging task. When they inquire negotiate with the other classes to We are the warriors. After another five minutes While warriors begin with the into the conditions of others, they create a productive economic intellectuals. We or so, the capitalists are brought in. guns they do not always end up tend to be successful. However, system for all parties. However, this search for the Intellectuals are given books, and the following script: They can negotiate with any of the keeping the guns - guns can be sold when they claim exclusivity of was only possible once it dawned on

20 September 2013 | PROUT PROUT | September 2013 21 his lackey worker.” This insight afterward that it wasn’t a fun game, because they did not spend the funds operate in organizations and society. helped the scientist rethink his because X had taken over. For this they had been given. They felt Their own preferences can emerge, strategy when approaching the disgruntled participant, the game uneasy in the merchant role and thus as well as what they have disowned. Minister and his staff. became an opportunity to explore did poorly. This alerted them to the From this process, they can seek to In one national department of his passivity. Another warrior, pre- skill development required, not in integrate power types within that are statistics, the Sarkar Game helped game, had constructed herself as a order to become capitalists, but to yet undeveloped. Second, it helps the participants to understand that practitioner of ahimsa. She was better understand money and the organizations to understand what those who collect field data, while serene, pregnant and very much the economy. aspects of power are they missing, seeing themselves as workers, Gaian mother; but during the game, CONCLUDING REFLECTIONS what have they not fully developed. wished to be warriors. Field workers she quickly used her weapons to For organisations, the Sarkar Third, it helps individuals and – data collectors – asked for warrior- eliminate all who resisted. On Game aids in exploring what aspects organizations move toward a like uniforms and titles like “Data reflection, she could see that, in her of leadership are weak or missing, sadvipra and Neo-humanistic space, Force”. They believed that they day-to-day life, she had disowned and what aspects need to be nurtured creating a possible spiral from the needed the uniforms to protect them her aggressive or warrior self. and integrated. It offers an cycle of history. from rude citizens, untethered dogs Having done so, instead of owning understanding of the dynamics of While one may argue that this or asserting power – commanding and other obstacles. Managers in the power. Most significantly, the is just a “game” and Sarkar’s intent power – she demanded power, and Statistics Department began to Sarkar Game offers a way forward in was to transform the future not just when unable to do so, “killed” understand that they needed to see changing history and the future. role-play, my experience suggests field data collectors through their others. A gentle CEO, as well, quickly became a “killer” during the The Sarkar Game thus allows that these two frames are not in own lens, and not the lenses that they Sarkar Game. It was obvious on not just for an understanding of the contradiction. One can play and had been using; i.e. not as reflection that he was tired of always deep structures of power, but creates change, and change and play. intellectuals but as “data warriors”. being the pleasant negotiator. He the possibility of new forms of The writer is Professor Graduate participants that they were negotiated with the warriors to While from the outside it may leadership, of a transformation of eliminating the very people they create win-win solutions, listened to needed to learn warrior-like skills to Institute of Futures Studies, Tamkang appear that certain groups were become a better leader. Monks history and self. It leads to a number University, Taiwan and Centre for needed to succeed. Thus, quite intellectuals and discussed financial given more resources, this is not the of insights. First, it helps individuals Policing, Intelligence and Counter swiftly, a learning cycle emerged in incentives with the capitalists. Even playing this game commented that case. Each group had resources that they failed at the capitalist role understand how patterns of power Terrorism, Macquarie University, which those who survived realised – when they were threatened they they could use and resources they Sydney. Director, Metafuture.org. in real-time – that the victory of one were unwilling to move from centre could decide not to use. While group was occurring at the cost of state, where they were resting after a certainly the warriors could quickly A Siberian tiger at the San Francisco Zoo leaps a 12- other groups; indeed, of the system long day’s work. ensure that there were no winners, foot high wall and mauls three visitors who had been as a whole. They adapted and The other groups became they could also negotiate. In one tormenting her, killing one. A circus elephant tramples and optimised conditions so that it hesitant, uncertain of their strategy. game, for a National policing board, gores a sadistic trainer, who had repeatedly fed her lit became possible to move to a higher A capitalist did attempt to purchase a the warriors refused to use their cigarettes. A pair of orangutans at the San Diego Zoo steal a order level. gun from a warrior, but she refused weapons, even when provoked. crowbar and screwdriver and break-out of their enclosure. Through sadvipra leadership, to give up her weapon as she Later, on reflection, these police An orca at Sea World snatches his trainer into the pool and the cycle had become progressive, suspected that her honour and officers argued that the National holds her underwater until she drowns. What's going on creating a spiral. With one group of integrity would be compromised. Police is meant to negotiate first; here? Are these mere accidents? Simply cases of animals deans in Southeast Asia, over time The intellectuals were successful in weapons are a last resort, a strategy acting on instinct? That's what the zoos and animal theme (almost 20 minutes) almost selling their ideas to the capitalists: which, they argue, differentiates parks would have you believe. But historian Jason Hribal a everyone sat down in one group. All in total, two books were sold. them from their south–of-the-border historian and educator tells a different story. In the most weapons had been put away and a However, beyond that, the neighbours. provocative book on animal rights since Peter Singer's shared vision created. When I asked intellectuals reflected that they were In a Sarkar Game held in a Animal Liberation, Hribal argues persuasively that these for the secret to their success, they the most marginalized. Confucian country, one intellectual escapes and attacks are deliberate, that the animals are said, “In the West, people agree to Insights took the money he had been offered acting with intent, that they are asserting their own desires disagree. We, here, agree to agree.” Insights vary post-game. by the capitalists (to engage in for freedom. Fear of the Animal Planet is a harrowing, and This was quite remarkable and Scientists at one federal-level activities to help the capitalists to curiously uplifting, chronicle of resistance against the showed the power of deliberation, of agriculture department understood control the other groups) and threw captivity and torture of animals. trust and of a few taking a leadership that, while they saw themselves as it on the ground, stating: “I cannot be Prepare to have your illusions of security shattered as position and convincing others that intellectuals, the executives in the bought.” The power of his Jason Hribal shows us that a revolution is brewing among the good of all was primary. Ministry – senior bureaucrats –, and declaration swung the game those frustrated leaping orcas, elephants in headdresses, and In a recent Sarkar Game held in the owners of the Ministry, had dramatically and allowed the tigers kept behind bars. Animal spectacles, shows, and Italy for a UNESCO project, the adopted a capitalist worldview, and intellectuals to frame the discussion. exhibits, it turns out, pose a deep, dark threat not only to workers managed to hold centre saw them as workers. The insight Individual Insights Nature herself but also to those who impose their will on stage by literally camping out in the allowed them to understand why While this is a collective game, wild spirits and those who pop in for a few hours to watch. A middle space. Like “Occupy Wall they felt undervalued. As one senior insights for individual players are riveting, eye-opening book. Street” protesters, they moved scientist said, “Now I understand. I also possible. One worker regretted -Ingrid Newkirk, chairs into the middle of the game see myself as an international that he let the leader of his own President and Co-founder of PETA space, and refused to move. They scientist. But the Minister sees me as group take over, saying to me

22 September 2013 | PROUT PROUT | September 2013 23 his lackey worker.” This insight afterward that it wasn’t a fun game, because they did not spend the funds operate in organizations and society. helped the scientist rethink his because X had taken over. For this they had been given. They felt Their own preferences can emerge, strategy when approaching the disgruntled participant, the game uneasy in the merchant role and thus as well as what they have disowned. Minister and his staff. became an opportunity to explore did poorly. This alerted them to the From this process, they can seek to In one national department of his passivity. Another warrior, pre- skill development required, not in integrate power types within that are statistics, the Sarkar Game helped game, had constructed herself as a order to become capitalists, but to yet undeveloped. Second, it helps the participants to understand that practitioner of ahimsa. She was better understand money and the organizations to understand what those who collect field data, while serene, pregnant and very much the economy. aspects of power are they missing, seeing themselves as workers, Gaian mother; but during the game, CONCLUDING REFLECTIONS what have they not fully developed. wished to be warriors. Field workers she quickly used her weapons to For organisations, the Sarkar Third, it helps individuals and – data collectors – asked for warrior- eliminate all who resisted. On Game aids in exploring what aspects organizations move toward a like uniforms and titles like “Data reflection, she could see that, in her of leadership are weak or missing, sadvipra and Neo-humanistic space, Force”. They believed that they day-to-day life, she had disowned and what aspects need to be nurtured creating a possible spiral from the needed the uniforms to protect them her aggressive or warrior self. and integrated. It offers an cycle of history. from rude citizens, untethered dogs Having done so, instead of owning understanding of the dynamics of While one may argue that this or asserting power – commanding and other obstacles. Managers in the power. Most significantly, the is just a “game” and Sarkar’s intent power – she demanded power, and Statistics Department began to Sarkar Game offers a way forward in was to transform the future not just when unable to do so, “killed” understand that they needed to see changing history and the future. role-play, my experience suggests field data collectors through their others. A gentle CEO, as well, quickly became a “killer” during the The Sarkar Game thus allows that these two frames are not in own lens, and not the lenses that they Sarkar Game. It was obvious on not just for an understanding of the contradiction. One can play and had been using; i.e. not as reflection that he was tired of always deep structures of power, but creates change, and change and play. intellectuals but as “data warriors”. being the pleasant negotiator. He the possibility of new forms of The writer is Professor Graduate participants that they were negotiated with the warriors to While from the outside it may leadership, of a transformation of eliminating the very people they create win-win solutions, listened to needed to learn warrior-like skills to Institute of Futures Studies, Tamkang appear that certain groups were become a better leader. Monks history and self. It leads to a number University, Taiwan and Centre for needed to succeed. Thus, quite intellectuals and discussed financial given more resources, this is not the of insights. First, it helps individuals Policing, Intelligence and Counter swiftly, a learning cycle emerged in incentives with the capitalists. Even playing this game commented that case. Each group had resources that they failed at the capitalist role understand how patterns of power Terrorism, Macquarie University, which those who survived realised – when they were threatened they they could use and resources they Sydney. Director, Metafuture.org. in real-time – that the victory of one were unwilling to move from centre could decide not to use. While group was occurring at the cost of state, where they were resting after a certainly the warriors could quickly A Siberian tiger at the San Francisco Zoo leaps a 12- other groups; indeed, of the system long day’s work. ensure that there were no winners, foot high wall and mauls three visitors who had been as a whole. They adapted and The other groups became they could also negotiate. In one tormenting her, killing one. A circus elephant tramples and optimised conditions so that it hesitant, uncertain of their strategy. game, for a National policing board, gores a sadistic trainer, who had repeatedly fed her lit became possible to move to a higher A capitalist did attempt to purchase a the warriors refused to use their cigarettes. A pair of orangutans at the San Diego Zoo steal a order level. gun from a warrior, but she refused weapons, even when provoked. crowbar and screwdriver and break-out of their enclosure. Through sadvipra leadership, to give up her weapon as she Later, on reflection, these police An orca at Sea World snatches his trainer into the pool and the cycle had become progressive, suspected that her honour and officers argued that the National holds her underwater until she drowns. What's going on creating a spiral. With one group of integrity would be compromised. Police is meant to negotiate first; here? Are these mere accidents? Simply cases of animals deans in Southeast Asia, over time The intellectuals were successful in weapons are a last resort, a strategy acting on instinct? That's what the zoos and animal theme (almost 20 minutes) almost selling their ideas to the capitalists: which, they argue, differentiates parks would have you believe. But historian Jason Hribal a everyone sat down in one group. All in total, two books were sold. them from their south–of-the-border historian and educator tells a different story. In the most weapons had been put away and a However, beyond that, the neighbours. provocative book on animal rights since Peter Singer's shared vision created. When I asked intellectuals reflected that they were In a Sarkar Game held in a Animal Liberation, Hribal argues persuasively that these for the secret to their success, they the most marginalized. Confucian country, one intellectual escapes and attacks are deliberate, that the animals are said, “In the West, people agree to Insights took the money he had been offered acting with intent, that they are asserting their own desires disagree. We, here, agree to agree.” Insights vary post-game. by the capitalists (to engage in for freedom. Fear of the Animal Planet is a harrowing, and This was quite remarkable and Scientists at one federal-level activities to help the capitalists to curiously uplifting, chronicle of resistance against the showed the power of deliberation, of agriculture department understood control the other groups) and threw captivity and torture of animals. trust and of a few taking a leadership that, while they saw themselves as it on the ground, stating: “I cannot be Prepare to have your illusions of security shattered as position and convincing others that intellectuals, the executives in the bought.” The power of his Jason Hribal shows us that a revolution is brewing among the good of all was primary. Ministry – senior bureaucrats –, and declaration swung the game those frustrated leaping orcas, elephants in headdresses, and In a recent Sarkar Game held in the owners of the Ministry, had dramatically and allowed the tigers kept behind bars. Animal spectacles, shows, and Italy for a UNESCO project, the adopted a capitalist worldview, and intellectuals to frame the discussion. exhibits, it turns out, pose a deep, dark threat not only to workers managed to hold centre saw them as workers. The insight Individual Insights Nature herself but also to those who impose their will on stage by literally camping out in the allowed them to understand why While this is a collective game, wild spirits and those who pop in for a few hours to watch. A middle space. Like “Occupy Wall they felt undervalued. As one senior insights for individual players are riveting, eye-opening book. Street” protesters, they moved scientist said, “Now I understand. I also possible. One worker regretted -Ingrid Newkirk, chairs into the middle of the game see myself as an international that he let the leader of his own President and Co-founder of PETA space, and refused to move. They scientist. But the Minister sees me as group take over, saying to me

22 September 2013 | PROUT PROUT | September 2013 23 DIETARY HABITS You can rub a clove of garlic on your Garlic kills tens of thousands foot and you can smell it shortly later on of brain cells and desynchronizes the left and your wrists. So it penetrates the body. Garlic right brains waves. The sulphone hydroxyl ion penetrates all the barriers including the corpus callosum in the brain. Should It Be a Staple Food? - Dr. Robert Beck

ð Ravi Logan some garlic in my salad dressing." it shortly later on your wrists. So it So we had them sign an agreement penetrates the body. The sulphone occasions when it may have value physiological reason to avoid garlic. while other animals avoid garlic, or Theravada and that they wouldn't touch garlic hydroxyl ion penetrates all the for its healing properties. But does One of garlic’s recognized medical humans should choose to eat it so Mahayana schools of before classes or we would be barriers including the corpus this justify making it a common food benefits is its potent antibacterial extensively? FBuddhism, garlic is one wasting their time and their money.” callosum in the brain.” in one’s diet? a c t i v i t y. “ H o w e v e r, ” s a y s Finally, consider the view of of five pungent spices not to be Dr. Beck also recounted, “I was As a demonstration of garlic’s Paul Pitchford, in his book Nicholson, “there are many bacteria garlic expressed by Annabel taken (along with onions, leeks, in flight test engineering in the effects on the brain, Beck suggested Healing with Whole Foods (the most in the human digestive tract which Perkins, who was lead chef at Food scallions and chives). Yogis strictly 1950's. The flight surgeon would the following: “If you know anyone authoritative text on the subject of are essential to its normal function. For All, one of the first whole foods avoid it. Taoists consider it to be one come around every month and who has low-grade headaches, or food as medicine), gives this Killing these bacteria may not be restaurants in England, and author of five vegetables that are harmful to remind all of us: ‘Don't you dare attention deficit disorder, or they perspective: “Garlic has been beneficial.” When sick, eating garlic of the cookbook, Vegetarian Food the organs, and that it not only turns touch any garlic 72 hours before you can't quite focus on the computer in promoted as a near cure-all for an (or taking antibiotics) may be For All. In the introduction to her your breath foul, but also your chi or fly one of our airplanes, because it'll the afternoon, just do an experiment. extensive list of ailments. But it is necessary. “But this not the case for book, Perkins urges people cooking life force energy. Brahma Kumariis affect your reaction time. You're Take these people off garlic and see helpful to remember that powerful otherwise healthy people.” with whole foods to “experiment and Hari Krishnas don’t eat it. three times slower than you would how much better they get very and strongly medicinal foods ought Dr. Nicholson also claims that liberally with a wide variety of herbs Young children have an aversion to be if you'd not had the garlic.’’’ shortly. And then let them eat a little to be used cautiously in the normal garlic’s toxic effects are not limited and spices and gain the confidence it. Animals ordinarily won't touch it. After observing the disruptive garlic after about three weeks. diet.” Pitchard goes on to warn that, to micro-organisms. Research to move away from the inevitable Yet, for most people in the West who effects of garlic during biofeedback They'll say, ‘My God, I had no idea “ G a r l i c d i s p e r s e s m e n t a l studies say that he cites link in garlic garlic that swamps every subtle eat a whole foods vegetarian diet, therapy, Dr. Beck funded a study on that this was the cause of my concentration. . . . [It] brings c o n s u m p t i o n t o a s t h m a , flavor in Western vegetarian food.” garlicWillia hasm Bla becomeke 1757-182 virtually7 a staple garlic that was done at Stanford problems."’ excessive desires and mental conjunctivitis, contact dermatitis, This advice speaks to the food. University. Talking about the Garlic, of course, has a wide dullness to the person, making and the skin disease, pemphigus. sensibilities of many who eat a Dr. Robert Beck, in a lecture at findings, he said: “They found that range of medicinal benefits, mental/spiritual equilibrium Joshua Smith, in an article on natural foods diet and who are the 1996 Whole Life Expo, it's a poison. You can rub a clove of including a capacity to boost the difficult.” the uses of garlic printed in the known for venturing beyond explained why people who are garlic on your foot and you can smell immune system. There are For those interested in vitality Spring 2006 Permaculture News, commonplace foods and filling their concerned about the quality brain and clarity of the mind, and for those notes that garlic is an exceptionally gardens and dinner tables with functioning should avoid eating seeking spiritual receptivity, the effective insecticide. As such, it's the diverse varieties of fruits and garlic: “Garlic kills tens of ancient teaching on garlic remains: only insecticide that people vegetables. To so consistently thousands of brain cells and Better to avoid it. commonly eat. While considered overwhelm the subtle tastes of desynchronizes the left and right Dr. Andrew Nicholson, a non-toxic to animals, it is worth heirloom cultivars, wild crafted brains waves. The reason garlic is so nutrition expert and advocate for noting that garlic plants never gets edibles, and new hybrid fruits and toxic that the sulphone hydroxyl ion change in school lunch programs, bothered by slugs, snails, birds, or vegetables with garlic seems a penetrates the blood-brain barrier points out that there is also a sound herbivores. Is it not strange that culinary loss to be avoided. and is a specific poison for brain cells. We discovered this when I was the world's largest manufacturer of EEG feedback equipment. We'd In what garlic is to salad, have people come back from lunch that looked clinically dead on an insanity is to art. encephlograph, which we used to calibrate their progress. "What - Augustus Saint Gauden, American sculptor happened?" we’d ask. "Well, I went to an Italian restaurant and there was

24 September 2013 | PROUT PROUT | September 2013 25 DIETARY HABITS You can rub a clove of garlic on your Garlic kills tens of thousands foot and you can smell it shortly later on of brain cells and desynchronizes the left and your wrists. So it penetrates the body. Garlic right brains waves. The sulphone hydroxyl ion penetrates all the barriers including the corpus callosum in the brain. Should It Be a Staple Food? - Dr. Robert Beck

24 September 2013 | PROUT PROUT | September 2013 25 CAPITALISM DOWNFALL who stood in the way; i.e., the political liberties granted to them in it prefers to deal with them through indigenous peoples of North, the U.S. Constitution two centuries the use of threats, bullying or force "In our condition as colonial slaves, we could not observe: that "Western Central and South America. Today ago. Since then numerous other laws instead of negotiations, commerce Civilization" disguises behind its showy facade a picture of hyenas and we have a similar group of have laid the foundation for a police or cultural interactions. Now the US imperialists in power who, under the state. Earlier we were referred to as deals with countries through jackals. That is the only name that can be applied to those who have gone to guise of the “war on terrorism” are the lone superpower. But today, we military-to-military confrontations fulfill such "humanitarian" tasks in the Congo. A carnivorous animal that expanding American bases all over are called the American Empire. To instead of civilian relations. As Bush the world, particularly in Middle question this, to voice dissent, is to has mentioned in several speeches, feeds on unarmed peoples. That is what imperialism does to men." Eastern countries. question Obama's war on terrorism, we need to be ready for preemptive It was after World War II that which remains akin to treason. action whenever necessary to - Che Guevara - December 11, 1964, 19th General Assembly America emerged as the richest The media is completely defend our liberty and defend our of the United Nations nation and became a natural complicit in the building and lives. Obama has continued this successor of the British Empire, maintaining of American Empire, legacy. which floundered economically due using politically appropriate Historian Arthur Schlesinger to the heavy costs of the war. The vocabulary such as “collateral wrote after 9/11: Cold War of the 1970s justified the damage” (instead of “slaughtered “One of the astonishing events US government creating scores of innocent human beings”), regime of recent months is the presentation more bases, all to fight the change (instead of “imperialist of preventive war as a legitimate and communist threat. Government invasion and occupation”), “illegal moral instrument of U.S. foreign The Fall of the American Empire officials of course denied that the combatants” (meaning any civilian policy … During the Cold War, bases indicated global imperialism. who does not toe the line of US advocates of preventive war were In 1991 the Soviet Union occupation of Iraq and any other dismissed as a crowd of loonies .. collapsed and there was no need for country it chooses to attack) and The policy of containment plus the US to continue maintaining “preventive war” (There is no such deterrence won the Cold War. After ð Garda Ghista and bases in numerous countries. But, thing as preventive war. Wars the collapse of the Soviet Union, the US was too accustomed to involve aggressive invasion by one everyone thanked heaven that the controlling other countries and had country of another country.). With preventive-war loonies had never I. Proof of Empire - Military no intention of giving up their these cosmeticized terms in hand, got into power in any major country. Empire authority. Thus we saw the the American public remains Today, alas, they appear to be in “War and imperialism are The Rise of a New Economy continuation of various wars and so- clueless about the crimes of our power in the United States.” Siamese twins joined at the hip. called “humanitarian interventions” present government both outside As Johnson writes, there is Each thrives off the other. They civilian contractors all over the what they are saying, faxing and in the Panama, the Persian Gulf, and inside its borders. bound to be payback for the cannot be separated. Imperialism is world. In addition to officially listed emailing. Somalia, Haiti, Bosnia, Colombia There are presently more than misdeeds of Empire. A nation reaps the single-greatest cause of war, and bases, the US has numerous secret This Empire began back in the and Serbia. It was an informal 725 American military bases located what it sows. He says that it would war is the midwife of new bases not to be found on any 19th century, when the US declared empire but quickly becoming all over the world. Generally these take nothing less than a revolution to imperialist acquisitions.” government listing. Some of these Latin America as being under its formalized.(1) bases are established near oil bring the Pentagon back under - Chalmers Johnson bases are engaged in listening to “sphere of influence,” and The attack on 9/11 caused pipelines, and its inhabitants are democratic control, or to abolish the We need to climb out of these people all over the world, including proceeded to enlarge its territory dangerous changes in the mindset of there to protect those pipelines CIA. But today, in the Congress and economic boxes and step outside American citizens – keeping track of while ignoring or slaughtering those our political leaders, who decided above all else. While the US has had the Senate, the motto is: “Don’t ask, into the fresh open air of new visions that the US is now equivalent to the bases in places like Saudi Arabia, don’t tell.” He further says, of economic and social justice. Roman Empire, that it is no longer United Emirates and Qatar for “As militarism, the arrogance While other nations realize it bound by international law or the several years, new ones have been of power, and the euphemisms full well, Americans do not want to opinions of allied and other non- built in Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan and required to justify imperialism accept that the United States allied countries. While during the Uzbekistan. As Chalmers Johnson inevitably conflict with America’s dominates the world through Clinton years the nation had at least writes: democratic structure of government military power. Due to the extreme a semblance of multilateralism, now “Our militarized empire is a and distort its culture and basic s e c r e c y o f t h e p r e s e n t its actions became completely physical reality with a distinct way values, I fear that we will lose our administration, the American unilateral, and completely arrogant. of life but it is also a network of country… The danger I foresee is people are completely ignorant of Thanks to the American mainstream economic and political interests tied that the United States is embarked the fact that the United States media, the common people knew in a thousand different ways to on a path not unlike that of the “garrisons the globe.” There is a nothing of its government and what A m e r i c a n c o r p o r a t i o n s , former Soviet Union during the huge network of military bases in it was doing in foreign countries. universities, and communities but 1980s. The USSR collapsed for more than 170 countries. It is called The Patriot Act came and only a kept separate from what passes for three basic reasons – internal the new empire. It is the American handful of politically conscious everyday life back in what has only economic contradictions driven by Empire. Our government employs people protested and continue to recently come to be known as “the ideological rigidity, imperial more than half a million soldiers, protest. homeland.” (2) overstretch, and an inability to spies, technicians, teachers, The Patriot Act stripped Our present administration has reform…. The similarities are dependents and civilians as well as Ten thousand miles from tip to tip - Philadelphia Press. Americans almost entirely of the let it be known to other countries that obvious and it is nowhere written

26 September 2013 | PROUT PROUT | September 2013 27 CAPITALISM DOWNFALL who stood in the way; i.e., the political liberties granted to them in it prefers to deal with them through indigenous peoples of North, the U.S. Constitution two centuries the use of threats, bullying or force "In our condition as colonial slaves, we could not observe: that "Western Central and South America. Today ago. Since then numerous other laws instead of negotiations, commerce Civilization" disguises behind its showy facade a picture of hyenas and we have a similar group of have laid the foundation for a police or cultural interactions. Now the US imperialists in power who, under the state. Earlier we were referred to as deals with countries through jackals. That is the only name that can be applied to those who have gone to guise of the “war on terrorism” are the lone superpower. But today, we military-to-military confrontations fulfill such "humanitarian" tasks in the Congo. A carnivorous animal that expanding American bases all over are called the American Empire. To instead of civilian relations. As Bush the world, particularly in Middle question this, to voice dissent, is to has mentioned in several speeches, feeds on unarmed peoples. That is what imperialism does to men." Eastern countries. question Obama's war on terrorism, we need to be ready for preemptive It was after World War II that which remains akin to treason. action whenever necessary to - Che Guevara - December 11, 1964, 19th General Assembly America emerged as the richest The media is completely defend our liberty and defend our of the United Nations nation and became a natural complicit in the building and lives. Obama has continued this successor of the British Empire, maintaining of American Empire, legacy. which floundered economically due using politically appropriate Historian Arthur Schlesinger to the heavy costs of the war. The vocabulary such as “collateral wrote after 9/11: Cold War of the 1970s justified the damage” (instead of “slaughtered “One of the astonishing events US government creating scores of innocent human beings”), regime of recent months is the presentation more bases, all to fight the change (instead of “imperialist of preventive war as a legitimate and communist threat. Government invasion and occupation”), “illegal moral instrument of U.S. foreign The Fall of the American Empire officials of course denied that the combatants” (meaning any civilian policy … During the Cold War, bases indicated global imperialism. who does not toe the line of US advocates of preventive war were In 1991 the Soviet Union occupation of Iraq and any other dismissed as a crowd of loonies .. collapsed and there was no need for country it chooses to attack) and The policy of containment plus the US to continue maintaining “preventive war” (There is no such deterrence won the Cold War. After ð Garda Ghista and bases in numerous countries. But, thing as preventive war. Wars the collapse of the Soviet Union, the US was too accustomed to involve aggressive invasion by one everyone thanked heaven that the controlling other countries and had country of another country.). With preventive-war loonies had never I. Proof of Empire - Military no intention of giving up their these cosmeticized terms in hand, got into power in any major country. Empire authority. Thus we saw the the American public remains Today, alas, they appear to be in “War and imperialism are The Rise of a New Economy continuation of various wars and so- clueless about the crimes of our power in the United States.” Siamese twins joined at the hip. called “humanitarian interventions” present government both outside As Johnson writes, there is Each thrives off the other. They civilian contractors all over the what they are saying, faxing and in the Panama, the Persian Gulf, and inside its borders. bound to be payback for the cannot be separated. Imperialism is world. In addition to officially listed emailing. Somalia, Haiti, Bosnia, Colombia There are presently more than misdeeds of Empire. A nation reaps the single-greatest cause of war, and bases, the US has numerous secret This Empire began back in the and Serbia. It was an informal 725 American military bases located what it sows. He says that it would war is the midwife of new bases not to be found on any 19th century, when the US declared empire but quickly becoming all over the world. Generally these take nothing less than a revolution to imperialist acquisitions.” government listing. Some of these Latin America as being under its formalized.(1) bases are established near oil bring the Pentagon back under - Chalmers Johnson bases are engaged in listening to “sphere of influence,” and The attack on 9/11 caused pipelines, and its inhabitants are democratic control, or to abolish the We need to climb out of these people all over the world, including proceeded to enlarge its territory dangerous changes in the mindset of there to protect those pipelines CIA. But today, in the Congress and economic boxes and step outside American citizens – keeping track of while ignoring or slaughtering those our political leaders, who decided above all else. While the US has had the Senate, the motto is: “Don’t ask, into the fresh open air of new visions that the US is now equivalent to the bases in places like Saudi Arabia, don’t tell.” He further says, of economic and social justice. Roman Empire, that it is no longer United Emirates and Qatar for “As militarism, the arrogance While other nations realize it bound by international law or the several years, new ones have been of power, and the euphemisms full well, Americans do not want to opinions of allied and other non- built in Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan and required to justify imperialism accept that the United States allied countries. While during the Uzbekistan. As Chalmers Johnson inevitably conflict with America’s dominates the world through Clinton years the nation had at least writes: democratic structure of government military power. Due to the extreme a semblance of multilateralism, now “Our militarized empire is a and distort its culture and basic s e c r e c y o f t h e p r e s e n t its actions became completely physical reality with a distinct way values, I fear that we will lose our administration, the American unilateral, and completely arrogant. of life but it is also a network of country… The danger I foresee is people are completely ignorant of Thanks to the American mainstream economic and political interests tied that the United States is embarked the fact that the United States media, the common people knew in a thousand different ways to on a path not unlike that of the “garrisons the globe.” There is a nothing of its government and what A m e r i c a n c o r p o r a t i o n s , former Soviet Union during the huge network of military bases in it was doing in foreign countries. universities, and communities but 1980s. The USSR collapsed for more than 170 countries. It is called The Patriot Act came and only a kept separate from what passes for three basic reasons – internal the new empire. It is the American handful of politically conscious everyday life back in what has only economic contradictions driven by Empire. Our government employs people protested and continue to recently come to be known as “the ideological rigidity, imperial more than half a million soldiers, protest. homeland.” (2) overstretch, and an inability to spies, technicians, teachers, The Patriot Act stripped Our present administration has reform…. The similarities are dependents and civilians as well as Ten thousand miles from tip to tip - Philadelphia Press. Americans almost entirely of the let it be known to other countries that obvious and it is nowhere written

26 September 2013 | PROUT PROUT | September 2013 27 deputy inspector general at the of military officers and people from What is the new American dream? It our streets seldom see a military The Roman empire at its greatest extent Pentagon admitted that $1.1 trillion the arms and munitions corporations is to dominate the world militarily parade; our concerts are rarely filled was “simply gone and no one can be in high government positions. Colin until the end of time. Is it realistic? with martial music; and yet ours is sure of when, where or to whom the Powell and Richard Armitage No, because all empires one day fall. also a thoroughly militarized empire money went.” (5) The amount is examples. Peter Teets, former CEO The US never hesitated to invade – though our model of a warrior larger than the annual amount of of Lockheed Martin Corporation countries like Somalia, Haiti, seems most likely to be a military $855 billion that Americans pay in was made undersecretary of the air Bosnia and Kosovo in the name of bureaucrat. The modern American income taxes. Yet, nobody minds or force. Former brigadier general and humanitarian intervention. Yet empire can only be perceived, and protests regarding this missing Enron Corporation executive where were their responsibilities to understood, by a close look at our money. Thomas White was made secretary the Rwandans, Chiapans, Chechens, basing policies, the specific way we The onset of militarism can be of the army. James Roche, former Tibetans, Kashmiris, East Timorese garrison the earth. To trace the identified by three prominent executive with Northrop Grumman and Palestinians? Chalmers Johnson historical patterns of base characteristics: (1) the emergence of and former brigadier general was writes as follows about the new acquisition and to explore our a professional military class and the made secretary of the air force. The American Empire: basing systems worldwide is to glorification of its ideals; i.e., list continues: Former ambassador “From the time of the Romans reveal the sinews of what has until producing soldiers who will fight Richard Gardner figures that the and the Han dynasty Chinese to the very recently, for most Americans, simply because they have been present US administration spends present, all empires have had been a largely hidden empire.” ordered to fight and not because they sixteen times more money on permanent military encampments, S i n c e 2 0 0 0 , t h e U S that the United States, in its guise as supervised by the US military- believe in what they are doing. It preparing for war than on trying to forts, or bases of some sort. These government functions completely an empire dominating the world, industrial complex. The bases are also includes civilian militarism. stop war. were meant to garrison conquered unilaterally in decision-making and must go on forever.” not there to fight wars. They are Reagan and Bush I learned that (3) The third characteristic of t e r r i t o r y, k e e p i n g r e s t l e s s in actions. A report put out by the Roman republic was also there as “pure manifestations of foreign policy should be more in the militarism is devotion to policies in populations under control, and to I n s t i t u t e f o r E n e r g y a n d replaced by a dictatorship. The militarism and imperialism.” (4) hands of so-called national security which military readiness is the serve as launching points for further Environmental Research and the R o m a n s e v e n t u a l l y w e r e The US military enters managers “who operated without highest priority of the country. The imperial conquests. What is most Lawyers’ Committee on Nuclear overwhelmed by the number of countries on the pretext of liberating the close scrutiny of the media, the US spends more than any other fascinating and curious about the Policy analyzed US response to enemies they had created. Until the Afghan women from Islamic oversight of Congress, or country on its military. It also spends developing American form of e i g h t m a j o r i n t e r n a t i o n a l end, they continued to claim that fundamentalists, or a natural disaster accountability to the involved more than any other country on empire, however, is that, in its agreements, including the Nuclear they represent the people of Rome. in the Philippines, or more recently public.” global arms sales. Since the modern phase, it is solely an empire Nonproliferation Treaty, the Yet then, as now, empires do not give Aceh, Indonesia, or claiming to These new civilian militarists, economic debacle of 2007 the arms of bases, not of territories, and these Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, up their empires voluntarily. The US protect Bosnians, Kosavars or Iraqi who themselves never served in war, industry is the backbone of the US bases now encircle the earth in a way and the Anti-Ballistic Missile government justifies its Empire in Kurds from campaigns of “ethnic take more and more power over the economy. The American nuclear that, despite centuries-old dreams of Treaty, and concluded that the US many ways: by claiming to spread cleansing.” But invariably what actual military/Pentagon. Hence we arsenal, with its ability to destroy the g l o b a l d o m i n a t i o n , w o u l d has violated, compromised and American ‘market democracy’ via happens is that after the crisis is have people like Dick Cheney and entire earth many times over, is p r e v i o u s l y h a v e b e e n acted to undermine every treaty globalization; by open warfare over, the Americans do not leave. Donald Rumsfeld, who themselves staggering. It comprises of 5,400 inconceivable.” mentioned. This is in continuation of against Latin American drug cartels They remain in their new bases to never served a day in the military, multiple-megaton warheads atop “Yet, although our own nation their violation of treaties with and indigenous political reform strut around in arrogance in their running American military intercontinental ballistic missiles on is filled with military installations – Native Americans. They further do movements; by isolation of ‘rogue newly acquired territory. It is a short operations around the world. The land and at sea; 1,750 nuclear bombs there are 969 separate bases in the not honor treaties that were ratified states like Syria today;’ and most of mental hop from imperialism to older military generals who and cruise missiles ready for fifty states – ours has, oddly enough, in previous administrations. They all today by an endless ‘war on racism as a way of life. As David dedicated a lifetime to serving in the launching by B-2 and B-52 never been a warrior culture. Our walked away from the Kyoto terrorism’ which gives it the Abernathy writes, people who have US armed forces call these civilians bombers; another 1,670 nuclear people are largely not in uniform, Protocol. They also walked away ‘freedom’ to do anything, including superior power will quickly decide “chicken hawks.” weapons classified as ‘tactical.’ Ten nor (until the recent “war on from the UN conference on racism ‘preventive intervention’ against that their superiority extends also to Tragically, it is noted that thousand more nuclear warheads are terrorism”) were military uniforms in 2001. anyone. intellect, morality and civilization. civilian militarism leads to an stored in bunkers all over the US. common in our cities and airports; Today the US administration Hitherto there had always been From war come armies. From intensification of the horrors of abides by international treaties only some constitutional restraints on the armies come debts and taxes. warfare. Civilian militarists US military camp at Bagram Afghanistan if it is personally convenient and not US armed forces. However, by 2002 Armies, debts and taxes are the anticipate war more eagerly than the otherwise. Most stunning is its these restraints vanished. The US no instruments for keeping many under actual soldiers who know what war complete disdain and disregard for longer had a foreign policy; it had a the domination of a few. It was is. They also play a major role in the International Criminal Court military empire. This empire Woodrow Wilson who developed making the actual combat more (ICC), the world’s first permanent comprises the vast number of the rhetoric of ‘exporting absolute, more terrible than ever war crimes tribunal. It says to the permanent naval bases, military democracy’ to the rest of the world, before. Iraq is an example. People world that the US is not accountable airfields, army garrisons, espionage which is now used by today’s today involved in determining to anyone for its actions – or its listening posts, and strategic imperialists to justify their strategy over relations with China crimes against humanity! As enclaves on every continent of the colonialist, capitalist invasions. are militarists, not discriminating journalist David Moberg wrote: “… earth. (3) So America has, not an There is no longer any foreign policy thinkers and Bush wants the United States to empire of colonies (as in the British accountability of the Defense academics. serve as the world’s investigator, Empire) but an empire of military Department budgets. As Insight (2) The second characteristic policeman, prosecutor, judge, and bases closely interwoven with and magazine reported, in May 2001 the of militarism is the preponderance executioner. This is an imperial

28 September 2013 | PROUT PROUT | September 2013 29 deputy inspector general at the of military officers and people from What is the new American dream? It our streets seldom see a military The Roman empire at its greatest extent Pentagon admitted that $1.1 trillion the arms and munitions corporations is to dominate the world militarily parade; our concerts are rarely filled was “simply gone and no one can be in high government positions. Colin until the end of time. Is it realistic? with martial music; and yet ours is sure of when, where or to whom the Powell and Richard Armitage No, because all empires one day fall. also a thoroughly militarized empire money went.” (5) The amount is examples. Peter Teets, former CEO The US never hesitated to invade – though our model of a warrior larger than the annual amount of of Lockheed Martin Corporation countries like Somalia, Haiti, seems most likely to be a military $855 billion that Americans pay in was made undersecretary of the air Bosnia and Kosovo in the name of bureaucrat. The modern American income taxes. Yet, nobody minds or force. Former brigadier general and humanitarian intervention. Yet empire can only be perceived, and protests regarding this missing Enron Corporation executive where were their responsibilities to understood, by a close look at our money. Thomas White was made secretary the Rwandans, Chiapans, Chechens, basing policies, the specific way we The onset of militarism can be of the army. James Roche, former Tibetans, Kashmiris, East Timorese garrison the earth. To trace the identified by three prominent executive with Northrop Grumman and Palestinians? Chalmers Johnson historical patterns of base characteristics: (1) the emergence of and former brigadier general was writes as follows about the new acquisition and to explore our a professional military class and the made secretary of the air force. The American Empire: basing systems worldwide is to glorification of its ideals; i.e., list continues: Former ambassador “From the time of the Romans reveal the sinews of what has until producing soldiers who will fight Richard Gardner figures that the and the Han dynasty Chinese to the very recently, for most Americans, simply because they have been present US administration spends present, all empires have had been a largely hidden empire.” ordered to fight and not because they sixteen times more money on permanent military encampments, S i n c e 2 0 0 0 , t h e U S that the United States, in its guise as supervised by the US military- believe in what they are doing. It preparing for war than on trying to forts, or bases of some sort. These government functions completely an empire dominating the world, industrial complex. The bases are also includes civilian militarism. stop war. were meant to garrison conquered unilaterally in decision-making and must go on forever.” not there to fight wars. They are Reagan and Bush I learned that (3) The third characteristic of t e r r i t o r y, k e e p i n g r e s t l e s s in actions. A report put out by the Roman republic was also there as “pure manifestations of foreign policy should be more in the militarism is devotion to policies in populations under control, and to I n s t i t u t e f o r E n e r g y a n d replaced by a dictatorship. The militarism and imperialism.” (4) hands of so-called national security which military readiness is the serve as launching points for further Environmental Research and the R o m a n s e v e n t u a l l y w e r e The US military enters managers “who operated without highest priority of the country. The imperial conquests. What is most Lawyers’ Committee on Nuclear overwhelmed by the number of countries on the pretext of liberating the close scrutiny of the media, the US spends more than any other fascinating and curious about the Policy analyzed US response to enemies they had created. Until the Afghan women from Islamic oversight of Congress, or country on its military. It also spends developing American form of e i g h t m a j o r i n t e r n a t i o n a l end, they continued to claim that fundamentalists, or a natural disaster accountability to the involved more than any other country on empire, however, is that, in its agreements, including the Nuclear they represent the people of Rome. in the Philippines, or more recently public.” global arms sales. Since the modern phase, it is solely an empire Nonproliferation Treaty, the Yet then, as now, empires do not give Aceh, Indonesia, or claiming to These new civilian militarists, economic debacle of 2007 the arms of bases, not of territories, and these Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, up their empires voluntarily. The US protect Bosnians, Kosavars or Iraqi who themselves never served in war, industry is the backbone of the US bases now encircle the earth in a way and the Anti-Ballistic Missile government justifies its Empire in Kurds from campaigns of “ethnic take more and more power over the economy. The American nuclear that, despite centuries-old dreams of Treaty, and concluded that the US many ways: by claiming to spread cleansing.” But invariably what actual military/Pentagon. Hence we arsenal, with its ability to destroy the g l o b a l d o m i n a t i o n , w o u l d has violated, compromised and American ‘market democracy’ via happens is that after the crisis is have people like Dick Cheney and entire earth many times over, is p r e v i o u s l y h a v e b e e n acted to undermine every treaty globalization; by open warfare over, the Americans do not leave. Donald Rumsfeld, who themselves staggering. It comprises of 5,400 inconceivable.” mentioned. This is in continuation of against Latin American drug cartels They remain in their new bases to never served a day in the military, multiple-megaton warheads atop “Yet, although our own nation their violation of treaties with and indigenous political reform strut around in arrogance in their running American military intercontinental ballistic missiles on is filled with military installations – Native Americans. They further do movements; by isolation of ‘rogue newly acquired territory. It is a short operations around the world. The land and at sea; 1,750 nuclear bombs there are 969 separate bases in the not honor treaties that were ratified states like Syria today;’ and most of mental hop from imperialism to older military generals who and cruise missiles ready for fifty states – ours has, oddly enough, in previous administrations. They all today by an endless ‘war on racism as a way of life. As David dedicated a lifetime to serving in the launching by B-2 and B-52 never been a warrior culture. Our walked away from the Kyoto terrorism’ which gives it the Abernathy writes, people who have US armed forces call these civilians bombers; another 1,670 nuclear people are largely not in uniform, Protocol. They also walked away ‘freedom’ to do anything, including superior power will quickly decide “chicken hawks.” weapons classified as ‘tactical.’ Ten nor (until the recent “war on from the UN conference on racism ‘preventive intervention’ against that their superiority extends also to Tragically, it is noted that thousand more nuclear warheads are terrorism”) were military uniforms in 2001. anyone. intellect, morality and civilization. civilian militarism leads to an stored in bunkers all over the US. common in our cities and airports; Today the US administration Hitherto there had always been From war come armies. From intensification of the horrors of abides by international treaties only some constitutional restraints on the armies come debts and taxes. warfare. Civilian militarists US military camp at Bagram Afghanistan if it is personally convenient and not US armed forces. However, by 2002 Armies, debts and taxes are the anticipate war more eagerly than the otherwise. Most stunning is its these restraints vanished. The US no instruments for keeping many under actual soldiers who know what war complete disdain and disregard for longer had a foreign policy; it had a the domination of a few. It was is. They also play a major role in the International Criminal Court military empire. This empire Woodrow Wilson who developed making the actual combat more (ICC), the world’s first permanent comprises the vast number of the rhetoric of ‘exporting absolute, more terrible than ever war crimes tribunal. It says to the permanent naval bases, military democracy’ to the rest of the world, before. Iraq is an example. People world that the US is not accountable airfields, army garrisons, espionage which is now used by today’s today involved in determining to anyone for its actions – or its listening posts, and strategic imperialists to justify their strategy over relations with China crimes against humanity! As enclaves on every continent of the colonialist, capitalist invasions. are militarists, not discriminating journalist David Moberg wrote: “… earth. (3) So America has, not an There is no longer any foreign policy thinkers and Bush wants the United States to empire of colonies (as in the British accountability of the Defense academics. serve as the world’s investigator, Empire) but an empire of military Department budgets. As Insight (2) The second characteristic policeman, prosecutor, judge, and bases closely interwoven with and magazine reported, in May 2001 the of militarism is the preponderance executioner. This is an imperial

28 September 2013 | PROUT PROUT | September 2013 29 ideal, not an assertion of the consent of Congress or the them are unshaven.” financial calculations the new balance favored the US, and so long Trade Area of the America, or sovereignty.” (7). Obama has with a President. It means the standing Another habit traditional for military bases springing up like as the US could dictate the terms for International Monetary Fund, must a stick tongue been even more army will not have any role in empires is to recruit foreigners to do mushrooms all over the Middle trade so as to derive maximum be charged with crimes against autocratic than Bush. So is there policing American citizens in their the dirty work. Replacing homeland East! benefit for US corporations. humanity! The damage they have some fear on the part of Bush and his own country. This distinction is soldiers with local cannon fodder is The high tech war and the In the mid-1980s Japan had wrought to third world countries is colleagues that one day the ICC may nowhere today. Today the Pentagon at the top of the list for imperialist fanatic attention to controlling replaced the US as the world’s immeasurable. start proceedings to prosecute them is in the domestic policy business. rulers. Since the wars with Native mainstream media coverage of the leading creditor nation while Joseph Stiglitz, former director for their war crimes? Thanks to the very nebulous, Americans, setting one indigenous war are the latest signs of American- America’s fiscal deficits and of research at the World Bank and “Two and a half years into the flexible term of “terrorism,” the group against another indigenous style militarism and imperialism – inability to cover the costs of Nobel Prize winner gradually Bush administration, most of our Pentagon today can do whatever it group is also traditional for or can we say, totalitarianism? imported goods quickly turned it concluded that the international allies had left us, our military was wants to American citizens. In the maintaining empire, as if the two Economic Empire into the world’s largest debtor trade agreements are grossly unfair overstretched, and no nation on summer of 2002, the Bush groups are fighting (witness Sunnis “At the August 2002 world nation. For this reason, the to countries in the Third World. earth doubted our willingness to administration directed its lawyers and Shiites) it makes it easier for summit on sustainable development conservatives took action by There is not a single Third World employ military power to solve any to review the Posse Comitatus Act Empire to control them all and keep in Johannesburg, the delegates wore reviving 19th-century capitalist country that has benefited in any and all problems.” and any other laws that could them down where they belong. It is badges asking, “What do we do fundamentalist theory, which they w a y, s h a p e o r f o r m f r o m - Chalmers Johnson potentially restrict the Pentagon’s not American soldiers who guard about the United States?” Chalmers dubbed ‘neoliberalism.’ It meant, globalization. Rather, the per capita Today the federal government ability to engage in domestic law military checkpoints in Baghdad, Johnson withdrawing the state as far as GDP, the plight of the common can tap into our phone calls, faxes enforcement. In 2003 the Bush but Nepalese gurkhas. Furthermore The new American Empire of p o s s i b l e f r o m e c o n o m i c people in every country has been and email transmissions if it wants. administration proceeded to tuck in we have in Iraq today not bases is militarized and unilateral. participation; opening domestic m a d e f a r w o r s e b y t h i s The federal government has also an interesting proposal (within a necessarily the US military in Since the last three-four years it has markets to international trade and neoliberalism. De Rivero wrote that begun arresting and imprisoning not broader intelligence authorization charge but rather numerous private s u b v e r t e d c o m m e r c e a n d foreign investment; privatizing what globalization produced was only naturalized but also native- bill) which gives the military as well military companies who work hand globalization because militarism investment in public utilities and not NICs (newly industrializesd born citizens along with immigrants as the CIA authority to require in hand with the CIA and other weakens international law and natural resources; ending protective countries) but about 130 NNEs without bringing charges against Internet providers, credit card intelligence agencies. It is the reciprocal norms on which trade is labor laws; creating powerful (nonviable national economics) and them. Essentially the government companies, libraries and many other privatization of the US armed based. In the age of American domestic and international sometimes UCEs (ungovernable does what it likes, and the president organizations to hand over all kinds forces. It is these private military militarism, globalization takes on a safeguards for private property chaotic entities)!! (11) Chalmers alone decides who is an “illegal of records on US citizens – including companies that have become simple new definition, which is to rights, including the famous points out the following: belligerent” – another new term of phone records, bank transactions indispensable to the military and force (if necessary) all countries to “intellectual property rights;” and “In 1841 the prominent this administration which can mean and email logs. Hitherto only the who in fact keep the Empire open themselves up to American carrying out conservative fiscal German political economist anything Bush wants it to mean. All FBI could seek this information and running. exploitation and American-style policies regardless of the impact on Friedrich List (who had immigrated of these actions are signs of a that too only with a judicial warrant. The total value of 725 c a p i t a l i s m . L i b y a n l e a d e r the welfare of the common people. t o A m e r i c a ) w r o t e i n h i s national security state – militarism. Hence in just four years we have recognized American military bases Muammad al Qaddhafi’s recent In academic circles the term masterpiece, The National System Included in this global witnessed the transformation of the around the world is $118 billion. Of capitulation right after the capture of ‘neoliberalism’ became known as of Political Economy, ‘It is a very militarism is US domination of United States government from one these, $38 billion are in Germany Saddam Hussein is a stunning ‘neoclassical economics.’ In the common clever device that when space. The Space Command’s following some semblance of (with more than 47 bases) and $40 example. Rather than bringing public domain it was referred to as anyone has attained the summit of policy statement says that “the democracy to one in which the billion are in Japan – remnants from peace, this weakness paved the way ‘globalization.’ It was a ‘gigantic greatness, he kicks away the ladder globalization of the world economy executive branch in collusion with World War II, in the form of a secret for invasion and complete repackaging’ of classical liberalism. by which he has climbed up, in order will continue, with a widening gulf the Pentagon are operating more and enclave of military airfields, destruction of the country by US Clinton actively propagated to deprive others of the means of between ‘haves’ and ‘have-nots,’ more as a totalitarian democracy, submarine pens, intelligence sponsored Jihadis. globalization. George Bush climbing up after him.’ Much of and … the Pentagon’s mission is including over its own citizens. facilities and CIA safe houses in According to Johnson, the promoted “Free Trade Area of the m o d e r n A n g l o - A m e r i c a n therefore to ‘dominate the space Enemies are portrayed as “both Okinawa). (9) Bases in South Korea aftermath of September 11 has Americas” – FTAA. The effect of economics and all of the theory of dimension of military operations to white and black-skinned but have account for $11.5 billion. The spelled the end of globalization. these policies and regulations on globalization are attempts to p r o t e c t U S i n t e r e s t s a n d one trait in common – nearly all of Pentagon did not yet include in its While Clinton propagated economic Third World countries was disguise this kicking away of the investments.’ A crucial goal of the imperialism, Bush propagated d e v a s t a t i n g . A s P e r u v i a n ladder.” (12) US government is therefore military imperialism. Obama never Ambassador to the WTO, Oswaldo In countries where the leaders “denying other countries access to had the integrity or courage to chart de Rivero, said, “the cost of the had no option but to obey the US and space.” (8) a new course. Bush espoused Soviet version of development was its imperialist affiliates- the WTO, Today the Department of unilateral preemptive military shortages and lack of freedom; WB and IMF, where they began D e f e n s e h a s g i v e n a n e w a c t i o n , t h e r e b y f l o u t i n g today, that of the neoliberal, allowing ‘free’ trade, sell-offs of interpretation to federal law and international rules and norms of capitalist variant is unemployment public utilities, no controls over says that if any part of a university globalization. Today in America, and social exclusion.” (10) capital movements – the results in denies access to military recruiters, militarism has displaced and In fact, globalization promotes those countries were a catastrophe. the entire university will lose all d i s c r e d i t e d U S e c o n o m i c both racism, genocide and ruthless, The American people need to federal funds forthwith. leadership. ravaging exploitation of third world, know that the World Bank and the In 1878 the Posse Comitatus WTO was created in 1995 and non-white-skinned people to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Act was passed, in order to prevent thereafter world trade expanded extreme. Hence the instruments of are simply surrogates for the US the military from ever again from $124 billion to $10,772 billion. globalization, be it the World Trade Treasury. Both organizations are engaging in police activities without It worked well, so long as the trade Organization, World Bank, Free located at 19th and H Streets,

30 September 2013 | PROUT PROUT | September 2013 31 ideal, not an assertion of the consent of Congress or the them are unshaven.” financial calculations the new balance favored the US, and so long Trade Area of the America, or sovereignty.” (7). Obama has with a President. It means the standing Another habit traditional for military bases springing up like as the US could dictate the terms for International Monetary Fund, must a stick tongue been even more army will not have any role in empires is to recruit foreigners to do mushrooms all over the Middle trade so as to derive maximum be charged with crimes against autocratic than Bush. So is there policing American citizens in their the dirty work. Replacing homeland East! benefit for US corporations. humanity! The damage they have some fear on the part of Bush and his own country. This distinction is soldiers with local cannon fodder is The high tech war and the In the mid-1980s Japan had wrought to third world countries is colleagues that one day the ICC may nowhere today. Today the Pentagon at the top of the list for imperialist fanatic attention to controlling replaced the US as the world’s immeasurable. start proceedings to prosecute them is in the domestic policy business. rulers. Since the wars with Native mainstream media coverage of the leading creditor nation while Joseph Stiglitz, former director for their war crimes? Thanks to the very nebulous, Americans, setting one indigenous war are the latest signs of American- America’s fiscal deficits and of research at the World Bank and “Two and a half years into the flexible term of “terrorism,” the group against another indigenous style militarism and imperialism – inability to cover the costs of Nobel Prize winner gradually Bush administration, most of our Pentagon today can do whatever it group is also traditional for or can we say, totalitarianism? imported goods quickly turned it concluded that the international allies had left us, our military was wants to American citizens. In the maintaining empire, as if the two Economic Empire into the world’s largest debtor trade agreements are grossly unfair overstretched, and no nation on summer of 2002, the Bush groups are fighting (witness Sunnis “At the August 2002 world nation. For this reason, the to countries in the Third World. earth doubted our willingness to administration directed its lawyers and Shiites) it makes it easier for summit on sustainable development conservatives took action by There is not a single Third World employ military power to solve any to review the Posse Comitatus Act Empire to control them all and keep in Johannesburg, the delegates wore reviving 19th-century capitalist country that has benefited in any and all problems.” and any other laws that could them down where they belong. It is badges asking, “What do we do fundamentalist theory, which they w a y, s h a p e o r f o r m f r o m - Chalmers Johnson potentially restrict the Pentagon’s not American soldiers who guard about the United States?” Chalmers dubbed ‘neoliberalism.’ It meant, globalization. Rather, the per capita Today the federal government ability to engage in domestic law military checkpoints in Baghdad, Johnson withdrawing the state as far as GDP, the plight of the common can tap into our phone calls, faxes enforcement. In 2003 the Bush but Nepalese gurkhas. Furthermore The new American Empire of p o s s i b l e f r o m e c o n o m i c people in every country has been and email transmissions if it wants. administration proceeded to tuck in we have in Iraq today not bases is militarized and unilateral. participation; opening domestic m a d e f a r w o r s e b y t h i s The federal government has also an interesting proposal (within a necessarily the US military in Since the last three-four years it has markets to international trade and neoliberalism. De Rivero wrote that begun arresting and imprisoning not broader intelligence authorization charge but rather numerous private s u b v e r t e d c o m m e r c e a n d foreign investment; privatizing what globalization produced was only naturalized but also native- bill) which gives the military as well military companies who work hand globalization because militarism investment in public utilities and not NICs (newly industrializesd born citizens along with immigrants as the CIA authority to require in hand with the CIA and other weakens international law and natural resources; ending protective countries) but about 130 NNEs without bringing charges against Internet providers, credit card intelligence agencies. It is the reciprocal norms on which trade is labor laws; creating powerful (nonviable national economics) and them. Essentially the government companies, libraries and many other privatization of the US armed based. In the age of American domestic and international sometimes UCEs (ungovernable does what it likes, and the president organizations to hand over all kinds forces. It is these private military militarism, globalization takes on a safeguards for private property chaotic entities)!! (11) Chalmers alone decides who is an “illegal of records on US citizens – including companies that have become simple new definition, which is to rights, including the famous points out the following: belligerent” – another new term of phone records, bank transactions indispensable to the military and force (if necessary) all countries to “intellectual property rights;” and “In 1841 the prominent this administration which can mean and email logs. Hitherto only the who in fact keep the Empire open themselves up to American carrying out conservative fiscal German political economist anything Bush wants it to mean. All FBI could seek this information and running. exploitation and American-style policies regardless of the impact on Friedrich List (who had immigrated of these actions are signs of a that too only with a judicial warrant. The total value of 725 c a p i t a l i s m . L i b y a n l e a d e r the welfare of the common people. t o A m e r i c a ) w r o t e i n h i s national security state – militarism. Hence in just four years we have recognized American military bases Muammad al Qaddhafi’s recent In academic circles the term masterpiece, The National System Included in this global witnessed the transformation of the around the world is $118 billion. Of capitulation right after the capture of ‘neoliberalism’ became known as of Political Economy, ‘It is a very militarism is US domination of United States government from one these, $38 billion are in Germany Saddam Hussein is a stunning ‘neoclassical economics.’ In the common clever device that when space. The Space Command’s following some semblance of (with more than 47 bases) and $40 example. Rather than bringing public domain it was referred to as anyone has attained the summit of policy statement says that “the democracy to one in which the billion are in Japan – remnants from peace, this weakness paved the way ‘globalization.’ It was a ‘gigantic greatness, he kicks away the ladder globalization of the world economy executive branch in collusion with World War II, in the form of a secret for invasion and complete repackaging’ of classical liberalism. by which he has climbed up, in order will continue, with a widening gulf the Pentagon are operating more and enclave of military airfields, destruction of the country by US Clinton actively propagated to deprive others of the means of between ‘haves’ and ‘have-nots,’ more as a totalitarian democracy, submarine pens, intelligence sponsored Jihadis. globalization. George Bush climbing up after him.’ Much of and … the Pentagon’s mission is including over its own citizens. facilities and CIA safe houses in According to Johnson, the promoted “Free Trade Area of the m o d e r n A n g l o - A m e r i c a n therefore to ‘dominate the space Enemies are portrayed as “both Okinawa). (9) Bases in South Korea aftermath of September 11 has Americas” – FTAA. The effect of economics and all of the theory of dimension of military operations to white and black-skinned but have account for $11.5 billion. The spelled the end of globalization. these policies and regulations on globalization are attempts to p r o t e c t U S i n t e r e s t s a n d one trait in common – nearly all of Pentagon did not yet include in its While Clinton propagated economic Third World countries was disguise this kicking away of the investments.’ A crucial goal of the imperialism, Bush propagated d e v a s t a t i n g . A s P e r u v i a n ladder.” (12) US government is therefore military imperialism. Obama never Ambassador to the WTO, Oswaldo In countries where the leaders “denying other countries access to had the integrity or courage to chart de Rivero, said, “the cost of the had no option but to obey the US and space.” (8) a new course. Bush espoused Soviet version of development was its imperialist affiliates- the WTO, Today the Department of unilateral preemptive military shortages and lack of freedom; WB and IMF, where they began D e f e n s e h a s g i v e n a n e w a c t i o n , t h e r e b y f l o u t i n g today, that of the neoliberal, allowing ‘free’ trade, sell-offs of interpretation to federal law and international rules and norms of capitalist variant is unemployment public utilities, no controls over says that if any part of a university globalization. Today in America, and social exclusion.” (10) capital movements – the results in denies access to military recruiters, militarism has displaced and In fact, globalization promotes those countries were a catastrophe. the entire university will lose all d i s c r e d i t e d U S e c o n o m i c both racism, genocide and ruthless, The American people need to federal funds forthwith. leadership. ravaging exploitation of third world, know that the World Bank and the In 1878 the Posse Comitatus WTO was created in 1995 and non-white-skinned people to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Act was passed, in order to prevent thereafter world trade expanded extreme. Hence the instruments of are simply surrogates for the US the military from ever again from $124 billion to $10,772 billion. globalization, be it the World Trade Treasury. Both organizations are engaging in police activities without It worked well, so long as the trade Organization, World Bank, Free located at 19th and H Streets,

30 September 2013 | PROUT PROUT | September 2013 31 Northwest, in Washington, D.C. The which feed the neoliberal agenda of convertibility of its currency. In more money. The WTO’s two voting rules of both organizations transnational corporations. If the other words, it must not prohibit the objectives (on behalf of US guarantee that they can do nothing poor country does not agree to the exchange of its own money for the corporations) was (1) to manage the without the approval of the secretary terms of the World Bank, the Bank money of another country. growing trade rivalry between of the US Treasury. refuses all loans, thus helping to Maintaining free convertibility, western industrialized countries like The other cunning capitalist destabilize its economy. If the regardless of the exchange rate, the US, the EU and Japan; and (2) to innovation carried out by the US was country still does not agree, then the makes speculation about the make sure that Third World the system of fixed exchange rates World Bank will aid in setting up the currency’s future value possible. So countries could not use trade as a among the currencies of all capitalist country for a coup d’etat, organized how does any country benefit from means to their own industrialization nations. Every other financial by the CIA. The case of Chile comes such loans, with such draconian – which would negatively affect the system was tied to the US dollar with to mind, along with the CIA- strings attached? It benefits in no neoliberal global economic an American guarantee that the s p o n s o r e d o v e r t h r o w o f way at all. It never achieves any kind structure, i.e., the cessation of Headquarters building of the International Monetary Fund, Washington, D.C. dollars would be exchanged for gold democratically elected Salvador of economic recovery from the incoming profits to US. Before the if requested. Of course, the gold has Allende and the CIA-installation of loans. Instead it moves towards total creation of the WTO, agriculture experience unbounded economic precondition for desperately needed long since gone out the window. Augusto Pinochet who proceeded to economic collapse. It leaves was an independent entity in Third hardship. Not the political leaders, loans. IMF policies began to Both Britain and the US were torture, ‘disappear’ and slaughter governments of those countries so World countries. But with the advent but the masses – the common generate a deep-seated hatred of US, dedicated to the idea of a world thousands of his own citizens. In this weakened that they often decline of WTO, both the EU and the US people! which spread across the East Asian economic order maintained by manner, and under these threats by into kleptocracies – governments could force the Third World to open As if this were not enough, the continent. Western powers tried to “enlightened governments” – aka the World Bank and IMF, characterized by rampant greed and up new markets (cash crops) for WTO introduced Trade-Related deflect this hatred, falsely claiming the US and Britain, of course. It was impoverished Third World countries corruption! export. To succeed in this endeavor, Intellectual Property Rights – also that the Asian countries collapsed Nixon who ended the gold standard quickly came into line and thus, by Cases in point would be the the WTO had to first put local known as TRIPS, which allowed due to internal corruption. and also the system of fixed the late 1990s about 90 third world bankruptcy of Mexico in 1995, farmers out of business – drive them American and other transnational According to New York Times exchange rates. From then on, countries were getting “structurally followed by Thailand, South Korea into bankruptcy. Second, those local corporations to claim patents on columnist Thomas Friedman, currencies of different countries adjusted” by the World Bank and and Indonesia in 1997; Brazil and farmers were to be replaced by giant indigenous products already used in globalization is the inescapable could float their currencies, whose IMF. Russia in 1998; the horrendous agro-businesses. Third World countries for centuries. reality – and globalization has no values were set by demand in the What are these “structural collapse of the Argentinian At the “Uruguay Round” of The neem tree in India is an name. international markets. adjustment” programs of the so- economy in 2000, and Venezuela in agricultural negotiations which took example. The common people have But in Seattle, Washington in Since profits were huge and called benevolent World Bank and 2002. These countries, in a state of place in Uruguay in 1995, the utilized the healing properties of its 1999, outraged NGOs fighting for costs were low, American banks like IMF? In such a program, the IMF near anarchy, continued to be European Union (EU) and the US leaves and bark through the ages. justice found some names to match Citicorp and Banker Trust began to and WB require that the poor compelled to depend on blood- excluded all representatives from Suddenly, Indians were faced with the crimes – the names of IMF and make huge, risky loans to Third country in question give foreigners sucking American corporations for Third World countries and decided demands that it could no longer be World Bank officials responsible for World countries. In economics this (which translates to American virtually all their consumer needs. In amongst themselves what would be used locally, as an American creating the policies that wreaked is called “moral hazard” – where multinational corporations) free the words of the great Filipino the global rules concerning corporation now held the patent on economic havoc on Third World bankers make outrageously access to its economy. Further, the activist Walden Bello, IMF and WB agriculture. They further prohibited this indigenous plant. Another countries! These good people irresponsible loans without any risk country is forced to reduce spending loans result in nothing but “failure, Third World countries from example is the case of Rice Tec, Inc. u n m a s k e d t h e i m p e r i a l i s t , William Blake 1757-1827 of having to absorb the loss or make on social programs such as health spectacular failure.” (13) In signing protecting their own agriculture but of Alvin, Texas, who in 1997 expansionist motives of the IMF, the good the money they might lose in care and education, in order to divert papers with these two institutions, exempted their own subsidies. patented a hybrid of Indian basmati World Bank and the WTO. They the transaction. This was in the that money to repay their debt to the Bello said, they “signed away their Consequently, a huge mass of rice, which in fact has been grown in exposed how IMF voting rules are 1970s. By the end of the 1970s every IMF/WB as well as foreign right to development.” (Again, it agricultural products began to India for more than two centuries. rigged to favor the rich countries. country in Africa was in debt up to corporations. All subsidies to local reminds one of the credit card inundate third world countries, These are just two examples of Only the US has the power to elect its eyeballs. In 1982 the US agriculture must be eliminated – companies in the US – sucking the driving local farmers bankrupt and m e d i c a l a n d a g r i c u l t u r a l the president of the World Bank. By government put the IMF and the m a k i n g l o c a l a g r i c u l t u r e life force out of debtors with their 29 forcing them to migrate to cities in exploitation of Third World 2002 anti-globalization movements World Bank in charge of making economically nonviable. Instead percent interest rates, and driving search of survival. It means that the countries by American corporations had spread around the world, doing loans to Third World countries, with subsidies to agro-businesses millions of simple citizens, unable European Union also is an on the basis of laws incorporated their utmost to expose the the following instructions: (1) Keep growing crops for export are to calculate the extreme capitalist exploitative tool of capitalism. into the WTO – an entity serving exploitation of these capitalist those poor debtor countries paying increased. The IMF further demands exploitation of these banks, into Really speaking, it means that Third capitalism and capitalists alone! The institutions. As a result of the something so as to avoid official that countries allow foreign bankruptcy!) World countries should not do any WTO is nothing but a tool of protests, the IMF changed the name defaults, and (2) squeeze as much investors to buy up any state-owned With clear proof of the kind of business with First World, American economic imperialism, of its program from “structural money out of them as possible. (Sort enterprises they please – such as unbounded destruction of the IMF western, industrialized countries, controlled by rich nations who adjustment policies” to the new of like our credit card companies do electric companies, power and World Bank, the catastrophic because invariably western exploit and oppress poor nations. name of “poverty reduction and to the ordinary citizens here in c o m p a n i e s , t e l e p h o n e a n d consequences on the little people countries will exploit them. Western Globalization and the WTO growth facility.” They are America!) transportation companies, natural struggling to climb out of abject countries are not looking to help started sinking into trouble with the meaningless, hypocritical words So what exactly does the World resources and energy companies – poverty, the question arises: Why do impoverished countries. Look at Asian Tiger collapse of 1997. This invented to hoodwink the simple Bank do to Third World countries? It yes, that would be the local oil we need the World Bank, the World how Russia was looted after collapse, a direct result of neo masses who have unbounded gives loans. But there are conditions companies or the future gas Trade Organization (WTO), or the communism. Rather, by entering liberalist policies of the US, caused suffering and who do not understand on the loans. To get the loan, the poor pipelines in Syria. IMF? The WTO was created into any kind of business the overthrow of the Indonesian the cause of their suffering or who country must agree to the imposition And last but not least, the because the US found it could be negotiations with wealthy countries, government when the IMF tried to creates all their torture. of drastic socioeconomic conditions country must agree to maintain the created, to use as a tool to make the Third World countries begin to impose draconian reforms as a When Argentina went belly

32 September 2013 | PROUT PROUT | September 2013 33 Northwest, in Washington, D.C. The which feed the neoliberal agenda of convertibility of its currency. In more money. The WTO’s two voting rules of both organizations transnational corporations. If the other words, it must not prohibit the objectives (on behalf of US guarantee that they can do nothing poor country does not agree to the exchange of its own money for the corporations) was (1) to manage the without the approval of the secretary terms of the World Bank, the Bank money of another country. growing trade rivalry between of the US Treasury. refuses all loans, thus helping to Maintaining free convertibility, western industrialized countries like The other cunning capitalist destabilize its economy. If the regardless of the exchange rate, the US, the EU and Japan; and (2) to innovation carried out by the US was country still does not agree, then the makes speculation about the make sure that Third World the system of fixed exchange rates World Bank will aid in setting up the currency’s future value possible. So countries could not use trade as a among the currencies of all capitalist country for a coup d’etat, organized how does any country benefit from means to their own industrialization nations. Every other financial by the CIA. The case of Chile comes such loans, with such draconian – which would negatively affect the system was tied to the US dollar with to mind, along with the CIA- strings attached? It benefits in no neoliberal global economic an American guarantee that the s p o n s o r e d o v e r t h r o w o f way at all. It never achieves any kind structure, i.e., the cessation of Headquarters building of the International Monetary Fund, Washington, D.C. dollars would be exchanged for gold democratically elected Salvador of economic recovery from the incoming profits to US. Before the if requested. Of course, the gold has Allende and the CIA-installation of loans. Instead it moves towards total creation of the WTO, agriculture experience unbounded economic precondition for desperately needed long since gone out the window. Augusto Pinochet who proceeded to economic collapse. It leaves was an independent entity in Third hardship. Not the political leaders, loans. IMF policies began to Both Britain and the US were torture, ‘disappear’ and slaughter governments of those countries so World countries. But with the advent but the masses – the common generate a deep-seated hatred of US, dedicated to the idea of a world thousands of his own citizens. In this weakened that they often decline of WTO, both the EU and the US people! which spread across the East Asian economic order maintained by manner, and under these threats by into kleptocracies – governments could force the Third World to open As if this were not enough, the continent. Western powers tried to “enlightened governments” – aka the World Bank and IMF, characterized by rampant greed and up new markets (cash crops) for WTO introduced Trade-Related deflect this hatred, falsely claiming the US and Britain, of course. It was impoverished Third World countries corruption! export. To succeed in this endeavor, Intellectual Property Rights – also that the Asian countries collapsed Nixon who ended the gold standard quickly came into line and thus, by Cases in point would be the the WTO had to first put local known as TRIPS, which allowed due to internal corruption. and also the system of fixed the late 1990s about 90 third world bankruptcy of Mexico in 1995, farmers out of business – drive them American and other transnational According to New York Times exchange rates. From then on, countries were getting “structurally followed by Thailand, South Korea into bankruptcy. Second, those local corporations to claim patents on columnist Thomas Friedman, currencies of different countries adjusted” by the World Bank and and Indonesia in 1997; Brazil and farmers were to be replaced by giant indigenous products already used in globalization is the inescapable could float their currencies, whose IMF. Russia in 1998; the horrendous agro-businesses. Third World countries for centuries. reality – and globalization has no values were set by demand in the What are these “structural collapse of the Argentinian At the “Uruguay Round” of The neem tree in India is an name. international markets. adjustment” programs of the so- economy in 2000, and Venezuela in agricultural negotiations which took example. The common people have But in Seattle, Washington in Since profits were huge and called benevolent World Bank and 2002. These countries, in a state of place in Uruguay in 1995, the utilized the healing properties of its 1999, outraged NGOs fighting for costs were low, American banks like IMF? In such a program, the IMF near anarchy, continued to be European Union (EU) and the US leaves and bark through the ages. justice found some names to match Citicorp and Banker Trust began to and WB require that the poor compelled to depend on blood- excluded all representatives from Suddenly, Indians were faced with the crimes – the names of IMF and make huge, risky loans to Third country in question give foreigners sucking American corporations for Third World countries and decided demands that it could no longer be World Bank officials responsible for World countries. In economics this (which translates to American virtually all their consumer needs. In amongst themselves what would be used locally, as an American creating the policies that wreaked is called “moral hazard” – where multinational corporations) free the words of the great Filipino the global rules concerning corporation now held the patent on economic havoc on Third World bankers make outrageously access to its economy. Further, the activist Walden Bello, IMF and WB agriculture. They further prohibited this indigenous plant. Another countries! These good people irresponsible loans without any risk country is forced to reduce spending loans result in nothing but “failure, Third World countries from example is the case of Rice Tec, Inc. u n m a s k e d t h e i m p e r i a l i s t , William Blake 1757-1827 of having to absorb the loss or make on social programs such as health spectacular failure.” (13) In signing protecting their own agriculture but of Alvin, Texas, who in 1997 expansionist motives of the IMF, the good the money they might lose in care and education, in order to divert papers with these two institutions, exempted their own subsidies. patented a hybrid of Indian basmati World Bank and the WTO. They the transaction. This was in the that money to repay their debt to the Bello said, they “signed away their Consequently, a huge mass of rice, which in fact has been grown in exposed how IMF voting rules are 1970s. By the end of the 1970s every IMF/WB as well as foreign right to development.” (Again, it agricultural products began to India for more than two centuries. rigged to favor the rich countries. country in Africa was in debt up to corporations. All subsidies to local reminds one of the credit card inundate third world countries, These are just two examples of Only the US has the power to elect its eyeballs. In 1982 the US agriculture must be eliminated – companies in the US – sucking the driving local farmers bankrupt and m e d i c a l a n d a g r i c u l t u r a l the president of the World Bank. By government put the IMF and the m a k i n g l o c a l a g r i c u l t u r e life force out of debtors with their 29 forcing them to migrate to cities in exploitation of Third World 2002 anti-globalization movements World Bank in charge of making economically nonviable. Instead percent interest rates, and driving search of survival. It means that the countries by American corporations had spread around the world, doing loans to Third World countries, with subsidies to agro-businesses millions of simple citizens, unable European Union also is an on the basis of laws incorporated their utmost to expose the the following instructions: (1) Keep growing crops for export are to calculate the extreme capitalist exploitative tool of capitalism. into the WTO – an entity serving exploitation of these capitalist those poor debtor countries paying increased. The IMF further demands exploitation of these banks, into Really speaking, it means that Third capitalism and capitalists alone! The institutions. As a result of the something so as to avoid official that countries allow foreign bankruptcy!) World countries should not do any WTO is nothing but a tool of protests, the IMF changed the name defaults, and (2) squeeze as much investors to buy up any state-owned With clear proof of the kind of business with First World, American economic imperialism, of its program from “structural money out of them as possible. (Sort enterprises they please – such as unbounded destruction of the IMF western, industrialized countries, controlled by rich nations who adjustment policies” to the new of like our credit card companies do electric companies, power and World Bank, the catastrophic because invariably western exploit and oppress poor nations. name of “poverty reduction and to the ordinary citizens here in c o m p a n i e s , t e l e p h o n e a n d consequences on the little people countries will exploit them. Western Globalization and the WTO growth facility.” They are America!) transportation companies, natural struggling to climb out of abject countries are not looking to help started sinking into trouble with the meaningless, hypocritical words So what exactly does the World resources and energy companies – poverty, the question arises: Why do impoverished countries. Look at Asian Tiger collapse of 1997. This invented to hoodwink the simple Bank do to Third World countries? It yes, that would be the local oil we need the World Bank, the World how Russia was looted after collapse, a direct result of neo masses who have unbounded gives loans. But there are conditions companies or the future gas Trade Organization (WTO), or the communism. Rather, by entering liberalist policies of the US, caused suffering and who do not understand on the loans. To get the loan, the poor pipelines in Syria. IMF? The WTO was created into any kind of business the overthrow of the Indonesian the cause of their suffering or who country must agree to the imposition And last but not least, the because the US found it could be negotiations with wealthy countries, government when the IMF tried to creates all their torture. of drastic socioeconomic conditions country must agree to maintain the created, to use as a tool to make the Third World countries begin to impose draconian reforms as a When Argentina went belly

32 September 2013 | PROUT PROUT | September 2013 33 GLOBAL POLICE STATE under in 2000, the IMF agreed to Bogota saying that purchasing from soon lost all their lands. The help it with the same draconian Brazil would have a negative effect destruction of tribal languages goes stipulations: fire large numbers of on support for future military aid to hand in hand with the seizure of government workers, cut pensions, Columbia. General Hill instead tribal lands, the enslaving of tribal The NSA has built an infrastructure that allows it to intercept almost reduce wages, and eliminate fringe suggested that Columbia buy C-130 men and the prostitutionalizing of everything. With this capability, the vast majority of human benefits. The IMF gave loans telling airplanes from Lockheed Martin in tribal women. The key to this is the the government to keep squeezing Georgia. (15) Columbia dropped the control of the local media by communications are automatically ingested without targeting the poorest sections of the society so deal with Brazil and coalesced with Western capitalists. Through the as to be able to repay the loans. No the US. Did it have any choice? corporate pseudo-culture created by government could realistically meet However, with the election of Luis the media the youth are goaded the demands of the IMF. Those Lula da Silva, also in October 2002, towards selfish enjoyment (at the demands were the embodiment of the days of bending to US expense of family and community), cruelty, of torture, to the little people exploitation and arm-twisting may viewing women as sexual objects, in the country. Finally the IMF be over. alcoholism, drugs and violence. refused to give more loans and As Andre Gunder Frank said, This is why we see paradoxically Argentina collapsed through the the Pentagon is the world’s largest regions with high literacy having the floor – all thanks to neo liberalism, planned economy, with their goal highest suicide rates. As Shrii Sarkar globalization and the IMF. being to redistribute income from has stated: How has globalization poor to rich at home and abroad to "This exploitation in the changed since the year 2000? After blackmail friend and foe to do the cultural sphere is accomplished by 9/11, globalization was gradually same. Rumsfeld completely the propagation of pseudo-culture. replaced by munitions and war privatized the war in Iraq. Between Every honest, virtuous, rational profiteering. There is no way for 1994 and mid-2003 the Pentagon person must fight against this capitalists to make more money than made over 3,000 contracts valued at pseudo-culture, and inspire others to to take a country to war and to get more than $300 billion. More than do the same. If this is not done, the into the munitions business. The 2,700 of those contracts were given future of humanity will be sealed. It military-industrial complex and the to just two companies: Kellogg is proper for human beings to Pentagon play a huge role in this Brown and Root (KBR), subsidiary struggle for political freedom, for kind of economy. However, arms of Cheney’s Halliburton, and to social emancipation; but if their manufacturing does not follow the Booz Allen Hamilton. The result is cultural backbone is broken, then all rules of globalization. Normally called private military companies – their struggles will end in nothing – there is one customer (the PMCs. The number of mercenaries like offering ghee into a fire that has government) and it is not subject to employed by PMCs is greater than died out. market discipline. Risks of profit that employed by the US and British If one’s spine is shattered, it is and loss are not taken into military combined. (16) impossible to hold one’s head erect. consideration. Hence, making and However Shrii Sarkar notes Can those whose necks and backs selling munitions is not an example that the most insidious forms of are crushed under the weight of of “free enterprise.” Rather it is state imperialism are cultural and pseudo-culture, be expected to hold socialism. (14) While “industrial linguistic, through the propagation their heads high in any sphere of NSA Whistleblower Reveals Identity, Exposes US Government’s policy” is outlawed by the WTO, of corporate pseudo-culture. It is an life? Hence it is the bounden duty of there is one glaring exception – that open secret that the internet thrives every rational person to save is the production and sale of on the pornography industry which innocent people from pseudo- weapons. So even while IMF often involves female slaves. It is an culture." “Architecture of Oppression” imposes severe restrictions on a open secret that wherever the US To be concluded. country in spending on health care or Army goes we see a rise not just in Notes ð pensions for its common citizens, it the trafficking of drugs but in the 1 Chalmers Johnson, Sorrows Thomas Gaist aims: “They are intent on making by Snowden, in addition to the will allow the same country to trafficking of women as well. This of Empire, New York, Metropolitan every conversation and every form collection of data from millions of purchase unlimited number of has been seen in Bosnia, Iraq and Books / Henry Holt and Company, ormer CIA employee of behaviour in the world known to US citizens on a daily basis, the NSA weapons from – you guessed it – other places around the world. The 2004; 2 Ibid, p. 5; 3 Ibid, p. 23; 4 Ibid; E d w a r d J o s e p h them.” The leaks have uncovered a also snoops on the rest of the world. government spying program that American munitions corporations. spread of pornography is best 5 Ibid, p. 58; 6 Ibid, p. 60; 7 Ibid, p. FSnowden has exposed Employing a program known as systematic police-state surveillance includes the accumulation of An example is when in October described through a story from 74; 8 Ibid, p. 81; 9 Ibid, p. 199; 10 Boundless Informant the NSA conducted under the Obama detailed phone records on nearly collected no less than 3 billion 2002 Columbia was about to Orissa, India. In rural Orissa in the Ibid, p. 261; 11 Ibid, p. 262; 12 Ibid, administration by the National every individual in the United pieces of metadata from individuals purchase 40 Super Tucano light 1990s vans would drive out into the p. 262; 13 Ibid, p. 268; 14 Ibid, p. Security Agency. Snowden, who is States, as well as a program of and businesses across the continent attack aircraft from Embraer of Sao villages. They would show the men 277; 15 Ibid, p. 280; 16 Andre 29 years old and has served as an Internet spying spanning the globe of Europe in the space of just one Paulo, Brazil’s biggest exporter, for pornographic movies and give them Gunder Frank, “Geopolitical Catch undercover intelligence employee, involving the close collaboration of month. Every European state was $234 million. Instead, General free alcohol. This continued for a 22: Uncle Sam’s Paper Tiger Dollar,” referred to the massive surveillance major tech companies, including subject to surveillance but, on the James T. Hill, head of the US week until afterwards money was at Center for Research on program as an “architecture of Microsoft and Google. basis of a color-coded map, it Southern Command, wrote to demanded. The addicted villagers Globalization. oppression” with virtually limitless According to the data released emerges that the continent's biggest

34 September 2013 | PROUT PROUT | September 2013 35 GLOBAL POLICE STATE under in 2000, the IMF agreed to Bogota saying that purchasing from soon lost all their lands. The help it with the same draconian Brazil would have a negative effect destruction of tribal languages goes stipulations: fire large numbers of on support for future military aid to hand in hand with the seizure of government workers, cut pensions, Columbia. General Hill instead tribal lands, the enslaving of tribal The NSA has built an infrastructure that allows it to intercept almost reduce wages, and eliminate fringe suggested that Columbia buy C-130 men and the prostitutionalizing of everything. With this capability, the vast majority of human benefits. The IMF gave loans telling airplanes from Lockheed Martin in tribal women. The key to this is the the government to keep squeezing Georgia. (15) Columbia dropped the control of the local media by communications are automatically ingested without targeting the poorest sections of the society so deal with Brazil and coalesced with Western capitalists. Through the as to be able to repay the loans. No the US. Did it have any choice? corporate pseudo-culture created by government could realistically meet However, with the election of Luis the media the youth are goaded the demands of the IMF. Those Lula da Silva, also in October 2002, towards selfish enjoyment (at the demands were the embodiment of the days of bending to US expense of family and community), cruelty, of torture, to the little people exploitation and arm-twisting may viewing women as sexual objects, in the country. Finally the IMF be over. alcoholism, drugs and violence. refused to give more loans and As Andre Gunder Frank said, This is why we see paradoxically Argentina collapsed through the the Pentagon is the world’s largest regions with high literacy having the floor – all thanks to neo liberalism, planned economy, with their goal highest suicide rates. As Shrii Sarkar globalization and the IMF. being to redistribute income from has stated: How has globalization poor to rich at home and abroad to "This exploitation in the changed since the year 2000? After blackmail friend and foe to do the cultural sphere is accomplished by 9/11, globalization was gradually same. Rumsfeld completely the propagation of pseudo-culture. replaced by munitions and war privatized the war in Iraq. Between Every honest, virtuous, rational profiteering. There is no way for 1994 and mid-2003 the Pentagon person must fight against this capitalists to make more money than made over 3,000 contracts valued at pseudo-culture, and inspire others to to take a country to war and to get more than $300 billion. More than do the same. If this is not done, the into the munitions business. The 2,700 of those contracts were given future of humanity will be sealed. It military-industrial complex and the to just two companies: Kellogg is proper for human beings to Pentagon play a huge role in this Brown and Root (KBR), subsidiary struggle for political freedom, for kind of economy. However, arms of Cheney’s Halliburton, and to social emancipation; but if their manufacturing does not follow the Booz Allen Hamilton. The result is cultural backbone is broken, then all rules of globalization. Normally called private military companies – their struggles will end in nothing – there is one customer (the PMCs. The number of mercenaries like offering ghee into a fire that has government) and it is not subject to employed by PMCs is greater than died out. market discipline. Risks of profit that employed by the US and British If one’s spine is shattered, it is and loss are not taken into military combined. (16) impossible to hold one’s head erect. consideration. Hence, making and However Shrii Sarkar notes Can those whose necks and backs selling munitions is not an example that the most insidious forms of are crushed under the weight of of “free enterprise.” Rather it is state imperialism are cultural and pseudo-culture, be expected to hold socialism. (14) While “industrial linguistic, through the propagation their heads high in any sphere of NSA Whistleblower Reveals Identity, Exposes US Government’s policy” is outlawed by the WTO, of corporate pseudo-culture. It is an life? Hence it is the bounden duty of there is one glaring exception – that open secret that the internet thrives every rational person to save is the production and sale of on the pornography industry which innocent people from pseudo- weapons. So even while IMF often involves female slaves. It is an culture." “Architecture of Oppression” imposes severe restrictions on a open secret that wherever the US To be concluded. country in spending on health care or Army goes we see a rise not just in Notes ð pensions for its common citizens, it the trafficking of drugs but in the 1 Chalmers Johnson, Sorrows Thomas Gaist aims: “They are intent on making by Snowden, in addition to the will allow the same country to trafficking of women as well. This of Empire, New York, Metropolitan every conversation and every form collection of data from millions of purchase unlimited number of has been seen in Bosnia, Iraq and Books / Henry Holt and Company, ormer CIA employee of behaviour in the world known to US citizens on a daily basis, the NSA weapons from – you guessed it – other places around the world. The 2004; 2 Ibid, p. 5; 3 Ibid, p. 23; 4 Ibid; E d w a r d J o s e p h them.” The leaks have uncovered a also snoops on the rest of the world. government spying program that American munitions corporations. spread of pornography is best 5 Ibid, p. 58; 6 Ibid, p. 60; 7 Ibid, p. FSnowden has exposed Employing a program known as systematic police-state surveillance includes the accumulation of An example is when in October described through a story from 74; 8 Ibid, p. 81; 9 Ibid, p. 199; 10 Boundless Informant the NSA conducted under the Obama detailed phone records on nearly collected no less than 3 billion 2002 Columbia was about to Orissa, India. In rural Orissa in the Ibid, p. 261; 11 Ibid, p. 262; 12 Ibid, administration by the National every individual in the United pieces of metadata from individuals purchase 40 Super Tucano light 1990s vans would drive out into the p. 262; 13 Ibid, p. 268; 14 Ibid, p. Security Agency. Snowden, who is States, as well as a program of and businesses across the continent attack aircraft from Embraer of Sao villages. They would show the men 277; 15 Ibid, p. 280; 16 Andre 29 years old and has served as an Internet spying spanning the globe of Europe in the space of just one Paulo, Brazil’s biggest exporter, for pornographic movies and give them Gunder Frank, “Geopolitical Catch undercover intelligence employee, involving the close collaboration of month. Every European state was $234 million. Instead, General free alcohol. This continued for a 22: Uncle Sam’s Paper Tiger Dollar,” referred to the massive surveillance major tech companies, including subject to surveillance but, on the James T. Hill, head of the US week until afterwards money was at Center for Research on program as an “architecture of Microsoft and Google. basis of a color-coded map, it Southern Command, wrote to demanded. The addicted villagers Globalization. oppression” with virtually limitless According to the data released emerges that the continent's biggest

34 September 2013 | PROUT PROUT | September 2013 35 EXPLOITATION economy, Germany, was subject to of what is possible. The extent of the victimization of global privacy,” the most scrutiny by the US their capabilities is horrifying. We Snowden told the Washington Post. program. The US spying operation can plant bugs in machines. Once Obama administration officials have has huge international implications. you go on the network, I can identify already threatened to arrest and In a commentary on the revelations your machine. You will never be safe prosecute the leaker of the For the first time in the history of sexual violence the British Financial Times whatever protections you put in information on domestic spying. expressed its concern about the place.” Snowden said he was Speaking to NBC, Director of law reform in India, issues pertaining to physically consequences of the US spying for motivated by a desire to defend the National Intelligence James Clapper challenged women are being flagged as important international diplomacy and public against a vast expansion of said, “This is someone who for business, while the Observer state power. “Allowing the US whatever reason has chosen to items on the reform agenda. n e w s p a p e r c o n d e m n e d t h e government to intimidate its people violate a sacred trust for this hypocrisy of Obama who recently with threats of retaliation for country… I hope we’re able to track harshly criticized surveillance revealing wrongdoing is contrary to down whoever is doing this.” operations conducted by the the public interest,” he said. “It’s In a recent speech, Obama Chinese government. In an important to send a message to brushed aside media coverage of the interview with the Guardian’s Glenn government that people will not be surveillance programs as “hype,” Greenwald Snowden detailed the intimidated.” saying that systematic spying on vast spying capabilities assembled Snowden stated that he lives “a telephone records and Internet usage by US government agencies: “The very comfortable life,” but is Physically Challenged amounted to no more than a “modest NSA has built an infrastructure that “willing to sacrifice all of that encroachment” on rights protected allows it to intercept almost because I can’t in good conscience everything. With this capability, the by the US Constitution. Snowden ð allow the US government to destroy said he “watched as Obama Shampa Sengupta & v a s t m a j o r i t y o f h u m a n privacy, Internet freedom and basic Saptarshi Mandal communications are automatically advanced the very policies that I liberties for people around the world thought would be reined in [with the ingested without targeting...” with this massive surveillance What difficulties do physically “The NSA specifically targets machine they’re secretly building.” d e p a r t u r e o f t h e B u s h challenged women face in accessing the communications of everyone… I Snowden made clear that he fears for administration],” and as a result, “I the legal system and navigating the got hardened.” “What they’re sitting at my desk certainly had the his safety as a result of his actions: trial process? And what are the doing,” Snowden said, poses “an authority to wiretap anyone, from “Yes, I could be rendered by the consequences for them of making manage toWomen get reported and legal victim during the trial or recording existential threat to democracy.” you or your accountant, to a federal CIA. I could have people come after sexual assault gender-neutral for actions are initiated. But most of the testimony without following the judge or even the president if I had a me. Or any of the third-party Bangalore: India is one among the top five countries most widely perpetrator and victim? these cases that reach the courts end procedure laid down in law, which personal email.” Snowden added, “I partners. They work closely with a in acquittal. Some of the reasons weaken the prosecution case at the don’t want to live in a society that number of other nations. Or they monitored by the National Security does these sorts of things. I do not could pay off the Triads [organized Agency (NSA) a U.S government For the first time in the history behind the low rate of conviction are appellate stage and result in want to live in a world where crime syndicate in China]. Any of agency tasked with foreign of sexual violence law reform in common to all rape cases: faulty acquittal. everything I do and say is recorded. their agents or assets,” he said. surveillance claims a Boundless India, issues pertaining to investigation by the police, biased That is not something I am willing to Snowden’s fears are entirely Informant, said a U.K newspaper. In physically challenged women are conclusions reached based on The Justice Verma Committee, support or live under.” Snowden justified, given the punishment of March 2013, NSA recorded 6.3 being flagged as important items on medical examination of the victim constituted by the central currently works for Booz Allen whistleblowers meted out by the billion pieces of intelligence from the reform agenda. Sexual violence and the accused, general attitude of government to look into sexual Hamilton, a defense contractor in Obama administration. The US computer networks in India placing against physically challenged distrust towards the victim and so assault law reform after the Delhi Hawaii, but has fled to Hong Kong. military is currently prosecuting it fifth on the list of most extensively women is rampant, both within the on. But there are also factors that are gang-rape and murder last monitored countries. Iran topped the Speaking of his motivation in Bradley Manning for releasing to supposedly safe zone of the ‘home’ - specific to the cases of physically December, gave many of us working leaking evidence of a massive list with 14 billion pieces of WikiLeaks evidence of massive - be it familial or custodial -- and challenged women, such as not on these issues an opportunity to dragnet carried out under the Obama criminality abroad. Responding to intelligence followed by Pakistan administration, Snowden added, statements by journalist Steve with 13.5 billion, Jordan in the third without. A small number of cases recording the testimony of the place some of these concerns before “Everyone, everywhere now Clemons that he had overheard position with 12.7 billion and Egypt the government. The committee understands how bad things have intelligence officials arguing that the with 7.6 billion in the fourth. The responded positively and a large gotten—and they’re talking about reporter and leaker of the story agency collected 97 billion pieces of number of its recommendations it.” Snowden rejected claims that the should be disappeared, Snowden intelligence from computer addressed difficulties faced by spying programs are focused on said: “Well, I am a spy and that is networks worldwide and has physically challenged women in foreign communications: “The NSA how they talk. Whenever we had a developed a powerful tool for accessing the legal system and routinely lays in response to debate in the office on how to handle recording and analyzing the top- navigating through the trial process. congressional inquiries about the crimes, they do not defend due secret documents about the NSA Among other things, the committee s c o p e o f s u r v e i l l a n c e i n process—they defend decisive data mining tool, called Boundless recommended that the assistance of America…We collect more digital action. They say it is better to kick Informant. It details and even maps interpreters or special educators be communications from America than someone out of a plane than let these by country the voluminous amount we do from the Russians.” people have a day in court. It is an of information it collects from taken at the time of recording of the “ W e h a c k e v e r y o n e authoritarian mindset in general.” computer and telephone networks. complaint by the police and also everywhere,” he added. Snowden has announced that It is the latest information in during the trial, that the process of Asked about the possibility of he will seek protection from foreign the series of revelations that features identification of the accused be effective countermeasures against governments: “I intend to ask for the top-secret surveillance and data videographed and that physically the surveillance, Snowden asylum from any countries that monitoring programs managed by challenged women be exempted responded, “You are not even aware believe in free speech and oppose NSA. from recounting their testimony

36 September 2013 | PROUT PROUT | September 2013 37 EXPLOITATION economy, Germany, was subject to of what is possible. The extent of the victimization of global privacy,” the most scrutiny by the US their capabilities is horrifying. We Snowden told the Washington Post. program. The US spying operation can plant bugs in machines. Once Obama administration officials have has huge international implications. you go on the network, I can identify already threatened to arrest and In a commentary on the revelations your machine. You will never be safe prosecute the leaker of the For the first time in the history of sexual violence the British Financial Times whatever protections you put in information on domestic spying. expressed its concern about the place.” Snowden said he was Speaking to NBC, Director of law reform in India, issues pertaining to physically consequences of the US spying for motivated by a desire to defend the National Intelligence James Clapper challenged women are being flagged as important international diplomacy and public against a vast expansion of said, “This is someone who for business, while the Observer state power. “Allowing the US whatever reason has chosen to items on the reform agenda. n e w s p a p e r c o n d e m n e d t h e government to intimidate its people violate a sacred trust for this hypocrisy of Obama who recently with threats of retaliation for country… I hope we’re able to track harshly criticized surveillance revealing wrongdoing is contrary to down whoever is doing this.” operations conducted by the the public interest,” he said. “It’s In a recent speech, Obama Chinese government. In an important to send a message to brushed aside media coverage of the interview with the Guardian’s Glenn government that people will not be surveillance programs as “hype,” Greenwald Snowden detailed the intimidated.” saying that systematic spying on vast spying capabilities assembled Snowden stated that he lives “a telephone records and Internet usage by US government agencies: “The very comfortable life,” but is Physically Challenged amounted to no more than a “modest NSA has built an infrastructure that “willing to sacrifice all of that encroachment” on rights protected allows it to intercept almost because I can’t in good conscience everything. With this capability, the by the US Constitution. Snowden ð allow the US government to destroy said he “watched as Obama Shampa Sengupta & v a s t m a j o r i t y o f h u m a n privacy, Internet freedom and basic Saptarshi Mandal communications are automatically advanced the very policies that I liberties for people around the world thought would be reined in [with the ingested without targeting...” with this massive surveillance What difficulties do physically “The NSA specifically targets machine they’re secretly building.” d e p a r t u r e o f t h e B u s h challenged women face in accessing the communications of everyone… I Snowden made clear that he fears for administration],” and as a result, “I the legal system and navigating the got hardened.” “What they’re sitting at my desk certainly had the his safety as a result of his actions: trial process? And what are the doing,” Snowden said, poses “an authority to wiretap anyone, from “Yes, I could be rendered by the consequences for them of making manage toWomen get reported and legal victim during the trial or recording existential threat to democracy.” you or your accountant, to a federal CIA. I could have people come after sexual assault gender-neutral for actions are initiated. But most of the testimony without following the judge or even the president if I had a me. Or any of the third-party Bangalore: India is one among the top five countries most widely perpetrator and victim? these cases that reach the courts end procedure laid down in law, which personal email.” Snowden added, “I partners. They work closely with a in acquittal. Some of the reasons weaken the prosecution case at the don’t want to live in a society that number of other nations. Or they monitored by the National Security does these sorts of things. I do not could pay off the Triads [organized Agency (NSA) a U.S government For the first time in the history behind the low rate of conviction are appellate stage and result in want to live in a world where crime syndicate in China]. Any of agency tasked with foreign of sexual violence law reform in common to all rape cases: faulty acquittal. everything I do and say is recorded. their agents or assets,” he said. surveillance claims a Boundless India, issues pertaining to investigation by the police, biased That is not something I am willing to Snowden’s fears are entirely Informant, said a U.K newspaper. In physically challenged women are conclusions reached based on The Justice Verma Committee, support or live under.” Snowden justified, given the punishment of March 2013, NSA recorded 6.3 being flagged as important items on medical examination of the victim constituted by the central currently works for Booz Allen whistleblowers meted out by the billion pieces of intelligence from the reform agenda. Sexual violence and the accused, general attitude of government to look into sexual Hamilton, a defense contractor in Obama administration. The US computer networks in India placing against physically challenged distrust towards the victim and so assault law reform after the Delhi Hawaii, but has fled to Hong Kong. military is currently prosecuting it fifth on the list of most extensively women is rampant, both within the on. But there are also factors that are gang-rape and murder last monitored countries. Iran topped the Speaking of his motivation in Bradley Manning for releasing to supposedly safe zone of the ‘home’ - specific to the cases of physically December, gave many of us working leaking evidence of a massive list with 14 billion pieces of WikiLeaks evidence of massive - be it familial or custodial -- and challenged women, such as not on these issues an opportunity to dragnet carried out under the Obama criminality abroad. Responding to intelligence followed by Pakistan administration, Snowden added, statements by journalist Steve with 13.5 billion, Jordan in the third without. A small number of cases recording the testimony of the place some of these concerns before “Everyone, everywhere now Clemons that he had overheard position with 12.7 billion and Egypt the government. The committee understands how bad things have intelligence officials arguing that the with 7.6 billion in the fourth. The responded positively and a large gotten—and they’re talking about reporter and leaker of the story agency collected 97 billion pieces of number of its recommendations it.” Snowden rejected claims that the should be disappeared, Snowden intelligence from computer addressed difficulties faced by spying programs are focused on said: “Well, I am a spy and that is networks worldwide and has physically challenged women in foreign communications: “The NSA how they talk. Whenever we had a developed a powerful tool for accessing the legal system and routinely lays in response to debate in the office on how to handle recording and analyzing the top- navigating through the trial process. congressional inquiries about the crimes, they do not defend due secret documents about the NSA Among other things, the committee s c o p e o f s u r v e i l l a n c e i n process—they defend decisive data mining tool, called Boundless recommended that the assistance of America…We collect more digital action. They say it is better to kick Informant. It details and even maps interpreters or special educators be communications from America than someone out of a plane than let these by country the voluminous amount we do from the Russians.” people have a day in court. It is an of information it collects from taken at the time of recording of the “ W e h a c k e v e r y o n e authoritarian mindset in general.” computer and telephone networks. complaint by the police and also everywhere,” he added. Snowden has announced that It is the latest information in during the trial, that the process of Asked about the possibility of he will seek protection from foreign the series of revelations that features identification of the accused be effective countermeasures against governments: “I intend to ask for the top-secret surveillance and data videographed and that physically the surveillance, Snowden asylum from any countries that monitoring programs managed by challenged women be exempted responded, “You are not even aware believe in free speech and oppose NSA. from recounting their testimony

36 September 2013 | PROUT PROUT | September 2013 37 once again at the time of cross- disability was seen as a ‘safe’, ‘person’ so as to bring instances of ordinance stuck to gender-neutrality of sexual discipline, what might be be that the woman (physically examination in cases of sexual sympathy-inducing issue that posed same-sex sexual assault and sexual with respect to both the victim and the implications of a gender-neutral challenged or not) had consented to assault. The recommendations also no threat to the established orders. assault on male children by adults the perpetrator, and till the time a rape law, where even women can be the sexual intercourse, which then addressed issues of sexual abuse Demanding that marital rape be within the scope of the law. The idea new Criminal Law Amendment Bill made assaulters and men their would be proved with reference to within institutions for the physically recognised as an offence on the other was rejected by a wide section of the is introduced and passed to replace targets? Court judgments reveal her dress, conduct, sexual history, challenged and suggested oversight hand, definitely threatened the women’s movement which argued the ordinance, it remains the how physically challenged women’s etc. Now, if the perpetrator is made mechanisms for both state and gendered/sexualised ordering of that sexual offences took place operative law. accounts of sexual assault are gender-neutral, whenever a privately run institutions. The heterosexual marriage and family. within a framework of gendered Surprisingly, disability groups treated with suspicion by judges. For physically challenged woman recommendations of the committee Was this the reason, we wondered, power relations and the legal system have not been part of these debates, instance, in an Orissa High Court complains of sexual assault, the were welcomed by women’s groups why the two movements rarely which tried these offences was though making sexual offences case the prosecutrix was deaf and alleged assaulter might file a and disability groups, including the spoke to each other in the course of heavily biased against women. gender-neutral clearly has mute and had not revealed to anyone counter-complaint that it was he ones that we are associated with. the sexual assault debates, although These realities, it was argued, could consequences for physically that she had been raped; it was who was raped by the woman. And H o w e v e r , w h e n t h e they raised similar questions not be wished away just by changing challenged women. A stereotypical discovered only when she became we have good reason to believe that government hurriedly introduced pertaining to the body and violence, words in the law. Similarly, a view of physically challenged pregnant. The court, while granting given the widely held view the Criminal Law Amendment power and vulnerability? We also number of lesbian women’s groups women, particularly those with bail to the accused observed that a regarding physically challenged Ordinance just three weeks before w o n d e r e d w h e t h e r t h e expressed concerns that in the intellectual or psycho-social case of consent on the part of the women’s hypersexuality, such the upcoming session of parliament, predominantly service-providing absence of any affirmative legal disability, is that they are unable to woman could not be ruled out since counter-allegations by men will be we were faced with a dilemma. The nature of the disability sector was in r e c o g n i t i o n o f s a m e - s e x control their sexual urges. Such a (a) the woman was about 30 years believed and sympathised with, by ordinance, which was promulgated any way responsible for it being relationships, a gender-neutral rape view, historically propagated by the old and still unmarried and (b) she investigators and adjudicators. purportedly to give effect to the viewed as a ‘safe’ issue. If, for the provision could be used by medical establishment, is prevalent could have at least communicated it Thus gender-neutral definition recommendations of the Verma state, disability was a ‘safe’ issue disapproving families to lodge false among the police, doctors and to her mother knowing that her of the perpetrator in sexual offences, Committee, incorporated a majority and gender a ‘disruptive’ one, then complaints against same-sex lovers. judges. In the course of handling mother would naturally be anxious as is currently the case, is not in the of the disability-specific ones. But what did it mean for movement In the last 12 years, several cases of sexual assault on physically about her marriage. Again in Meeraj interests of physically challenged longstanding demands made by politics -- the business of building developments have taken place: challenged women, we have often Alam vs State of Bihar, the Patna women. The government is women’s movements such as alliances and solidarities across decriminalisation of adult same-sex heard the authorities sympathising High Court kept on repeating preparing to introduce a Criminal recognising marital rape, rape by sectors while engaging with the sexual acts by the Delhi High Court with the accused based on the belief throughout the judgment that ‘the Law Amendment Bill, 2013 soon to security forces, compensation for state? And at a much smaller level, in 2009, greater public awareness that ‘such women’ are prone to victim girl was a grown-up lady who replace the ordinance. From media rape victims, rejection of the death what did it mean for our own work and discussion about child sexual making sexual advances on men, was unmarried because of such accounts, it seems the government is penalty as a punishment and such where we try to think through both abuse, and much more documented and later charge them with sexual infirmity and that her younger sister undecided about the formulation of others, which were recommended t h e s e a x e s o f p o w e r a n d evidence of sexual violence against assault. In 2001, in a case where a was already married, having the offence in the final Bill. But this time around as well, were left vulnerability? gay, transgender and transsexual speech- and hearing-impaired girl children from before’. How were the whatever it is, it is about time out of the ordinance. As activist and While we still do not have clear persons. With the result that by the was raped by two policemen inside a marital statuses of the victims of any disability groups appreciated the researcher respectively, we were answers to any of these questions, time the government introduced the prison van in Kolkata, the officer-in- relevance here, unless the judges implications of it, took a stand on the familiar with the travails of we want to flag some cautionary Criminal Law Amendment Bill in charge had said to one of us that were trying to implicitly suggest that issue and made it known to the state. physically challenged women notes on sexual violence against June 2012, there was agreement on activists should not follow up such the women in these cases were Shampa Sengupta is an within the legal system in rape cases. physically challenged women and certain things among the groups cases. When asked why, he said it sexually mature and yet were not activist working with disability and Hence we were acutely aware of the the legal response to the same. involved in these debates. Thus most was common knowledge that ‘getting any’ because they were gender issues, based in Kolkata relevance of the disability-specific Protecting the rights of the groups agreed that victims of sexual physically challenged girls were physically challenged and hence one clauses in the ordinance and were physically challenged against sexual assault must be defined in a gender- ‘sex starved’ and it was the girl who should be suspicious of their Saptarshi Mandal is a legal happy to have been part of the assault requires us to think beyond neutral manner so as to provide had in fact attacked the policemen. motives? Earlier a standard defence researcher based in New Delhi process which had led to those provisions for interpreters and protection to men and transgendered More recently, in the course of by an accused in a rape case used to changes. But we were also special educators, and engage with persons, in addition to women. But inquiring about a case of sexual politically aligned with the women’s the domain of power and sexuality the perpetrator should be kept as assault on a female inmate by a male movement and thus found it difficult as well. In the context of sexual male alone, as, making the staffer at a Kolkata mental health to endorse the ordinance, which had assault law reform, one issue that perpetrator gender-neutral would institution in April 2012, the left out issues which were has created sharp divides between weigh heavily against women. Thus superintendent of the institution told fundamental to reconceptualising the state and women’s rights groups, the 2012 Bill, which proposed one of us that he himself was scared sexual offences in a manner that women’s rights groups and queer gender-neutrality with respect to of going inside the female ward for protected the rights of victims of and child rights groups, and amongst both the victim and the perpetrator, fear of being ‘molested’. He even sexual violence. women’s rights groups as well, is the was opposed by women’s groups as asked us if there was any law to L e a d i n g f r o m t h e proposition of making sexual well as some queer groups. punish such women who first personal/political dilemmas offences gender-neutral. In the year Cut to 2013, and the Verma molest/tempt and then complain regarding our position on the 2000, the 172nd Report of the Law Committee recommended that rape against hapless men. ordinance, we wondered if the Commission mooted the idea of be retained as a gender-specific In such a scenario where such d i s a b i l i t y - s p e c i f i c substituting the words ‘man’ and offence and provided separately for attitudes are presented as medical recommendations were so readily ‘woman’ in Sections 375 and 376 of same-sex sexual assault. However, ‘truths’ and where authorities put the Physically challenged women honoured accepted by the state because the Indian Penal Code with the word despite strong opposition, the blame on the victims and their lack

38 September 2013 | PROUT PROUT | September 2013 39 once again at the time of cross- disability was seen as a ‘safe’, ‘person’ so as to bring instances of ordinance stuck to gender-neutrality of sexual discipline, what might be be that the woman (physically examination in cases of sexual sympathy-inducing issue that posed same-sex sexual assault and sexual with respect to both the victim and the implications of a gender-neutral challenged or not) had consented to assault. The recommendations also no threat to the established orders. assault on male children by adults the perpetrator, and till the time a rape law, where even women can be the sexual intercourse, which then addressed issues of sexual abuse Demanding that marital rape be within the scope of the law. The idea new Criminal Law Amendment Bill made assaulters and men their would be proved with reference to within institutions for the physically recognised as an offence on the other was rejected by a wide section of the is introduced and passed to replace targets? Court judgments reveal her dress, conduct, sexual history, challenged and suggested oversight hand, definitely threatened the women’s movement which argued the ordinance, it remains the how physically challenged women’s etc. Now, if the perpetrator is made mechanisms for both state and gendered/sexualised ordering of that sexual offences took place operative law. accounts of sexual assault are gender-neutral, whenever a privately run institutions. The heterosexual marriage and family. within a framework of gendered Surprisingly, disability groups treated with suspicion by judges. For physically challenged woman recommendations of the committee Was this the reason, we wondered, power relations and the legal system have not been part of these debates, instance, in an Orissa High Court complains of sexual assault, the were welcomed by women’s groups why the two movements rarely which tried these offences was though making sexual offences case the prosecutrix was deaf and alleged assaulter might file a and disability groups, including the spoke to each other in the course of heavily biased against women. gender-neutral clearly has mute and had not revealed to anyone counter-complaint that it was he ones that we are associated with. the sexual assault debates, although These realities, it was argued, could consequences for physically that she had been raped; it was who was raped by the woman. And H o w e v e r , w h e n t h e they raised similar questions not be wished away just by changing challenged women. A stereotypical discovered only when she became we have good reason to believe that government hurriedly introduced pertaining to the body and violence, words in the law. Similarly, a view of physically challenged pregnant. The court, while granting given the widely held view the Criminal Law Amendment power and vulnerability? We also number of lesbian women’s groups women, particularly those with bail to the accused observed that a regarding physically challenged Ordinance just three weeks before w o n d e r e d w h e t h e r t h e expressed concerns that in the intellectual or psycho-social case of consent on the part of the women’s hypersexuality, such the upcoming session of parliament, predominantly service-providing absence of any affirmative legal disability, is that they are unable to woman could not be ruled out since counter-allegations by men will be we were faced with a dilemma. The nature of the disability sector was in r e c o g n i t i o n o f s a m e - s e x control their sexual urges. Such a (a) the woman was about 30 years believed and sympathised with, by ordinance, which was promulgated any way responsible for it being relationships, a gender-neutral rape view, historically propagated by the old and still unmarried and (b) she investigators and adjudicators. purportedly to give effect to the viewed as a ‘safe’ issue. If, for the provision could be used by medical establishment, is prevalent could have at least communicated it Thus gender-neutral definition recommendations of the Verma state, disability was a ‘safe’ issue disapproving families to lodge false among the police, doctors and to her mother knowing that her of the perpetrator in sexual offences, Committee, incorporated a majority and gender a ‘disruptive’ one, then complaints against same-sex lovers. judges. In the course of handling mother would naturally be anxious as is currently the case, is not in the of the disability-specific ones. But what did it mean for movement In the last 12 years, several cases of sexual assault on physically about her marriage. Again in Meeraj interests of physically challenged longstanding demands made by politics -- the business of building developments have taken place: challenged women, we have often Alam vs State of Bihar, the Patna women. The government is women’s movements such as alliances and solidarities across decriminalisation of adult same-sex heard the authorities sympathising High Court kept on repeating preparing to introduce a Criminal recognising marital rape, rape by sectors while engaging with the sexual acts by the Delhi High Court with the accused based on the belief throughout the judgment that ‘the Law Amendment Bill, 2013 soon to security forces, compensation for state? And at a much smaller level, in 2009, greater public awareness that ‘such women’ are prone to victim girl was a grown-up lady who replace the ordinance. From media rape victims, rejection of the death what did it mean for our own work and discussion about child sexual making sexual advances on men, was unmarried because of such accounts, it seems the government is penalty as a punishment and such where we try to think through both abuse, and much more documented and later charge them with sexual infirmity and that her younger sister undecided about the formulation of others, which were recommended t h e s e a x e s o f p o w e r a n d evidence of sexual violence against assault. In 2001, in a case where a was already married, having the offence in the final Bill. But this time around as well, were left vulnerability? gay, transgender and transsexual speech- and hearing-impaired girl children from before’. How were the whatever it is, it is about time out of the ordinance. As activist and While we still do not have clear persons. With the result that by the was raped by two policemen inside a marital statuses of the victims of any disability groups appreciated the researcher respectively, we were answers to any of these questions, time the government introduced the prison van in Kolkata, the officer-in- relevance here, unless the judges implications of it, took a stand on the familiar with the travails of we want to flag some cautionary Criminal Law Amendment Bill in charge had said to one of us that were trying to implicitly suggest that issue and made it known to the state. physically challenged women notes on sexual violence against June 2012, there was agreement on activists should not follow up such the women in these cases were Shampa Sengupta is an within the legal system in rape cases. physically challenged women and certain things among the groups cases. When asked why, he said it sexually mature and yet were not activist working with disability and Hence we were acutely aware of the the legal response to the same. involved in these debates. Thus most was common knowledge that ‘getting any’ because they were gender issues, based in Kolkata relevance of the disability-specific Protecting the rights of the groups agreed that victims of sexual physically challenged girls were physically challenged and hence one clauses in the ordinance and were physically challenged against sexual assault must be defined in a gender- ‘sex starved’ and it was the girl who should be suspicious of their Saptarshi Mandal is a legal happy to have been part of the assault requires us to think beyond neutral manner so as to provide had in fact attacked the policemen. motives? Earlier a standard defence researcher based in New Delhi process which had led to those provisions for interpreters and protection to men and transgendered More recently, in the course of by an accused in a rape case used to changes. But we were also special educators, and engage with persons, in addition to women. But inquiring about a case of sexual politically aligned with the women’s the domain of power and sexuality the perpetrator should be kept as assault on a female inmate by a male movement and thus found it difficult as well. In the context of sexual male alone, as, making the staffer at a Kolkata mental health to endorse the ordinance, which had assault law reform, one issue that perpetrator gender-neutral would institution in April 2012, the left out issues which were has created sharp divides between weigh heavily against women. Thus superintendent of the institution told fundamental to reconceptualising the state and women’s rights groups, the 2012 Bill, which proposed one of us that he himself was scared sexual offences in a manner that women’s rights groups and queer gender-neutrality with respect to of going inside the female ward for protected the rights of victims of and child rights groups, and amongst both the victim and the perpetrator, fear of being ‘molested’. He even sexual violence. women’s rights groups as well, is the was opposed by women’s groups as asked us if there was any law to L e a d i n g f r o m t h e proposition of making sexual well as some queer groups. punish such women who first personal/political dilemmas offences gender-neutral. In the year Cut to 2013, and the Verma molest/tempt and then complain regarding our position on the 2000, the 172nd Report of the Law Committee recommended that rape against hapless men. ordinance, we wondered if the Commission mooted the idea of be retained as a gender-specific In such a scenario where such d i s a b i l i t y - s p e c i f i c substituting the words ‘man’ and offence and provided separately for attitudes are presented as medical recommendations were so readily ‘woman’ in Sections 375 and 376 of same-sex sexual assault. However, ‘truths’ and where authorities put the Physically challenged women honoured accepted by the state because the Indian Penal Code with the word despite strong opposition, the blame on the victims and their lack

38 September 2013 | PROUT PROUT | September 2013 39 y r o JUSTICE t shattered if we step out of the keeping the resistance alive for

S bubble, even for a minute.

generations. They also planted the

r The events in question Sarna flag nearby, a sacred symbol

e happened on January 13, 2010, but of indigenous religion and identity.

v really they have been going on since At dawn on January 13, CISF In a tribal state, and at a police station set up to redress 1956-57. I was in Ranchi at the time. jawans uprooted the Sarna flag. o atrocities against scheduled castes and tribes, a glimpse T h e H e a v y E n g i n e e r i n g Women at the dharna site who C of the indifference, brutality and convenient roadblocks Corporation (HEC), a public sector pleaded with them not to uproot the company, had been given huge flag were beaten up. News spread encountered by the marginalised looking for a modicum swathes of land in Dhurwa, in the and people assembled at the site. of justice. vicinity of Ranchi. The storyline is CISF jawans brutally beat the sadly familiar. The dispossessed assembled people, men and women, were largely adivasis (indigenous including many elderly people. At peoples) who were thrown off their least 20 people were seriously a n c e s t r a l l a n d s w i t h o u t injured. The intimate and vigorous compensation, though not without contact that a lathi-charge requires Marginalisation of the the promise of compensation. By attests to the dehumanisation people arrived. Smart men in khaki 2010, HEC was unable to use most suffer at the hands of these ‘keeper emerged and went inside. Salutes of the land. However, by now, this of the law’. When an ideology were exchanged. Life was going on land was prime real estate. Just the makes it possible for an armed 30- Tribal People of Jharkhand unused land was 3,500 acres. Of year-old to beat and bloody an as usual. At this point, it was this, HEC had ‘sold’ 158 acres to the unarmed 65-year-old woman, it suggested that a case be registered Central Industrial Security Forces raises serious questions about all with the police. The process was, for (CISF) to set up a camp. Setting up a me, a real eye-opener. ð Garga Chatterjee Chhotanagpur and Jangal-Mahal The marginalisation of the levels of the chain of command and CISF camp was hardly industrial use areas. The subsequent betrayal of tribal people of Jharkhand cannot be the brutalising ideology that keeps In liberaldom, I was taught that of the land, the purpose for which n the public imagination that spirit is now out in the open. I starker in a province created in their this chain well oiled. Many of the the process went something like the land had been originally this. I am aggrieved. I go to the Jharkhand is a ‘tribal’ state. r e c e n t l y s a w a f u l l - p a g e name and nurtured by the dead injured were hospitalised in a nearby acquired. How many times original police and lodge a complaint. A case In reality Jharkhand defies advertisement put out by the bodies of their ancestors. facility run by HEC itself. People I intent has been set aside to swindle is registered. The police pursues the such characterisation with Jharkhand tourism department with Sometimes the state itself indigenous people in the Indian from Murma, Aani, Jaganathpur, disturbing regularity. I say the caption ‘Divinity Reigns Here’. unwittingly lays bare its socio- case, investigates it, and books the Union we will never know. But in Kute and Labed villages joined in. disturbing because the movement Eight of the 13 tourist destinations political priorities even as it guilty (if any). After that, the law this case, people cried foul the Such solidarity does not wait for the for a Jharkhand state, long after its listed also detailed religious sites. maintains a different rhetoric for takes its own course. This is indeed moment the plan was floated. Since theoretical ideas of participatory inception, was really a broad Not a single ‘divinity’ of local p u b l i c c o n s u m p t i o n . T h e how it works when we pursue the land was clearly not being used democracy that are a favourite movement to secure rights and Jharkhand extraction was on that advertisement in question was one domestic help suspected of stealing. for the original intent for which it pastime in Delhi and its surrounds. dignity for the tribal people of the list. such instance, and it provides an The disused police station for had been acquired, they demanded My firsthand experience of a handling cases of atrocities against analogy for the tale I am going to day on the other side of the law tell. There is another part of the tale - the return of the land to its original dalits and adivasis. The next few owners. Most of them remained began when I joined Dayamani hours made it plain exactly how and - one of law. In ‘liberaldom’, there is Barla as she visited the protest site a certain fiction about equality uncompensated, nearly 60 years with what systematic indifference after the acquisition. shortly after noon. We arrived in a and brutality the odds of receiving a before the law and state which helps rickshaw and shortly after we got a large number of people sleep well Dayamani Barla, an outspoken modicum of justice are stacked down, people assembled around at night. It is this fiction that helps leader against the exploitation of against the marginalised. And how I Barla. We met people who were create inward-looking technocratic adivasi resources, was at the was not one of them. The first thing bandaged and bore clear signs of the bubbles among uppity deshis. forefront of the struggle from the was the police station itself. It was Again, it is this fiction that helps s t a r t . A f t e r C I S F b e g a n recent trauma. For about two hours, not any police station but a special newspapers pull off front-page construction, the protesting adivasis the assembled people chanted one set up with much fanfare- stories about the protocol in the dug in, staging a dharna at the site. slogans. There were a few press- exclusively to deal with atrocities Rashtrapati’s coronation or the (CISF began construction even wallahs too. The wounded and the against people from scheduled details of the Formula 1 circuit in though the matter was being heard in violated poured their hearts out. castes and scheduled tribes. This Noida, in a land with the world’s the high court at Ranchi.) The vigil Notes were taken. An agent of the was the ‘tribal’ state living up to its largest number of hungry and the went on for over six months, with local Congressman arrived, said that promise. The station itself had an world’s largest number of internally desperately impoverished people the MLA would have come himself abandoned dilapidated look. In front displaced people. The middle class often forsaking their daily wage to but was ‘busy’. The assembled was a board that had the names and needs a certain idea of reality and devote time to the movement. They people heard him. They seemed to cell phone numbers of the officers. justice to enjoy their morning cup of were part of the Visthapit Morcha, have heard things like this before. A The officers were not present. They tea. This tale is also a small snapshot inhabitants of the 36 villages that little distance away, in the makeshift were not on a mission; they were of how fast that illusion can be were uprooted, and had been CISF camp, a column of cars simply not there. A look at the police

40 September 2013 | PROUT PROUT | September 2013 41 y r o JUSTICE t shattered if we step out of the keeping the resistance alive for

S bubble, even for a minute.

generations. They also planted the

r The events in question Sarna flag nearby, a sacred symbol

e happened on January 13, 2010, but of indigenous religion and identity.

40 September 2013 | PROUT PROUT | September 2013 41 POLITICS OF THIRST station showed why. The male and For starters, my presence was commission. It is not dug deep in the f e m a l e l o c k u p s m e a n t t o acknowledged! The policeman system; it is the system. The sheer temporarily hold those who had agreed to put his name to the number of well-devised roadblocks prima facie committed atrocities complaint copy as a receipt. in something so apparently basic as against people from scheduled However, a random name without a lodging a complaint, and how those castes and tribes clearly had not been stamp and designation means roadblocks materialise or disappear used in a while. The female lockup nothing. He knew this, and so did based on who the complainant is, is was being used as a temporary store we. He said that the stamp was in a s o m e t h i n g t h a t p o s i t i v e for sundry things. The thick film of cupboard which was locked, and beneficiaries of the Union of India dust on the male lockup showed that that he did not have the key. Also, need to understand. They need to it too hadn’t had a visitor in days. there was not enough ink on the understand the cost of their peace of War and Water: If this was evidence of a lack of stamp-pad. Barla, being a veteran mind, the uninterrupted revelry at atrocities being committed against activist, tried to pull strings to get the the Blue Frog, the banter at Dilli- the marginalised, that idea was soon complaint received and stamped by Haat and the positive confidence of dispelled. After all, we were there to calling a known adivasi in the police the likes of Ramchandra Guha lodge exactly such a complaint. The chain of command. The key discussing who is the ‘Greatest suddenly materalised; so did a fresh Indian’. Hydropolitics Propel Balkanization in Africa policeman on duty wanted to avoid everything; how could we prove that stamp-pad. The receipt was stamped Justice, it is said, is blind. It anyone had been hurt by the lathi- with the seal of the Union of India, does not see who the parties charge, he asked. Several injured four lions and all. involved are. It simply delivers its ð Wayne Madsen Egypt’s government has backed breakaway movements in men and women old enough to be his After the ordeal, sitting outside judgment based on what it hears -- warned Ethiopia, a historical rival, Darfur and northeastern Sudan. parents stood right in front of him. the police station in a tea stall, we the pure stream of logic and he Nile Basin is seeing not to restrict the Nile water flow to Independence for South Sudan He told us to give him medical noticed that a new multi-storey evidence. However, in the Indian record fragmentation of the extent that it would adversely was long a goal of former Secretary certificates from the doctors who swanky police quarter was being Union, the lady of justice has posted Tn a t i o n - s t a t e s b y affect the Aswan Dam or Egypt’s of State Madeleine Albright and her had treated them. We were at a loss built: white, clean, and impeccable. at the door an agent who regulates secessionist and other rebel water supply. Sudan has voiced god-daughter, current U.S. as the staff at the HEC-run hospital Later, Superintendent of Police admission. This agent is not blind, movements, some backed by the similar warnings. Cairo and ambassador to the UN Susan Rice. had made sure that the treatment Mohit Bundas told the press: “The but deaf. He looks for those fit United States and its Western allies Khartoum are also aware that their The splitting of Sudan into an Arab happened without any admission matter is simple. Everything was set enough, safe enough, docile enough and others backed by Egypt and mutual enemy, Israel, has close Muslim north and a black Christian records or discharge certificates. right immediately.” That is what you to admit. They need to be docile for Saudi Arabia. Yet other secessionist relations with Ethiopia and the and animist south was also long a After all, it is not easy to see through and I read in the news the next they are the ones who will not want groups are backed by regional rivals Republic of South Sudan, the goal of Israel, which yearned for a the ulterior motives of an morning. All was quiet on the to examine the nature of the cloth such as Ethiopia, Eritrea, Uganda, world’s newest nation. The client state in South Sudan that establishment that is bandaging your western front, as we would love to that the lady of justice purportedly and Sudan. independence of South Sudan would would be able to squeeze the supply wounded arm. Thereafter, the story believe. This was a glimpse into how blindfolds herself with. Ethiopia has announced that its not have been possible without the of the Nile’s headwaters to Egypt changed. The lone policeman said even the bare minimum that is The writer is an ex-physician, Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam backing of Israel’s leading neo- and north Sudan. that there was no one to take the required to form the basis of legal is a cognitive scientist at MIT and project on the Blue Nile will begin conservative allies in Washington South Sudan’s independence complaint. Dayamani Barla pointed action is denied to most people. And Harvard and an observer- diverting the Blue Nile at the end of and London. was cobbled together so rapidly, its out that he himself could do it. At this is not an error of omission but commentator on South Asian 2014. Ethiopia’s decision has set off The White Nile flows from the Western sponsors were not even this point, he called a higher-up on systemic, procedural and regular politics alarm bells down river in Sudan and Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, sure, at first, what to call the country. his cell phone. Then he said to us: “I Egypt, which are both critically through Uganda and South Sudan, to Although South Sudan was finally have been told that this will be dependent on the Nile for drinking Sudan. Egypt and Sudan have also agreed upon, other proposals were investigated thoroughly; there is no water, irrigation, and in the case of been concerned about Israel’s heavy to call the nation the «Nile need for a written complaint.” Egypt’s Aswan High Dam, electric presence in South Sudan. The South Republic» or «Nilotia,» which were The gathered crowd insisted power. A 1959 agreement between Sudanese secession put tremendous rejected because of the obvious that he take the complaint. It was Egypt and Sudan guarantees Egypt pressure on the future territorial threatening meaning that such written up and handed to the 70 percent and Sudan 30 percent of integrity of Sudan, which faces names would send to Cairo and policeman. The policeman simply the Nile’s water flow. additional Western- and Israeli- Khartoum. kept it. We asked for a receipt. He said he could not give us one. At this point, I told him I was a journalist and that what he was doing was Wherever there are reports of melting glaciers and a future of diminished unfortunate. I also asked him his water resources, there is an increasing Balkanization of nation-states. Those name. I did not look like an adivasi from the area and I had also spoken a who manipulate world events for maximum profit understand that it is much smattering of English. Ironically, easier to control water resources if one is dealing with a multitude of warring being non-adivasi or non- marginalised has some serious and jealous mini-states than it is to deal with a regional power… advantages in this adivasi province.

42 September 2013 | PROUT PROUT | September 2013 43 POLITICS OF THIRST station showed why. The male and For starters, my presence was commission. It is not dug deep in the f e m a l e l o c k u p s m e a n t t o acknowledged! The policeman system; it is the system. The sheer temporarily hold those who had agreed to put his name to the number of well-devised roadblocks prima facie committed atrocities complaint copy as a receipt. in something so apparently basic as against people from scheduled However, a random name without a lodging a complaint, and how those castes and tribes clearly had not been stamp and designation means roadblocks materialise or disappear used in a while. The female lockup nothing. He knew this, and so did based on who the complainant is, is was being used as a temporary store we. He said that the stamp was in a s o m e t h i n g t h a t p o s i t i v e for sundry things. The thick film of cupboard which was locked, and beneficiaries of the Union of India dust on the male lockup showed that that he did not have the key. Also, need to understand. They need to it too hadn’t had a visitor in days. there was not enough ink on the understand the cost of their peace of War and Water: If this was evidence of a lack of stamp-pad. Barla, being a veteran mind, the uninterrupted revelry at atrocities being committed against activist, tried to pull strings to get the the Blue Frog, the banter at Dilli- the marginalised, that idea was soon complaint received and stamped by Haat and the positive confidence of dispelled. After all, we were there to calling a known adivasi in the police the likes of Ramchandra Guha lodge exactly such a complaint. The chain of command. The key discussing who is the ‘Greatest suddenly materalised; so did a fresh Indian’. Hydropolitics Propel Balkanization in Africa policeman on duty wanted to avoid everything; how could we prove that stamp-pad. The receipt was stamped Justice, it is said, is blind. It anyone had been hurt by the lathi- with the seal of the Union of India, does not see who the parties charge, he asked. Several injured four lions and all. involved are. It simply delivers its ð Wayne Madsen Egypt’s government has backed breakaway movements in men and women old enough to be his After the ordeal, sitting outside judgment based on what it hears -- warned Ethiopia, a historical rival, Darfur and northeastern Sudan. parents stood right in front of him. the police station in a tea stall, we the pure stream of logic and he Nile Basin is seeing not to restrict the Nile water flow to Independence for South Sudan He told us to give him medical noticed that a new multi-storey evidence. However, in the Indian record fragmentation of the extent that it would adversely was long a goal of former Secretary certificates from the doctors who swanky police quarter was being Union, the lady of justice has posted Tn a t i o n - s t a t e s b y affect the Aswan Dam or Egypt’s of State Madeleine Albright and her had treated them. We were at a loss built: white, clean, and impeccable. at the door an agent who regulates secessionist and other rebel water supply. Sudan has voiced god-daughter, current U.S. as the staff at the HEC-run hospital Later, Superintendent of Police admission. This agent is not blind, movements, some backed by the similar warnings. Cairo and ambassador to the UN Susan Rice. had made sure that the treatment Mohit Bundas told the press: “The but deaf. He looks for those fit United States and its Western allies Khartoum are also aware that their The splitting of Sudan into an Arab happened without any admission matter is simple. Everything was set enough, safe enough, docile enough and others backed by Egypt and mutual enemy, Israel, has close Muslim north and a black Christian records or discharge certificates. right immediately.” That is what you to admit. They need to be docile for Saudi Arabia. Yet other secessionist relations with Ethiopia and the and animist south was also long a After all, it is not easy to see through and I read in the news the next they are the ones who will not want groups are backed by regional rivals Republic of South Sudan, the goal of Israel, which yearned for a the ulterior motives of an morning. All was quiet on the to examine the nature of the cloth such as Ethiopia, Eritrea, Uganda, world’s newest nation. The client state in South Sudan that establishment that is bandaging your western front, as we would love to that the lady of justice purportedly and Sudan. independence of South Sudan would would be able to squeeze the supply wounded arm. Thereafter, the story believe. This was a glimpse into how blindfolds herself with. Ethiopia has announced that its not have been possible without the of the Nile’s headwaters to Egypt changed. The lone policeman said even the bare minimum that is The writer is an ex-physician, Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam backing of Israel’s leading neo- and north Sudan. that there was no one to take the required to form the basis of legal is a cognitive scientist at MIT and project on the Blue Nile will begin conservative allies in Washington South Sudan’s independence complaint. Dayamani Barla pointed action is denied to most people. And Harvard and an observer- diverting the Blue Nile at the end of and London. was cobbled together so rapidly, its out that he himself could do it. At this is not an error of omission but commentator on South Asian 2014. Ethiopia’s decision has set off The White Nile flows from the Western sponsors were not even this point, he called a higher-up on systemic, procedural and regular politics alarm bells down river in Sudan and Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, sure, at first, what to call the country. his cell phone. Then he said to us: “I Egypt, which are both critically through Uganda and South Sudan, to Although South Sudan was finally have been told that this will be dependent on the Nile for drinking Sudan. Egypt and Sudan have also agreed upon, other proposals were investigated thoroughly; there is no water, irrigation, and in the case of been concerned about Israel’s heavy to call the nation the «Nile need for a written complaint.” Egypt’s Aswan High Dam, electric presence in South Sudan. The South Republic» or «Nilotia,» which were The gathered crowd insisted power. A 1959 agreement between Sudanese secession put tremendous rejected because of the obvious that he take the complaint. It was Egypt and Sudan guarantees Egypt pressure on the future territorial threatening meaning that such written up and handed to the 70 percent and Sudan 30 percent of integrity of Sudan, which faces names would send to Cairo and policeman. The policeman simply the Nile’s water flow. additional Western- and Israeli- Khartoum. kept it. We asked for a receipt. He said he could not give us one. At this point, I told him I was a journalist and that what he was doing was Wherever there are reports of melting glaciers and a future of diminished unfortunate. I also asked him his water resources, there is an increasing Balkanization of nation-states. Those name. I did not look like an adivasi from the area and I had also spoken a who manipulate world events for maximum profit understand that it is much smattering of English. Ironically, easier to control water resources if one is dealing with a multitude of warring being non-adivasi or non- marginalised has some serious and jealous mini-states than it is to deal with a regional power… advantages in this adivasi province.

42 September 2013 | PROUT PROUT | September 2013 43 FOOD CRISIS leakage) for SNP are hot cooked quarters of the stipulated nutritional or the proverbial ‘last mile ð Ronald Abraham meals for three to six year olds, and ingredients were used. Figure 1 problems’ of ICDS. There are few Andrew Fraker take-home rations (THR) for below illustrates how each of these mechanisms to hold service pregnant and lactating mothers and factors contributed to the final tally providers accountable. From the children younger than three. Each of 71% of funds allocated for hot demand-side, beneficiaries do not anganwadi (government run pre- cooked meals not being spent. seem to be aware of their school) is provided with around Rs. Closed anganwadis and poor child entitlements. Parents have often told 4600 ($ 80 approx.) and Rs. 5800 ($ attendance together account for two- us that they are “satisfied” because 105 approx.) per month for hot thirds of the missing expenditure. their children at least get cooked meals and THR respectively. Interestingly, ingredient prices are “something”. Additionally, We find that 71% of funds meant for fixed by ICDS across Bihar and are anganwadi workers seem to have hot cooked meals and 38% of THR i h a r ’ s c h i l d sometimes not adjusted for 2 to 3 significant discretion in choosing funds are pilfered. Finally, it should malnutrition rate is years, despite high inflation. Due to beneficiaries, and families may be noted that this study is not about h i g h e r t h a n a n y this, ingredients needed to prepare worry they will be struck off the B the efficacy of SNP itself. There is the meals cost around 20% more country in the world (Menon et al beneficiary list if they complain. In no clear evidence that SNP, even if 2009, Grebmer et al 2011). Over than the amount allocated by ICDS. many surveys, beneficiaries made f u n c t i o n i n g w e l l , r e d u c e s half of the children under five years However, because of the low efforts to ensure that we did not malnutrition (Lokshin et al 2005). In of age are underweight or stunted, expenditure in the first place, this record anything negative about their fact, owing to SNP’s low coverage indicating chronic malnourishment only increases expenditure by 5 local anganwadi worker. We also poor targeting of impoverished (NFHS-3). Recognising this, the percentage points (see Figure 1). found that parents may not consider households (Gragnolati et al 2006) Bihar state government and the F i g u r e 1 . M i s s i n g their children malnourished. and intended beneficiaries within central government have committed expenditure on hot cooked meals Therefore, SNP is likely treated as households, and lack of focus on over Rs. 1,100 crore ($200 million Approximately 38% of funds just a little extra food rather than a very young children, it may not have approx.) per year for the are missing from THR, which fundamental necessity (since the the desired nutritional impact. However, while these design issues should be addressed, improving the status of SNP is vital from a public service delivery point of view. This requires an understanding of p o t e n t i a l c a u s e s o f p o o r performance, design changes to address these, field pilots to Bihar s Malnutrition optimise design changes, and ' rigorous impact evaluations to learn if they have the desired effect. This is a model for how social sector organisations can diagnose problems, experiment with ideas, Crisis and Potential Solutions and scale up ideas that are proven to S u p p l e m e n t a r y N u t r i t i o n work. Our study, in fact, serves as provides bags of rice and lentils to problem of hunger is not as acute as Programme (SNP) administered by the foundation for such an approach, young children and mothers. that of malnourishment in the state ), the Directorate of Integrated Child in which two interventions to Although, 84% of beneficiaries further reducing its demand. On the Development Services (ICDS). improve public service delivery in reported receiving some rice and supply side, monitoring by ICDS However, programme funds are Bihar ICDS will be piloted and lentils during the past month, two officials is highly infrequent. The prevalence of underweight children in Bihar is regularly pilfered, and on-the- rigorously evaluated. thirds of the missing expenditure According to our study, only 21% of higher than in any country in the world, and the ground public service delivery is Sources of Fund Leakage under the THR component is due to anganwadi workers (rather than the lacking. We, together with our team In unannounced visits to 200 low volumes of rice and dal. Often, expected 60% if the official ICDS provision of public services to address malnutrition is at IDinsight , conducted a study to anganwadis across three districts of beneficiaries lament that they only guidelines are followed) had poor. Based on an assessment of the government’s quantify the extent and sources of Bihar , 24% of them were closed got a handful of lentils, while books received visits from their Child this pilferage using unannounced during times they should have been showed that the anganwadi worker Development Project Officer nutritional support to mothers and children, this visits by independent surveyors open, and meals were only served on provided them with 2 kilos of lentils. (CDPO) in the past three months. In column sheds light on the grim public service delivery, (IDinsight 2013) . We find that 53% 59% of the days they should have What factors contribute to this addition, the anganwadis where supervisors visited were no more likely causes, and ideas to address the problem. of SNP funds are not spent on the been served. When anganwadis status quo? ground, amounting to an annual loss were open and meals were served, Our team’s extensive field likely to provide a meal, suggesting of nearly Rs. 600 crore ($110 only 22 children on average out of visits and stakeholder interviews the ineffectiveness of the current million approx.). The two main 40 that should attend were present. have shed light on the possible monitoring system. Moreover, components (and sources of And in these meals, only three causes for the widespread pilferage performance tracking of the entire 44 September 2013 | PROUT PROUT | September 2013 45 FOOD CRISIS leakage) for SNP are hot cooked quarters of the stipulated nutritional or the proverbial ‘last mile ð Ronald Abraham meals for three to six year olds, and ingredients were used. Figure 1 problems’ of ICDS. There are few Andrew Fraker take-home rations (THR) for below illustrates how each of these mechanisms to hold service pregnant and lactating mothers and factors contributed to the final tally providers accountable. From the children younger than three. Each of 71% of funds allocated for hot demand-side, beneficiaries do not anganwadi (government run pre- cooked meals not being spent. seem to be aware of their school) is provided with around Rs. Closed anganwadis and poor child entitlements. Parents have often told 4600 ($ 80 approx.) and Rs. 5800 ($ attendance together account for two- us that they are “satisfied” because 105 approx.) per month for hot thirds of the missing expenditure. their children at least get cooked meals and THR respectively. Interestingly, ingredient prices are “something”. Additionally, We find that 71% of funds meant for fixed by ICDS across Bihar and are anganwadi workers seem to have hot cooked meals and 38% of THR i h a r ’ s c h i l d sometimes not adjusted for 2 to 3 significant discretion in choosing funds are pilfered. Finally, it should malnutrition rate is years, despite high inflation. Due to beneficiaries, and families may be noted that this study is not about h i g h e r t h a n a n y this, ingredients needed to prepare worry they will be struck off the B the efficacy of SNP itself. There is the meals cost around 20% more country in the world (Menon et al beneficiary list if they complain. In no clear evidence that SNP, even if 2009, Grebmer et al 2011). Over than the amount allocated by ICDS. many surveys, beneficiaries made f u n c t i o n i n g w e l l , r e d u c e s half of the children under five years However, because of the low efforts to ensure that we did not malnutrition (Lokshin et al 2005). In of age are underweight or stunted, expenditure in the first place, this record anything negative about their fact, owing to SNP’s low coverage indicating chronic malnourishment only increases expenditure by 5 local anganwadi worker. We also poor targeting of impoverished (NFHS-3). Recognising this, the percentage points (see Figure 1). found that parents may not consider households (Gragnolati et al 2006) Bihar state government and the F i g u r e 1 . M i s s i n g their children malnourished. and intended beneficiaries within central government have committed expenditure on hot cooked meals Therefore, SNP is likely treated as households, and lack of focus on over Rs. 1,100 crore ($200 million Approximately 38% of funds just a little extra food rather than a very young children, it may not have approx.) per year for the are missing from THR, which fundamental necessity (since the the desired nutritional impact. However, while these design issues should be addressed, improving the status of SNP is vital from a public service delivery point of view. This requires an understanding of p o t e n t i a l c a u s e s o f p o o r performance, design changes to address these, field pilots to Bihar s Malnutrition optimise design changes, and ' rigorous impact evaluations to learn if they have the desired effect. This is a model for how social sector organisations can diagnose problems, experiment with ideas, Crisis and Potential Solutions and scale up ideas that are proven to S u p p l e m e n t a r y N u t r i t i o n work. Our study, in fact, serves as provides bags of rice and lentils to problem of hunger is not as acute as Programme (SNP) administered by the foundation for such an approach, young children and mothers. that of malnourishment in the state ), the Directorate of Integrated Child in which two interventions to Although, 84% of beneficiaries further reducing its demand. On the Development Services (ICDS). improve public service delivery in reported receiving some rice and supply side, monitoring by ICDS However, programme funds are Bihar ICDS will be piloted and lentils during the past month, two officials is highly infrequent. The prevalence of underweight children in Bihar is regularly pilfered, and on-the- rigorously evaluated. thirds of the missing expenditure According to our study, only 21% of higher than in any country in the world, and the ground public service delivery is Sources of Fund Leakage under the THR component is due to anganwadi workers (rather than the lacking. We, together with our team In unannounced visits to 200 low volumes of rice and dal. Often, expected 60% if the official ICDS provision of public services to address malnutrition is at IDinsight , conducted a study to anganwadis across three districts of beneficiaries lament that they only guidelines are followed) had poor. Based on an assessment of the government’s quantify the extent and sources of Bihar , 24% of them were closed got a handful of lentils, while books received visits from their Child this pilferage using unannounced during times they should have been showed that the anganwadi worker Development Project Officer nutritional support to mothers and children, this visits by independent surveyors open, and meals were only served on provided them with 2 kilos of lentils. (CDPO) in the past three months. In column sheds light on the grim public service delivery, (IDinsight 2013) . We find that 53% 59% of the days they should have What factors contribute to this addition, the anganwadis where supervisors visited were no more likely causes, and ideas to address the problem. of SNP funds are not spent on the been served. When anganwadis status quo? ground, amounting to an annual loss were open and meals were served, Our team’s extensive field likely to provide a meal, suggesting of nearly Rs. 600 crore ($110 only 22 children on average out of visits and stakeholder interviews the ineffectiveness of the current million approx.). The two main 40 that should attend were present. have shed light on the possible monitoring system. Moreover, components (and sources of And in these meals, only three causes for the widespread pilferage performance tracking of the entire 44 September 2013 | PROUT PROUT | September 2013 45 IMMORAL GOVERNANCE ICDS hierarchy (and not just the Ideas to improve Bihar’s stakeholders, and made available anganwadi workers) is inadequate. nutrition programme publicly. To be effective, the Systemic issues within ICDS in L e a d e r s h i p a t B i h a r ’s information generated through this Bihar may encourage front line Department for Social Welfare and intervention should be consistently workers to fudge accounts or steal, used to manage and incentivise all Institutionalised Corruption I C D S h a s p r o p o s e d t w o which is a slippery slope for larger interventions to improve SNP and levels of the ICDS staff. The second amounts being pilfered. requested rigorous evaluations of intervention is to administer SNP For example, anganwadi the same. The first intervention uses via JEEViKA self-help groups. This workers almost never get paid on technology to facilitate demand- and has the potential to increase demand time. They receive honorariums for side accountability, as 50% of ICDS in Philippines supply-side accountability. On the for local projects through Congress. A legacy of the late six to nine months in one go, and demand side, a call centre will beneficiaries in JEEViKA-operated typically with a significant and blocks are members of these self- dictator Ferdinand Marcos, the practice has remained randomly call beneficiaries to solicit untouched and has become a source of massive unpredictable lag. Some workers information on the functioning of help-groups. This would address the have admitted to us that, given this previously mentioned problem of corruption. While the Philippine economy has posted their local anganwadi, and to pass on solid gains over the last decade, protesters say the country situation, it is only natural to siphon information such as guidelines on beneficiaries being afraid to demand off SNP funds, which arrive better services on their own. Here will continue to be stuck in poverty if institutionalised their entitlements, updates on corruption persists - a problem that now bedevils the m o n t h l y. S i m i l a r l y, s o m e financial transfers to their too a rigorous evaluation will be anganwadi workers are reputed to critical to determine the efficacy of popular President Benigno Aquino III. anganwadi worker, an assessment of From college students to members of the clergy to have paid huge sums of money to their local anganwadi etc. This could this intervention, especially given attain their positions. In such cases, this will be a new role for JEEViKA. regular citizens, the rain-soaked protesters marched, solve the above mentioned problems chanting in Filipino, "No more pork". siphoning off SNP funds is viewed Concluding thoughts of beneficiaries not knowing their "This scandal is so gut-wrenching," Peachy as a “right” of the anganwadi There are no sure solutions to rights, and the risk of losing benefits Rallonza-Bretana, the public face of the social media- worker, as they feel justified in reduce leakage and improve the when demanding better service. driven demonstration, said in an interview with Al getting monthly pay-offs given their provision of food to Bihar’s millions However, it remains to be seen Jazeera. "That's 32 percent of income tax and 12 percent large upfront “investment”. As of malnourished children and whether information alone is sales tax that I pay to the government. It's so personal it mentioned earlier, food prices are mothers. We plan to iteratively pilot sufficient to empower the makes you angry." fixed by ICDS and are lower than the suggested interventions on the beneficiaries to demand better Bretana, an advertising executive who has never led a market prices. Our study found that ground to optimise their design, and service, given on-the-ground caste protest before, said the recent corruption case drove her market prices were on average more undertake rigorous evaluations to and power dynamics between to post a comment on Facebook that snowballed into a than 20% higher than ICDS measure their effects on nutritional a n g a n w a d i w o r k e r s a n d call for "a million people march". Last week's massive stipulated rates. Therefore, even the service delivery and beneficiary beneficiaries. flooding and the much-criticised government response most honest anganwadi workers buy outcomes. The eagerness of the O n t h e s u p p l y s i d e , only drew more attention to the scandal. "We have been less than the stipulated quantity. Government of Bihar and ICDS to supervisory officials will receive duped for far too long," she said. "We want the pork barrel This then makes it very difficult to innovate and adjust programme smartphones with an anganwadi- abolished, and we want a transparent investigation and hold errant workers accountable, as design, and to use rigorous monitoring application, GPS and ð prosecution of those who are guilty." market prices provide a ready evaluations to inform their Deo Palma camera to increase the frequency, President under pressure justification to explain non- q u a l i t y, t r a n s p a r e n c y a n d decisions, provides hope for In a country where millions of people survive on just On Friday, seeking to defuse the growing public provision of meals (“money ran verifiability of their monitoring millions throughout Bihar. a dollar a day, Janet Lim Napoles' claims that she comes pressure while navigating the political realities in out”), or lesser quantities of key reports. Data from these monitoring This column is a direct result of from a humble family are hard for many Filipinos to Congress, President Aquino - a former senator and ingredients (“lentils are too visits and from beneficiary reports extensive deliberations within IDinsights expensive”). accept. Her 23-year-old daughter Jeane, fresh out of congressman - changed course and announced plans to will be aggregated to suit different India team, which includes Neil Buddy college in the US, owns a $1.89m condo at the Ritz- Shah, a Founding Partner at IDinsight, implement reforms. and Associates Apurva Bamezai, Anand Carlton Residences in Los Angeles. That's apart from the "The shocking revelations of this misuse are truly Kothari, and Stuart Shirrell. $9.5m worth of properties the family has across scandalous," he said in a national address. "Now, we will California. The Napoles matriarch is known for her The writers may be reached at create a new mechanism to address the needs [of [email protected] and generosity, subsidising Catholic priests and giving out a constituents], in a manner that is transparent, methodical [email protected] $1,500 engraved Montblanc pen to a Philippine senator. and rational, and not susceptible to abuse or corruption." But in mid-August, Napoles went into hiding. The After hearing the details of the multi-million dollar businesswoman, who reportedly owns at least 28 luxury scam, however, many were in no mood to accept Editor's Note : The current Bihar Government has houses in the Philippines, was accused of funneling Aquino's proposal. Former national treasurer Leonor been in power for a long time and has been unable $232m in government funds intended for farmers Briones told Al Jazeera that Aquino did "not address the or unwilling to establish law and order in the State through ghost projects linked to senators and more than a very source of corruption itself, which is congressional administration. To place the future of Bihar's dozen congressmen. The scandal has ignited a wave of and senatorial interference in the budget process". children in the hands of such people would be public anger that led to mass anti-corruption protests on "The pork barrel, historically, has always been suicidal. Unless the people of Bihar rise and Monday, attracting an estimated 100,000 people in the abused regardless of the administration, regardless of establish participatory budget spending like in capital Manila and other major cities. party affiliation, and all of us know that," Briones said, Brazil, there is little hope short of another freedom The protesters were demanding the abolition of the adding that no president has dared to confront Congress struggle. "pork barrel", the practice of appropriating public money on the issue.

46 September 2013 | PROUT PROUT | September 2013 47 IMMORAL GOVERNANCE ICDS hierarchy (and not just the Ideas to improve Bihar’s stakeholders, and made available anganwadi workers) is inadequate. nutrition programme publicly. To be effective, the Systemic issues within ICDS in L e a d e r s h i p a t B i h a r ’s information generated through this Bihar may encourage front line Department for Social Welfare and intervention should be consistently workers to fudge accounts or steal, used to manage and incentivise all Institutionalised Corruption I C D S h a s p r o p o s e d t w o which is a slippery slope for larger interventions to improve SNP and levels of the ICDS staff. The second amounts being pilfered. requested rigorous evaluations of intervention is to administer SNP For example, anganwadi the same. The first intervention uses via JEEViKA self-help groups. This workers almost never get paid on technology to facilitate demand- and has the potential to increase demand time. They receive honorariums for side accountability, as 50% of ICDS in Philippines supply-side accountability. On the for local projects through Congress. A legacy of the late six to nine months in one go, and demand side, a call centre will beneficiaries in JEEViKA-operated typically with a significant and blocks are members of these self- dictator Ferdinand Marcos, the practice has remained randomly call beneficiaries to solicit untouched and has become a source of massive unpredictable lag. Some workers information on the functioning of help-groups. This would address the have admitted to us that, given this previously mentioned problem of corruption. While the Philippine economy has posted their local anganwadi, and to pass on solid gains over the last decade, protesters say the country situation, it is only natural to siphon information such as guidelines on beneficiaries being afraid to demand off SNP funds, which arrive better services on their own. Here will continue to be stuck in poverty if institutionalised their entitlements, updates on corruption persists - a problem that now bedevils the m o n t h l y. S i m i l a r l y, s o m e financial transfers to their too a rigorous evaluation will be anganwadi workers are reputed to critical to determine the efficacy of popular President Benigno Aquino III. anganwadi worker, an assessment of From college students to members of the clergy to have paid huge sums of money to their local anganwadi etc. This could this intervention, especially given attain their positions. In such cases, this will be a new role for JEEViKA. regular citizens, the rain-soaked protesters marched, solve the above mentioned problems chanting in Filipino, "No more pork". siphoning off SNP funds is viewed Concluding thoughts of beneficiaries not knowing their "This scandal is so gut-wrenching," Peachy as a “right” of the anganwadi There are no sure solutions to rights, and the risk of losing benefits Rallonza-Bretana, the public face of the social media- worker, as they feel justified in reduce leakage and improve the when demanding better service. driven demonstration, said in an interview with Al getting monthly pay-offs given their provision of food to Bihar’s millions However, it remains to be seen Jazeera. "That's 32 percent of income tax and 12 percent large upfront “investment”. As of malnourished children and whether information alone is sales tax that I pay to the government. It's so personal it mentioned earlier, food prices are mothers. We plan to iteratively pilot sufficient to empower the makes you angry." fixed by ICDS and are lower than the suggested interventions on the beneficiaries to demand better Bretana, an advertising executive who has never led a market prices. Our study found that ground to optimise their design, and service, given on-the-ground caste protest before, said the recent corruption case drove her market prices were on average more undertake rigorous evaluations to and power dynamics between to post a comment on Facebook that snowballed into a than 20% higher than ICDS measure their effects on nutritional a n g a n w a d i w o r k e r s a n d call for "a million people march". Last week's massive stipulated rates. Therefore, even the service delivery and beneficiary beneficiaries. flooding and the much-criticised government response most honest anganwadi workers buy outcomes. The eagerness of the O n t h e s u p p l y s i d e , only drew more attention to the scandal. "We have been less than the stipulated quantity. Government of Bihar and ICDS to supervisory officials will receive duped for far too long," she said. "We want the pork barrel This then makes it very difficult to innovate and adjust programme smartphones with an anganwadi- abolished, and we want a transparent investigation and hold errant workers accountable, as design, and to use rigorous monitoring application, GPS and ð prosecution of those who are guilty." market prices provide a ready evaluations to inform their Deo Palma camera to increase the frequency, President under pressure justification to explain non- q u a l i t y, t r a n s p a r e n c y a n d decisions, provides hope for In a country where millions of people survive on just On Friday, seeking to defuse the growing public provision of meals (“money ran verifiability of their monitoring millions throughout Bihar. a dollar a day, Janet Lim Napoles' claims that she comes pressure while navigating the political realities in out”), or lesser quantities of key reports. Data from these monitoring This column is a direct result of from a humble family are hard for many Filipinos to Congress, President Aquino - a former senator and ingredients (“lentils are too visits and from beneficiary reports extensive deliberations within IDinsights expensive”). accept. Her 23-year-old daughter Jeane, fresh out of congressman - changed course and announced plans to will be aggregated to suit different India team, which includes Neil Buddy college in the US, owns a $1.89m condo at the Ritz- Shah, a Founding Partner at IDinsight, implement reforms. and Associates Apurva Bamezai, Anand Carlton Residences in Los Angeles. That's apart from the "The shocking revelations of this misuse are truly Kothari, and Stuart Shirrell. $9.5m worth of properties the family has across scandalous," he said in a national address. "Now, we will California. The Napoles matriarch is known for her The writers may be reached at create a new mechanism to address the needs [of [email protected] and generosity, subsidising Catholic priests and giving out a constituents], in a manner that is transparent, methodical [email protected] $1,500 engraved Montblanc pen to a Philippine senator. and rational, and not susceptible to abuse or corruption." But in mid-August, Napoles went into hiding. The After hearing the details of the multi-million dollar businesswoman, who reportedly owns at least 28 luxury scam, however, many were in no mood to accept Editor's Note : The current Bihar Government has houses in the Philippines, was accused of funneling Aquino's proposal. Former national treasurer Leonor been in power for a long time and has been unable $232m in government funds intended for farmers Briones told Al Jazeera that Aquino did "not address the or unwilling to establish law and order in the State through ghost projects linked to senators and more than a very source of corruption itself, which is congressional administration. To place the future of Bihar's dozen congressmen. The scandal has ignited a wave of and senatorial interference in the budget process". children in the hands of such people would be public anger that led to mass anti-corruption protests on "The pork barrel, historically, has always been suicidal. Unless the people of Bihar rise and Monday, attracting an estimated 100,000 people in the abused regardless of the administration, regardless of establish participatory budget spending like in capital Manila and other major cities. party affiliation, and all of us know that," Briones said, Brazil, there is little hope short of another freedom The protesters were demanding the abolition of the adding that no president has dared to confront Congress struggle. "pork barrel", the practice of appropriating public money on the issue.

46 September 2013 | PROUT PROUT | September 2013 47 Briones, now head of the watchdog group Social I see some of my neighbors who are unable to eat Watch Philippines, also said that the pork barrel is only three times a day. They could have benefited from that It is estimated that the Philippine government was defrauded of some? 10 billion in the course of the scam, the "tip of the iceberg", pointing to the president's own stolen money. having been diverted to Napoles, participating members of Congress and other government officials. Aside from annual discretionary fund, which this year is at least - Edly Aparejado, protester the PDAF and the fertilizer fund maintained by the Department of Agriculture, around? 900 million in royalties $7.2bn. For now, though, much of the ire is being directed at she was saddened after hearing about the scandal. Napoles, who before going into hiding declared that "not "They could have used that money to build houses a single peso" of their wealth came from the government. for the poor," Aparejado, who joined the protest, told Al One of Napoles' lawyers added that her client's family Jazeera. "I see some of my neighbors who are unable to started out trading meat products including chicken and eat three times a day. They could have benefited from that pork, and later expanded into the export business. stolen money." What enraged the public were the details of For Homer Castillo, 38, the father of two grade- Napoles' alleged dealings with top government officials, school students, the protest "has been a long time in which 60 percent of the pork-barrel funds reportedly coming". He added that many poor families share the went to legislators. same sentiments, but were unable to join the protest One of the witnesses in the scandal told the local because they couldn't afford to do so. broadsheet Philippine Daily Inquirer that bags of money Law student Eric Joven, another protester who were stashed in the bathtub of Napoles' master bedroom voted for Aquino for president, said he hopes the in a posh condo in a Manila suburb. The money was demonstration will have substantial results, such as the reportedly distributed as bribes to lawmakers. imprisonment of those involved in the scam and the While this was going on, Napoles still managed to passage of the Freedom of Information Bill, which seeks get involved with Catholic charities, providing shelter for to open government records to public scrutiny. "This is prominent priests and foreign clerics inside the just the beginning, and I hope that the people will remain Philippines' most exclusive subdivision. vigilant," he said. Napoles and her family also reportedly maintained Meanwhile, Bretana, the march's spokesperson, at least 415 bank accounts that are now subject to a said social media will be critical in sustaining public government freeze order. 'This is just the beginning' engagement on the issue after the protests have died earned from the Malampaya gas field were also lost to the scam. The scam has provoked public outrage, with Edly Aparejado, 55, comes from a squatter down. "We cannot let this chance go, and we have to hold calls being made on the Internet for popular protests to demand the abolition of the PDAF,and the order for community in the Manila suburb of Caloocan. She said onto this to effect change," she said. Napoles' arrest sparking serious discussion online.Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle made a surprise appearance in Quirino Grandstand. His speech condemning those who were ignorant of the poor further angered the protesters to go against the pork barrel. The protests was mainly held at the Quirino Grandstand in Luneta Park in Manila, the capital. Protests were also held in other key locations throughout the country, including Bacolod, Baguio, Cebu City, Cagayan de Oro, Davao City, Dagupan, Digos,Dumaguete, Iloilo City, Kidapawan City, Legazpi, Naga City, Puerto Princessa, Tacloban, Zamboanga City and Negros Occidental. Proutists Join Overseas Filipinos also gathered at several location overseas to protest against the Priority Development Assistance Fund. Protests were held in Dammam and Riyadh in Saudi Arabia, Geneva in Switzerland, Bangkok Million People March at Philippines in Thailand, San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York in the United States, London in the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Canada, Taiwan, Vietnam and the United Arab Emirates. he Million People March was a protest in the Philippines calling for the abolition of the PDAF (Priority Development Assistance Fund) (also referred to colloquially as "Pork Barrel") caused by Economics for Conscious Evolution Tthe Priority Development Assistance Fund scam. Calls for the protests circulated through social media, mainly on Facebook and Twitter, to conduct a protest on August 26, 2013 in Luneta Park in Manila and Conference, London other cities around the Philippines and the world. A Facebook page entitled "Abolish Pork Barrel" was created to invite participants to the protests. One of the organizers, Peachy Rallonza-Bretana, said that there is no main hirty six speakers from five continents addressed participants at the Economics for Conscious group organizing the protest and described the protests as "snowballing at great speed". The day before the Evolution conference held in London from 24 – 28th of July 2013. Conference sessions may be protests, 18,000 people had already arrived at Luneta Park. Tviewed from the livestream replay http://www.ustream.TV/channel/the-IU-conference-2013 Proutists also joined the movement under the Proutist banner Ang Ka Sama in big number. Topics explored included the following: The scam was first exposed in the Philippine Daily Inquirer on July 12, 2013, with the six-part exposé of the l Land and Geo-Justice l Sharing the “Land Rent Commons” l Critique of Current Financial Policies Inquirer on the scam pointing to businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles as the scam's mastermind after Benhur K. l l Luy, her second cousin and former personal assistant, was rescued by agents of the National Bureau of Claiming Water, Fish and Oil Commons Land Value Tax: Funding Transport and Affordable Housing Investigation on March 22, 2013, four months after he was detained by Napoles at her unit at the Pacific Plaza l Why Socializing Rent and Untaxing Production is Good for Labour Towers in Fort Bonifacio. Initially centering on Napoles' involvement in the 2004 Fertilizer Fund scam, the l Case Study: Argentina – From Public Debt to Abundance for All government investigation on Luy's testimony has since expanded to cover Napoles' involvement in a wider scam l Climate Change and New Economics l Inequality: Cause and Cure l Land Trusts & Eco-villages involving the misuse of PDAF funds from 2003 to 2013.

48 September 2013 | PROUT PROUT | September 2013 49 Briones, now head of the watchdog group Social I see some of my neighbors who are unable to eat Watch Philippines, also said that the pork barrel is only three times a day. They could have benefited from that It is estimated that the Philippine government was defrauded of some? 10 billion in the course of the scam, the "tip of the iceberg", pointing to the president's own stolen money. having been diverted to Napoles, participating members of Congress and other government officials. Aside from annual discretionary fund, which this year is at least - Edly Aparejado, protester the PDAF and the fertilizer fund maintained by the Department of Agriculture, around? 900 million in royalties $7.2bn. For now, though, much of the ire is being directed at she was saddened after hearing about the scandal. Napoles, who before going into hiding declared that "not "They could have used that money to build houses a single peso" of their wealth came from the government. for the poor," Aparejado, who joined the protest, told Al One of Napoles' lawyers added that her client's family Jazeera. "I see some of my neighbors who are unable to started out trading meat products including chicken and eat three times a day. They could have benefited from that pork, and later expanded into the export business. stolen money." What enraged the public were the details of For Homer Castillo, 38, the father of two grade- Napoles' alleged dealings with top government officials, school students, the protest "has been a long time in which 60 percent of the pork-barrel funds reportedly coming". He added that many poor families share the went to legislators. same sentiments, but were unable to join the protest One of the witnesses in the scandal told the local because they couldn't afford to do so. broadsheet Philippine Daily Inquirer that bags of money Law student Eric Joven, another protester who were stashed in the bathtub of Napoles' master bedroom voted for Aquino for president, said he hopes the in a posh condo in a Manila suburb. The money was demonstration will have substantial results, such as the reportedly distributed as bribes to lawmakers. imprisonment of those involved in the scam and the While this was going on, Napoles still managed to passage of the Freedom of Information Bill, which seeks get involved with Catholic charities, providing shelter for to open government records to public scrutiny. "This is prominent priests and foreign clerics inside the just the beginning, and I hope that the people will remain Philippines' most exclusive subdivision. vigilant," he said. Napoles and her family also reportedly maintained Meanwhile, Bretana, the march's spokesperson, at least 415 bank accounts that are now subject to a said social media will be critical in sustaining public government freeze order. 'This is just the beginning' engagement on the issue after the protests have died earned from the Malampaya gas field were also lost to the scam. The scam has provoked public outrage, with Edly Aparejado, 55, comes from a squatter down. "We cannot let this chance go, and we have to hold calls being made on the Internet for popular protests to demand the abolition of the PDAF,and the order for community in the Manila suburb of Caloocan. She said onto this to effect change," she said. Napoles' arrest sparking serious discussion online.Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle made a surprise appearance in Quirino Grandstand. His speech condemning those who were ignorant of the poor further angered the protesters to go against the pork barrel. The protests was mainly held at the Quirino Grandstand in Luneta Park in Manila, the capital. Protests were also held in other key locations throughout the country, including Bacolod, Baguio, Cebu City, Cagayan de Oro, Davao City, Dagupan, Digos,Dumaguete, Iloilo City, Kidapawan City, Legazpi, Naga City, Puerto Princessa, Tacloban, Zamboanga City and Negros Occidental. Proutists Join Overseas Filipinos also gathered at several location overseas to protest against the Priority Development Assistance Fund. Protests were held in Dammam and Riyadh in Saudi Arabia, Geneva in Switzerland, Bangkok Million People March at Philippines in Thailand, San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York in the United States, London in the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Canada, Taiwan, Vietnam and the United Arab Emirates. he Million People March was a protest in the Philippines calling for the abolition of the PDAF (Priority Development Assistance Fund) (also referred to colloquially as "Pork Barrel") caused by Economics for Conscious Evolution Tthe Priority Development Assistance Fund scam. Calls for the protests circulated through social media, mainly on Facebook and Twitter, to conduct a protest on August 26, 2013 in Luneta Park in Manila and Conference, London other cities around the Philippines and the world. A Facebook page entitled "Abolish Pork Barrel" was created to invite participants to the protests. One of the organizers, Peachy Rallonza-Bretana, said that there is no main hirty six speakers from five continents addressed participants at the Economics for Conscious group organizing the protest and described the protests as "snowballing at great speed". The day before the Evolution conference held in London from 24 – 28th of July 2013. Conference sessions may be protests, 18,000 people had already arrived at Luneta Park. Tviewed from the livestream replay http://www.ustream.TV/channel/the-IU-conference-2013 Proutists also joined the movement under the Proutist banner Ang Ka Sama in big number. Topics explored included the following: The scam was first exposed in the Philippine Daily Inquirer on July 12, 2013, with the six-part exposé of the l Land and Geo-Justice l Sharing the “Land Rent Commons” l Critique of Current Financial Policies Inquirer on the scam pointing to businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles as the scam's mastermind after Benhur K. l l Luy, her second cousin and former personal assistant, was rescued by agents of the National Bureau of Claiming Water, Fish and Oil Commons Land Value Tax: Funding Transport and Affordable Housing Investigation on March 22, 2013, four months after he was detained by Napoles at her unit at the Pacific Plaza l Why Socializing Rent and Untaxing Production is Good for Labour Towers in Fort Bonifacio. Initially centering on Napoles' involvement in the 2004 Fertilizer Fund scam, the l Case Study: Argentina – From Public Debt to Abundance for All government investigation on Luy's testimony has since expanded to cover Napoles' involvement in a wider scam l Climate Change and New Economics l Inequality: Cause and Cure l Land Trusts & Eco-villages involving the misuse of PDAF funds from 2003 to 2013.

48 September 2013 | PROUT PROUT | September 2013 49 PBI Launches The Election Campaign for Delhi State Assembly Election

ith its first public meeting in Karawal Nagar constituency on 18 August, 2013 Proutist Bloc, India launched the election Wcampaign for Delhi state assembly elections to be held in November. All the top office bearers of PBI were present there to support the vice-chairman of PBI, Baljit Aditya, who is the party’s candidate from Karawal Nagar constituency. The meeting was addressed by Subhash Chand Tyagi (Chairman), Rajesh Singh (General Secretary), Acarya Santosananda Avadhuta (Public Relation Secretary) and R P Baisla (Chairman-Delhi State) besides some prominent local leaders and residents. All the speakers unequivocally emphasized the need of moral leadership in politics. They said that only PBI can present the alternative to corruption-ridden politics and sick economy. Acarya Santosananda Avadhuta said that the rule of immoralists cannot be tolerated even for a moment. The sole objective of PBI, he said, is to create this confidence in the minds of the moralists that they too can enter politics and serve the society. He called upon all the moralists of India to unite and wage a ceaseless war against immoral forces. National General Secretary Rajesh Singh said that economic policies of all the successive governments after 1947 have led to the concentration of wealth in the hands of few and made the life of the common man difficult. He said only PBI’s Ideology, PROUT, is the way out. Party President S C Tyagi observed that the educational policy of the present government is detrimental to the progress of the students. Party spokesperson Jitendra Tiwari highlighted the local problems and told how the past MLAs blatantly neglected the development of the area and squandered away the public money. While speaking about the local issues and expressing PBI’s resolve to solve them, Baljit Aditya charged up the audience with his electrifying poems. One of the speakers said that it is pleasant to see that unlike other parties PBI has not resorted to cheap political gimmicks and tactics to pull the crowd, and that the party’s beginning may be humble but its future is glorious. Agitation by Proutist Bloc India ( PBI) at Ghatanji, Vidarbha

he people of Ghatanji taluka had been agitating for a long time for according it the status of subdivision by Tincluding the Arni Block in it with headquarters at Ghatanji. Their agitation was organised by Proutist Bloc India (PBI) and Bhartiya Janta Party ( BJP) jointly. Government finally yielded to their agitation and announced formation of an independent subdivision. People were expecting Ghatanji to be the headquarters of the Sub Divisional Officer( S.D.O.). But the Law and Justice Minister of the state Shiwaji Rao Moghe who is also M.L.A. from here manipulated things to suit his political interests. He did not lose time in announcing inauguration of S.D.O. office at Arni instead of Ghatanji which is totally an unjust act. The office of S.D.O. at Arni was to be inaugurated on August 15. Having learnt about it the PBI activists along with BJP workers organised protest meetings and dharna ( sit-in ) in front of the office of the Commissioner and submitted a memorandum demanding headquarters at Ghatanji. Simultaneously they also filed a writ petition in the High Court and made a request to stop the inaugural function at Arni and cancel the government's order to have the new subdivision's headquarters at Arnil. High Court allowed the request of agitationists and stayed the government order granting Arni the status of headquarters of the new sub division. Ghatanji has a just claim for being the headquarters since there is Municipal Corporation, Tehsil and Courts here. Arni does not have courts, it is a newly formed Block and Municipal Corporation has also recently come into existence here. Besides people here have been agitating for a long time for the subdivisional status.

50 September 2013 | PROUT PROUT | September 2013 PRABHAT SAMGIITA { Song No. 44 } PROUT Cry of the Suffering Humanity Shrii Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar Progressive Utilization Theory What is PROUT : PROUT is an acronym for the Progressive Utilization Theory. Conceptualized in 1959 by Indian Philosopher Shrii Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar, PROUT is a viable alternative to the outmoded capitalist and AA communist socio-economic paradigms. Neither of these approaches has adequately met the physical, mental and spiritual needs of humanity. PROUT seeks a harmonious balance between economic growth, social development and cultural expression. Combining the wisdom of spirituality, the struggle for self-reliance, and the spirit of economic democracy, Proutist intellectuals and activists VibrantVibrant are attempting to create a new civilizational discourse. PROUT news- magazine aims at conveying comprehensive and visionary goals of PROUT Philosophy. PROUT magazine invites scientists, economists, politicians, artists, Advancing from Darkness intellectuals and others to join us in the creation of a new, spiritually bonded society by propagating and popularising unambiguous elevating MagazineMagazine thoughts. Through Proutistic views and Neo Humanistic analysis, it strives to serve as beacon for the benighted civilization of our times. Main principles of PROUT and Neo-Humanism : Neo-humanism expands the humanistic love for all human beings to Towards the Light include love and respect for all creation - plants, animals and even inanimate objects. Neo-humanism provides a philosophical basis for whichwhich creating a new era of ecological balance, planetary citizenship and cosmic kinship. Basic necessities guaranteed to all : People can not strive toward their highest human aspirations if they are lacking the basic I’ll notI’ll acceptnot accept anything anything else else requirements of life. PROUT believes that access to food, shelter, clothing, A´R KONO KATHA´- A´MI MAŃI NA´-, MAŃITE CA´HI I don’I don’t, don’t, don’t wantt want to accept. to accept. Informs education and medical care are fundamental human rights which must be NA´-, CA´HI NA´-- AŃDHA´R HOITE CALI A´LOR PAŃE--- AdvancingAdvancing from from darkness darkness Informs guaranteed to all. GAHVAR HOTE CHUTÍ TA´RA´R GAŃE--- TowardsTowards the light the light Balanced economy : Prout advocates regional self-reliance, SABA´R MANER VYATHA´ NIYE PARAŃÉ--- FromFrom the abyss the abyss I rush I rush cooperatively owned and managed businesses, local control of large scale A´R KONO KATHA´- A´MI SHUNI NA´- To songsTo songs of the of stars. the stars. SHUNITE CA´HI NA´-, CA´HI NA´---, The Thepain painof all of minds all minds key industries, and limits on the individual accumulation of excessive MAŃITE CA´HI NA´- CA´HI NA´-- I carryI carry in my in lifemy force.life force. wealth. I don’I don’t wantt want to hear to hearanything anything else else && Women's Right : PROUT encourages the struggle against all NAĆER CHANDE CALI TOMA´R PAŃE--- I don’I don’t, don’t, don’t wantt want to hear to .hear. forms of violence and exploitation used to suppress women. PROUT's PRAŃÉR MA´DHURI BHARI TOMA´R GAŃE--- goal is coordinated cooperation, with equal rights between men and SABA´R MANER KATHA´ NIYE PARAŃÉ--- In theIn rhythm the rhythm of dance of dance women. A´R KONO KATHA´ A´MI JAŃI NA´-, I rushI rushtowards towards You You Cultural Diversity : In the spirit of universal fellowship PROUT JAŃITE CA´HI NA´- CA´HI NA´--- FillingFilling life’ slife’ sweetnesss sweetness encourages the protection and cultivation of local culture, language, A´R KONO KATHA´ A´MI MAŃI NA´, WithW Yithour Y songs.our songs. MAŃITE CA´HI NA´-, CA´HI NA´----- The Thestories stories of all of minds all minds InspiresInspires history and tradition. I carryI carry in my in lifemy force.life force. World Government : PROUT supports the creation of world I don’I don’t wantt want to know to know anything anything else else government with a global constitution and a common penal code. I don’I don’t, don’t, don’t wantt want to know to know. .

(Translated from Bengali original) For both civilization and science, intellectual knowledge is indispensable. Purport: Ignoring all obstacles and pebbles along the way, I am moving together with the minds of all people on earth, with all their pleasures and pains. And at the same time I want to remove their pains and sorrows as I Spiritual or intuitional development is possible through the happy blending move ahead. I am moving towards You and You alone, so I will listen to Your words only, to no one else’s. I will accept no between civilization and science. - Shrii Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar one else but You – and I do not want to know anything else. nd Published on 2 of every month R.N.I. Number 34454/79 nd th th . Published on 2 of every month R.N.I. Number 34454/79 Posted at IPMBC, ND - 2 on 4 & 5 of same month Postal Registration No. DL(S)-01/3176/2012-2014 th th . Posted at IPMBC, ND - 2 on 4 & 5 of same month Postal Registration No. DL(S)-01/3176/2012-2014

Morality is the demand of the day. ETERNAL SONG OF 'Prout' - the cry of the suffering humanity. Wise you be, may not or may, If sincere, success a certainty. The Proutists Fee fy fo fum. - Shrii P.R. Sarkar Expel the demons from physical stratum. Fee fy fo fum. Presentation by Nada Khader, EconomicSADVIPRA Democracy Conference, Expel the exploiters from economic stratum. M a d i s o n , W i s c o n s i n , O c t o b e r 1 1 , 2 0 1 2 Fee fy fo fum. Nada Khader has been executive director of WESPAC Foundation, a peace and justice aThection nkeyetwork, tosinc esolution Expel the brutes from psychic stratum. 2001. She has represented the US Palestinian Community Fee fy fo fum. Network at the US Social Forum national planning meetings, is a member of the steering comofmitt e eall of tthehe Un itproblemsed Expel the parasites from spiritual stratum. National Anti-War Coalition, and is a board member of Human body is to serve one and all, United for a Fair Economy. of the world. Human mind to attend Cosmic Call, Human spirit at the altar Supreme, Surrender and be Supreme. Read the epoch making concept of leadership Join PBI for a Poverty-Free by Shrii Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar and Crime-Free India in the book. Our dear country India--rich in its cultural and spiritual heritage--is passing through all round crises today. There is horrible poverty everywhere, purchasing power of common man is on continual decline, corruption always raises its ugly head. No political party, nor a political leader, has proved equal to the challenging task Sadvipra Revolution before the nation. Consequently crisis is deepening, and the soul of humanity here is profusely bleeding. Indian Price : Rs. 80/- only In this deep crisis of national disaster on all fronts, Overseas Price : USD $12 only Proutist Bloc India has appeared on the political scene to (Shipping and Handling Charges Extra) rid country of the dragon of immorality, poverty and exploitation. Payment Options I appeal everybody to enrol themselves as a member of For your copy, contact Money or cheque to be deposited directly in this party and strengthen the power of moralist forces. any branch of State Bank of India in the name of Your inspired cooperation is a must for the success of this Neo-Humanist Education Foundation, Editor - PROUT moralist political movement. Saving A/c No. 30379188250 Subhas Chand Tyagi Contact No.: 09212199658 Chairman, Proutist Bloc India Come One Come All Email: [email protected] Pay online through Paypal using mail ID : [email protected] website :www.pbi.co.in