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Vol. 2 | No. 1 | January 2021 A Quest for Peace and Reconciliation
The PLIGHT of SEXWORKERS & HUMAN TRAFFICKING There really can be no peace without justice. There can be no justice without truth. And there can be no truth, unless someone rises up to tell you the truth.
- Louis Farrakhan
A Quest for Peace and Reconciliation
For E- Reading (Free Access) Those who would like to get print copy of www.paxlumina.com the magazine kindly email: [email protected] Vol. 2 | No. 1 | January 2021
A Quest for Peace and Reconciliation
Advisory Board • Dr. Stanislaus D'Souza (President, Jesuit Conference of South Asia) • Dr. E.P. Mathew (Kerala Jesuit Provincial) • Dr. Ted Peters (CTNS, Berkeley, USA) • Dr. Carlos E. Vasco (Former Professor, National University of Colombia) • Dr. Thomas Cattoi(JST-SCU, California) • Dr. Kifle Wansamo Editor (Hekima Institute of Peace Studies, Nairobi) • Dr. Jacob Thomas IAS (Retd.) • Justice Kurian Joseph (Former Judge, Supreme Court of India) Managing Editor • Dr. George Pattery (Former Professor, • Dr. Binoy Pichalakkattu Visva-Bharati University, West Bengal) Associate Editor • Dr. K. Babu Joseph (Former Vice Chancellor, CUSAT, Kochi) • Dr. K.M. Mathew • Dr. Ms. Sonajharia Minz (Vice Chancellor, Sido Kanhu Murmu Contributing Editors University, Jharkhand) • Dr. Augustine Pamplany • Dr. Jancy James (Former Vice Chancellor, Central University of Kerala) • Dr. Francis Gonsalves • Dr. Kuruvilla Pandikattu • Dr. C. Radhakrishnan (Litteraeur, Kochi) • Roy Thottam • Dr. Denzil Fernandes (Director, Indian Social Institute, Delhi) • Dr. Neena Joseph • Dr. K.K. Jose • Devassy Paul (Former Principal, St. Thomas College, Pala) • Sheise Thomas • Dr. M. Arif (Adjunct Professor, • Sunny Jacob Premraj Sarda College, Ahamednagar) Design • Dr. M.P. Mathai (Adjunct Professor, Gujarat Vidyapith) • Predish Sama • Dr. Paramjyot Singh (Centre for Peace and Justice, XLRI Jamshedpur) • Dr. Siji Chacko (Director, Conference Development Office, JCSA) Pax Lumina • Dr. S. Mohammed Irshad (TATA Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai) An Initiative of Peace and Reconciliation Network • Joye James (Former Professor, Loyola College of Social Sciences, Trivandrum) Jesuit Conference of South Asia (JCSA) • Dr. Neil Tannen (Asst. Professor, Vision St Joseph’s College Autonomous, Bangalore) Promotion of Peace and Reconciliation • Dr. Walter Fernandes (Professor, NESRC, Guwahati) LIPI, the Nodal Platform for Peace and • Dr. (Sr.) Beena Jose Reconciliation Network of JCSA, aims at (Principal, Vimala College, Thrissur) fostering peace with a multi-pronged approach.
LOYOLA INSTITUTE OF PEACE AND PEACE AND RECONCILIATION INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS NETWORK LIPI, Ponoth Road, Kaloor, Jesuit Conference of South Asia Kochi- 682 017, Kerala, India 225, Jor Bagh, New Delhi-110 003, India Lumina 1(5)/2021 Pax 03 Vol. 2 | No. 1 | January 2021
Cover Les Demoiselles d'Avignon Painting by Pablo Picasso (1907)
Contents A Quest for Peace and Reconciliation
21 EDITORIAL 06 | Sellers of Selves Jacob Thomas Sex Workers and Human Trafficking 14 | Escaping through the Skin of Her Teeth Sruti Srinivasan 21 | TheModus Operandi of Human Trafficking 09 Dr. Ravindranath Shanbhag 23 | Trafficking Fact Sheet INTERVIEWS 09 | A Lamp in the Darkness of the Red Streets of Mumbai Fr. Jinu Eapen Kurien 24 | Commercial and Sexual Exploitation in Nepal 27 Anuradha Koirala 27 | Beyond the Walls Into the World Sr. Sherlykutty Joseph National Affairs 24 31| Farmers’ Protest 38| We are Grappling with a Food Mountain 31 Joe A Scaria 42 | Agroecology Pax Lumina 1(5)/2021 Pax Dr. Vandana Shiva 04 International Affairs:
VIOLENCE IN AFGHANISTAN 45 | Aftermath of the Bomb Blast in Bamyan Linto Kanichai 45 MESSAGE OF PEACE 47 | We are all Children of the Universe Carlos E. Vasco SCIENCE AND PEACE 52 | Paccem in Scientia et Terris Ted Peters 56 | Science for People’s Welfare S. Ignacimuthu ART AND PEACE 42 62 | Art against Lie Jamesmon OFM BOOK REVIEW 52 65 | The Last Girl: My Story of Captivity and My Fight against the Islamic State by 62 Nadia Murad John Francis LETTER TO THE EDITOR Pax Lumina 1(5)/2021 Pax 65 05 Sellers of Selves
e have ‘Les Demoiselles d’Avignon’ (‘the Young Ladies of Avignon’) on the cover this time. Picasso himself liked to call it ‘the Brothel at WAvignon’. Picasso did this painting in 1907 when he was only 25 years old. By then, he had already made a name for himself in the Paris avant garde circles with his blue period paintings and later, with the rose period ones. But this was a marked shift from his earlier paintings and, indeed, a new beginning for modern painting. Though partly cubist in style, the five sex workers are devoid of the allurements of flesh and clothes, normally associated with such women. They are a bit unreal and appear not to be part of this world while being in it. They are plain and do not possess any sophistication of colour or line. Picasso had many women in his life but he couldn’t love any one of them. Actually, Picasso didn’t possess love for anyone or anything Editorial other than art. But still, this painting shows he had great empathy for these women. He shows them as they are, as they see themselves rather than as others see them. Moreover, as a keen observer of Picasso’s paintings can note all the women look like Picasso. What was he trying to say? Probably, “You are all part of me, part of us”. Artists can possess such empathy. But in real life? That too empathy for the sex workers? The condition of the sex workers has not changed, if not for the worse, from the time Picasso painted them. They remain where they are, in their ghettoes, universally lit up in the red of the setting Sun stoically waiting for the darkness to swallow them. But there are lights of hope. Fr Jinu Eapen Kurien and Fr Manu Abraham have been living in Kamatipura, the red light area of Mumbai and working for the rehabilitation of the sex workers, their re-employment, the education of their children and their eventual migration to the main stream life. You will find Fr. Jinu’s interview in the following pages. Next, we have a veteran social worker giving us the heart-rending stories of human trafficking. Then we have Anuradha Koirala, the Mother Teresa of Nepal Telling us about her work in rescue and rehabilitation of sex workers in Nepal through her organization, Meiti Nepal. We also have the narration of the personal experiences of Sr. Sherlykutty Joseph of the Medical Mission Sisters with the sex workers in different cities of Kerala. Many have raised doubts about the choice of articles in the Focus Section
Pax Lumina 1(5)/2021 Pax of the magazine. As a digital magazine with a global reach is it appropriate 06 to be "purveyors of dirt” all the time, they ask. Our answer is simple. We are not into the business of cosmetic surgery of reality. So far as the dirt of exploitation, exclusion and intolerance exist in our midst, we feel it is our duty to bring it to our readers’ notice without sensationalism, without hidden agenda. In fact, we do something more. We feature brave women and men who, despite all odds, have shown that change is possible, justice and peace are realizable. We just want to walk with the excluded in the hope of some meaningful action from those who are moved by the plight of these unfortunate people who are part of our society. Actually, many consider these social tragedies to be just a result of demand and supply. The amoral economics of the human mind; what else to say! In fact, market is at issue in the farmers’ agitation raging in New Delhi and the surrounding areas now which is covered in the magazine’s national section. The farmers in Punjab, Haryana and some areas of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh want the Government Procurement Policy to continue undisturbed. But, the Government of India wants to open up the markets to the private sector through legislation. This was done without proper consultation with farmers. We present the different aspects of this problem and a kaleidoscopic view from different perspectives. We also have a report about the violence in Afghanistan and the threat this region poses to world peace while Prof. Carlos E. Vasco of Colombia shares his views on the challenges to peace at the global level. In ‘Science and Peace,’ Ted Peters from Berkeley, California takes a philosophical view of the relationship between science and peace whereas, the eminent Entomologist, Dr. S. Ignacimuthu SJ, gives a down-to-earth account of how science can empower peoples’ lives. ‘Art and Peace’ column tells the story of a group of artists, CARP and their experiences during an on-line camp in these COVID times. They compare their efforts to the work of an oyster which converts a hurting intruder, a grain of sand, into a pearl. We hope for your support, understanding and action. Wishing you a healthy, peaceful and fruitful 2021,
Jacob Thomas
Editor Lumina 1(5)/2021 Pax 07 Sex Workers AND Human Trafficking
Prostitution is a serious, ugly, social phenomenon. Young women do this connected to the fact that they cannot survive any other way and that is a problem of society.
Pax Lumina 1(5)/2021 Pax - Vladimir Putin 08 INTERVIEW Fr. Jinu Eapen Kurien [email protected]
A LAMP IN THE DARKNESS OF THE RED STREETS OF
MUMBAI Pax Lumina 1(5) / 2021 / 09-13
nterview with Fr. Jinu Eapen IKurien, Director, Navjeevan Centre, Mumbai which has been engaged in the ministry of rehabilitation of Commercially and Sexually Exploited Women and their children for over 25 years. Navjeevan Centre is an initiative of the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church headquartered in Thiruvalla, Kerala State. Pax Lumina 1(5)/2021 Pax 09 How many sex workers are there in Kamathipura?
It is approximately 20-30,000. Now, there is a slight change in their modus operandi. They are supplied from the hat was the brothel houses to the suburbs and motivation of outskirts of Mumbai. the Marthoma Church in starting Has the volume of trade Wthis mission? increased over the years? This is a fall-out of a Christmas Yes, the number has increased mainly programme organised by the Marthoma due to human trafficking. The women Youth Fellowship (Yuvajana Sakyam) come from almost all the states of in the Red light area of Kamathipura, India especially Maharashtra, Uttar Mumbai, in 1994. In fact, the mothers Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal. in Kamathipura had requested us to The major reason for their plight is start a Centre to take care of their economic deprivation (food, shelter, and children. In response, and fired up by security), and the lack of education over compassion towards their plight, a few generations, augmented by pervasive youth and volunteers motivated by Adv. poverty. It makes them vulnerable to P.A. Cyrus decided to start the Centre. the exploitations of the sex trade. Some With the blessing of Rt. Rev. Dr. Issac are trapped in it. They are dehumanised Mar Philoxenos, then Episcopa of the and marginalised at every step, either by diocese of Mumbai, the centre was given outsiders or, as in most cases, by their a formal organizational set up. Currently, family members. the Centre is a Registered Trust managed by an executive committee and presided Is the centre involved in by the Bishop of the diocese of Mumbai. rehabilitation work? Most Rev. Dr. Theodosius Mar Thoma Metropolitan is its Patron and Rt. Rev. First of all, rehabilitating mothers Dr. Euyakim Mar Coorilos Episcopa the is a tough task. The primary step is
Pax Lumina 1(5)/2021 Pax President. confidence-building and instilling 10 hope in them. The next step is skill procedure, they are given schooling up to development and job training. Despite 15 years. these hurdles, 10-15 people are trained annually and given placement. Some are Navjeevan Village is a residential home assigned the job of taking care of the to 120 children (5-18 years), both boys children. As we have limited facilities, and girls, to support their educational, we refer a few of them to other NGOs physical and emotional needs. Eight which are involved specifically in the cottages are set apart for their integral rehabilitation of sex workers. development. The village also has a State government-recognised school called How are the children taken care of? ‘Navajyoti’ and a vocational training institute offering various trades to the We are running three ‘Day and Night youth of Navjeevan as well as nearby Care Shelters’ at Kamathipura, villages. Sindhigalli and Bhewandi. Children between one to six years are entrusted The Marthoma Church has been to our care by the mothers who are running the ministry for the past concerned about their welfare. The 25 years. Now some of the children children are provided food, shelter and under your care must be well placed? education. We had 65 children in our centres and now it has come down to Yes, some of our children have passed 35. On account of the pandemic, half their Bachelors Degree in Nursing (B the children have gone back to their Sc. Nursing) and are employed. Some mothers. To take care of the children, are in social work. One of our students there are foster mothers (we call them has obtained a Masters in Social Work ‘house parents’), social workers and from the Tata Institute of Social Work tuition teachers. We send them for and will be joining for research shortly. formal education in due course. A few of our children are working for the corporates. When a child is brought to the centre, we present them before the Child Welfare We have Extension Homes at Kalyan, Committee, Mumbai, to ensure their Mumbai, for the children who pass out safety and protection as their mothers are in the flesh trade. After this legal he major reason T for their plight is economic deprivation (food, shelter, and security), the lack of education over generations, augmented by pervasive poverty. It makes them vulnerable to the exploitations of the sex trade. Some are
trapped in it. Lumina 1(5)/2021 Pax 11 ctually, we are A still in the dark regarding who is behind this multi- million dollar business. There is a strong lobby supported by money and muzzle power.
of Navjeevan village, and are yet to be settled. At present we have 15 of them the rehabilitation of senior mothers is with us. Of these, five of them are doing concerned. However, rehabilitating the their Bachelors Degree at Nirmala young and active sex workers is always Niketan, Mumbai, two will be completing under threat. The reason is obvious. But their Diploma in Education, and five if a request comes, we will take up the will be completing their Bachelors in case. Actually, we are still in the dark Commerce. regarding who is behind this multi- million dollar business. There is a strong Do you get any financial lobby supported by money and muzzle support from the government? power.
As the Navjeevan Centre is affiliated What is the attitude of the police? to the State Social Welfare Board (ours is the only affiliated NGO in the RED The Mumbai police are in the know light area) our counselling department of things. There are cases when they receives an annual grant of Rs. 2.8 have supported us in our rescue and lakh. Apart from this, we have no other rehabilitation work. Recently, with the governmental support. We get generous support of the police, we rescued a girl contributions from individuals. Besides, before any lasting damage was done to we get funding from a German NGO her. Later, we came to know that she which helps us to meet 30% of our is the daughter of a police officer from expenditure and the rest 70% we are Gujarat. In general, we get good support raising on our own. from the police.
Are there any threats for Is there any possibility of you and your ministry? a systemic change?
Two priests, including myself and Fr One possibility is police rescuing them Manu Abraham, are involved in this using force and taking them to shelter ministry, along with social workers. As homes. But, what is the guarantee of you know, we are engaged in two levels their safety and security there? In the of work. One is for the welfare of the absence of alternative employment children and the other is for the mothers. and income, they will resume their old Pax Lumina 1(5)/2021 Pax There is not much resistance as far as profession. 12 He completed hisMasters inBusiness care himand provided of education. when he was four years old. We took lives. For lost hismother Anil example, and follow their throughout up it birth take care achild from of hisor her Theremay other organisations. be We tosimilar that ofyours? thereIs any organisation trade, the prostitutes. not but vehemently condemns prostitution a as continue The to exist. Navjeevan Centre society, of mindset system will thistragic thereuntil isadrastic change inthe attitude towards them. Unless and approachjudgmental and anunforgiving and there above, tuberculosis. Over isa viral besides infectionsdiseases, and fromsuffering transmittedsexually and alcohol. Most them are of to drugs Many workers the sex of are addicted acceptance intheir family and by society. concern isregardingAnother their satisfying. soul- something a flat inMumbai. Thisis father ayoung of child and the owner of two years and now ago he isthe marriage company. anAmerican of his Iblessed Administration and isnow anemployee
All our centres our All are operational. We fared theCOVID? during How your has ministry Editor, PAX LUMINA) by (Interview me… haunts prayers heard?” be That question still “Afterapologised: all,I’m my fallen. Will Navjeevan. conversation, our During she at my of phase ministry the initial atI remember amother meeting us? with heart-rending to experience share four Doalmost years. you have any You for have inthisministry been 300 mothers and theirchildren. far, around we have ableto support been affordso But, to takecare of allin need. the way, By employment. we cannot them ingaining of self- some helped facilities are provided also to them. We micro-credit Besides, the pandemic. to mothers sincekits the outbreak of We provision have supplying been to returned normal. Kamathipura monthsCOVID. of the initial Later, workers,sex there was slack some in are Concerning usual. as functioning have admissions new and things given Dr. Jacob Thomas,
13 Pax Lumina 1(5)/2021 Sruti Srinivasan C/o Human Rights Protection Foundation, Udupi Escaping through the Skin of Her
Pax Lumina 1(5) / 2021 / 14-20 Teeth
n January 2016, Mr Mendonca, who lived in Mangalore, died of tuberculosis, leaving behind his wife Jacintha and three children. IJacintha searched for a job that could put food on the table and pay for the children’s education.
In early 2016, Jacintha got in touch with Offered a job as Ramesh Powar (name changed) who a babysitter in recruited people for high-paying jobs in Qatar, the Qatar. With the help of Ramesh, she got her paperwork and documentation done. Mangalore On June 10, 2016, she left for Mumbai. native Jacintha Mendonca What was supposed to be a train to Mumbai and a flight to Qatar turned underwent months into a month of continuous travel and of torture before detention. With none of her documents Pax Lumina 1(5)/2021 Pax she was rescued. (she was told to send her passport 14 through Ramesh to Mumbai, where Abdul paid the traffickers Rs 5 lakhs to further formalities were pending), she buy Jacintha. An amount of around depended on the people who took her Rs 30,000 was later given to Ramesh in from Mangalore to Mumbai via Goa- Mangalore. picking up a few other girls on the way. Jacintha realised something was wrong. From Mumbai, they moved Jacintha to Instead of being a babysitter for a young Delhi, where she stayed in a women’s family in Qatar, she began work as a hostel for a few days. There, she was told servant for a large family. This family there had been a delay in procuring her comprised Abdul, the 66-year-old visa, but she would be sent to Qatar as patriarch, his three wives, and their soon as possible. children.
After several days, Jacintha landed in The first wife had eight children, the Dubai airport with a visiting visa for only second wife, 11, and the third wife, at three months. She was tutored to say just 22 years old, was already a mother that she had come to visit her husband, to a toddler. Each of his wives had their who was an unskilled worker. She was bungalow, and all three houses were whisked away to a large hall and made to inside an enclosed compound. Jacintha sit with other women, some young, some was told to cook and clean for all these old. people, as well as a constant stream of visitors. At one point they even sent Like cattle for sale her off to the employer’s father-in-law’s house to work. Inside the hall, human traffickers invited affluent individuals from around the The first three months were uneventful. Middle East to choose the women they Despite working for over 18 hours a day, wanted to purchase. The younger and Jacintha was neither hurt nor abused. more attractive women were sold into the sex trade, or forced into marriage, Her situation changed for the worse while the older ones were selected to when her visa expired. She was no longer be housekeepers, servants, and slaves. protected by the local government. Jacintha was sold to a rich businessman So Jacintha was trapped. Local law named Abdul from the port town Yanbu, enforcement authorities could throw almost 1000 kms from Riyadh. her into jail if they found her roaming Lumina 1(5)/2021 Pax 15 nside the hall, human I traffickers invited affluent individuals from around the Middle East to choose the women they wanted to purchase. The younger and more attractive women were sold into the sex trade, or forced into marriage, while the older ones were selected to to clean up after them. She was told be housekeepers, to serve their food on large communal servants, and slaves. plates. Jacintha could only eat the leftovers. She refused and gradually became weaker and malnourished.
Jacintha could not contact her family around the streets – both as a woman or be given access to a telephone or the and an immigrant without valid internet. Her first call to her family, in identification and visa. November 2016, was made by borrowing the cell phone of an Indian driver who Beaten and broken worked in the compound. This phone call confirmed to her children she was alive, Jacintha was physically and mentally but was being tortured mercilessly. abused. Made to sleep on the floor in the corner of the kitchen, Jacintha cooked The next time she made a call, Abdul and cleaned for the household at all chanced upon her, and snatched the times. She answered the door late at phone and beat her – with her children night and cooked for visitors. listening in. Jacintha’s youngest daughter, Vineeta, said she had She was violently awaken to cook for a nightmares because of hearing her guest at 3 am. If she faltered, she was mother’s tortured screams. beaten by her owner, and not provided with any medical care. Even the children After one particularly harsh round of were encouraged to lash out at Jacintha physical abuse, Jacintha attempted to physically and she was powerless to run away and found her way to a police defend herself. station.
With no discipline or care for basic The police officers seemed to be in the hygiene, they would throw their pocket of the rich and the powerful. Pax Lumina 1(5)/2021 Pax belongings around, expecting Jacintha She was held in the station and Abdul 16 about her whereabouts, her state her whereabouts, about of stranded abroad. nothing knew They told team was the their mother HRPF worn-out,” They recalled Shanbhag. Dr “The three childrentired looked and books. and cuttings, newspaper papers, files, of the room, most of occupied piles with table large office, lit a the brightly small, Vaikunta Udupi. In College, Law Baliga Protection FoundationRights at (HRPF), president the Human of Shanbhag, approachedthey Ravindranath Dr floundered helplessly. 2017, April In 20, Vinroy, 17, 19,and Vineeta, home, Jacintha’sBack children Velita, desperate measures Desperate timesand attention. comatose, she was provided medical where she fell. three After being daysof to lie was left She lost consciousness. Not surprisingly, Jacintha her ribs. of He andinsulted yelled at. broke three violently, thrown awall, against slapped, to was kicked hiscompound. She Jacintha Hewas called. back dragged
Third,lackof the documentation formal elsewhere. ahousekeeper and as not babysitter for aHindu family inQatar, told that her employment would a as be recommendations. Second,she was or through neighbours, friends, through him him,despite knowing go not with inastranger to and had agreed trust Jacintha First, case. had placed her trafficking human this was aclassic Dr. and histeam realised Shanbhag no taken. effective hadbeen action for help. However, Ivan D’Souza, MLA, already approached the police, and an had that they Shanbhag They toldDr her forwith months. andhealth, could converse not properly waiting andwaiting multipleattempts to reach over After three of a complaint. weeks Police. them latter The to file instructed children to Commissioner the Deputy of tookteam the three members, Mendonca afew along with his of Dr. Shanbhag, lawlocal enforcement authorities. The first ofactioncourse was approach to work. illegitimate regarding hinted her at appointment
17 Pax Lumina 1(5)/2021 18
Pax Lumina 1(5)/2021 named Shabha Khan, inMumbai, Khan, Shabha named was incontact aman with Ramesh to Sent herdoom she was inYanbu. her children from. was discovered It that phone that number Jacintha had called indicating her entry. tracked They the cell However,East. there were no records day from Mumbaito the Middle every there theJune. time, At were 16flights on the 19th,20th,21stand 22nd of had entered the country particulars ifanycheck matching individuals her he requested details, them to passport Jacintha’s inRiyadh.embassy With contacted the Indian Shanbhag Dr into hands. theirown was todead-end. time It take matters toout realised the police, was they it a The authorities had never The authorities confronted or for by hismother over run 30years. been which traffickinghuman had business, was the successor awell-established of Dr. and histeam that Shabha Shanbhag went and later told Ramesh confront the ringleader. He volunteered to travel to Mumbaito Khan’s ring. trafficking human nefarious he was aware said not Shabha of Ramesh innocence, Pleading located Ramesh. team, the the HRPF children with Along from the Mangalore area alone. including Jacintha 13people, recruited agency.recruitment ayear, Over Ramesh was the the ownerof who he assumed consequences. Finally, after sixmonths, he didn’t cooperate, he would face that if informed Abdul Rodriguez affairs.” stranger inhisprivate was interfering reacted anger and outrage with that a “Abdul to was willing not talkto me. He Jacintha’s employer, He Abdul. said, contacted information, Rodriguez he as received soon sufficient As to rescue Jacintha. he lived. He immediately offered his help woman stranded inatown to close where Daijiworld television a channel about on the came across story anews Forum (Jeddah), NRI the Karnataka of the then president Rodriguez, Roshan assistance Timely Arabia to make enquiries. immediately told hiscontacts inSaudi children two more Dr. times. Shanbhag Jacintha thistime, By had contacted her the Middle East. month to every 400girls sent ring crime legacy. forward her dark This to carry hismother.caught her groomed son She
General MCLuther. (India) Emigrants of Swaraj andSushma the Protector Affairs, toout the Minister External of members worked for free. They reached the All funds. and no has reserve organisation isanon-monetary HRPF inhishouse. up locked servant there was wrong nothing a keeping with Heor reimbursement Rs5lakh. of said areplacement demanded Abdul slave be expected to helprescue expected be hundreds, woman stranded would inanation, they to rescue paidone Rs5lakh –ifthey one money. Their a was logical reasoning want the did not government to give as the This proved be fruitless, to D Jacintha hadplacedhertrust human traffickingcase. First, in a stranger and had agreed in astrangerandhadagreed as ababysitterforHindu family inQatar, andnotas a housekeeperelsewhere. her appointmenthintedat her employmentwouldbe Second, shewastoldthat documentation regarding through recommendations. Third, thelackofformal not knowing himthrough not knowing to gowithhim,despite r. andhisteam Shanbhag realised thiswasaclassic friends, neighbours,or illegitimate work. the ownerhad relented slightly, and They received word that fromRodriguez point The turning was arrested later that week. Ramesh arrest. had even not they made one details, the police forcethat despite giving many He declared publicly their citizens. of to ensureenough the safe one of return officers of Mangalorenot ofdoing conference where he accused the police Dr. conducted apress Shanbhag model. sustainable all over the world. This a was not stranded people of or maybe thousands undocumented immigrants would be workersUnder illegal thisscheme, and an ‘Immigration Amnesty’. Arabia Saudi declared acts. and charitable devoted to prayer,Ramadan, purification the world celebrated their holiest month, was from 2017.Muslims June, It across break Lucky would immediately thrown be into jail. she that, and without had no valid visa, However, there was ahurdle. Jacintha her airticket. remaining to buy would used money be receivedthat The Abdul Rs3.5lakh. account ensured Roshan was opened. The An NRI agreed father to the plan. ArabiaSaudi to Jacintha get back. father to pay to in anassociate Rs5lakh Dr. stated the that he needed Shanbhag one request. However, soon. jail of out get there was reassured would the father that Ramesh approached the HRPF. Dr. Shanbagh have to pay Ramesh’s Rs3.5lakh. father wouldinstead they paying of Rs5lakh, 19 Pax Lumina 1(4)/2020 20
Pax Lumina 1(5)/2021 hospital. Forhospital. she was treated 15days, Jacintha was admitted to the A.V. Baliga henceforth. she wouldthat he live hoped life ahappy reassured Jacintha that she was safe and Dr. Shanbagh Greeting her at the airport, her.about backbeing around who cared people with relief of anoverwhelming experienced was muted; however, Jacintha were Her visible. her bruises demeanour morenothing and and bones, skin than bygreeted her three children. was She hours later, eight About Jacintha was back and flew to India. airport she takenwas to the morning, The next injail. one night spent She who paid to the money the government. Immediately,jail. he contacted Roshan, in onespend of Rs37,000and night fine scheme would have to pay aone-time He that employing this individuals learnt was for time It grace quick action. period. mere daysbefore eight the the ending of thisscheme a of Dr. learnt Shanbhag would one them. of be the country.had left time, This Jacintha violators in2012;2.5million efficiently penalty.fine or scheme This had worked laws would have not security to pay any or laws, border labour laws, residency This meant that anyoneSaudi violating followed entry. of they methods legal allowed if tobe to return the Kingdom system’ and would fingerprint ‘deportee exempt from the consequences the of the HRPF team.the HRPF gratitudeimmense to Dr. and Shanbhag she received.beatings expressed her She general care from for the her bruises tuberculosis, and of was given possibility for hyperacidity, a malnourishment, from jail, remains out of the spotlight from remains jail, the spotlight of out released undergraduate Ramesh, degree. who isnow her pursuing sister Vineeta, andand hismother younger lives with Vinroy, found has awell-paying job Velita, Her son, married. isnow happily nearby college. Her eldest daughter, manifold. found has She ajobat a Today,the case. her life improved has conference, the events detailing of team, at the spoke as HRPF apress she recovered,When Jacintha, well as Happy ending earnestness. earnestness. and enthusiasm with eachtackling case remaininjustice, and yet they hopeful, encounter ceaseless oppression and under-represented. they Intheir work, and the respite for the underprivileged work tirelessly to provide justice and of thecontinue HRPF The members to rescued from fatal apotentially situation. isto it than be passport to anew get iseasier it as he said, back, her passport on the journey. There was no to need get Dr. He Shanbhag. told to her not embark Immediately, she contacted and realised what into. she was getting from details exact these Jacintha’s case for recognised She afamily inDubai. to work ababysitter as was expecting beforehand and had her passport sent to astranger. Mumbaiwith That woman toabout board atrain from Mangalore predicamentsame Jacintha as was was, outcome.a positive Awoman, inthe thatcase this publicity The receivedhad bride. his new his life now isfocused on hisfamily and nefarious, insomething entangled being now. Having faced the consequences of Jacintha
[email protected] Dr. Shanbhag Ravindranath Trafficking Operandi legislation toestablishrehabilitation T The he mosturgentneedistopass Human Human centres forthevictims. Modus Modus Pax 1(5)/202121-22 Lumina
of
21 Pax Lumina 1(5)/2021 22
Pax Lumina 1(5)/2021 T looked afterlooked well by their ‘owners’ are -the victims visa their visiting of For the first three months -the duration their destination. areare the victims shifted to obtained working inthe country. Once the visas wouldthey like to theirhusbands visit arethe consulate, told the girls to tell at the interview consulates. During from obtained be the respective will visas tourist into week, account. The next istaken spoken work and the language auction. Factors to capacity age, such as reach there Dhabi, or Abu Dubai isan Once Dhabi. they toeither or Abu Dubai at airtravelagent Mumbaiarranges the demand, theDepending upon main stayIn Mumbai,they at hostels. Mumbai. to travelthe girls by train to or by bus areArrangements made for by the agent food and stay, are they to eager go. from apart to earned, be 30,000can Rs20,000 of convinced that asalary get Once they help inthe Middle East. to work adomestic as opportunities that therethe girls are attractive job somehow, agent, The has to convince only.from coastal Karnataka year are trafficked human girls every year.per isestimated 300 that It about 25to sends 30girls agent Each victim. Rs25,000per get will agent Every and Goa. Kerala coastal Karnataka, Manipur, Assam, well as as Meghalaya, bars. Therefore,bars. automatically they arrested and behind put get can and they overstay considered be will anoffence as cheated. expires, their Once the visa are they police being station and report go can to they the nearestbecause under-developed areas in here and are intribal agents of Nagaland,of Mizoram, States the North-Eastern in the family and their guests. Once the in the family and theirguests. are forVictims used also by the sex males leftover food eaten be can by the slaves. members havesupper, their finished the home.allthe family After return they wheneverfamily members and guests food to havethey the employer, to serve 11 pm. Even after the working hours, and the floor,till from early morning the utensils cleaning cooking, such as have They tasks, to do all household the ‘purchaser’. of become ‘slaves’ at be the and mercy will at Mangalore) Protection Foundationthe Rights Human (Dr. Shanbhag centres for the victims. to rehabilitation establish legislation is The urgent most to need pass workers.sex in Mumbaiwhere their life spend they as end inred-light areas up like Grant Road, easily. married get cannot They So, they andChildren Women Welfare Ministry. to take care under the victims these of There are no hostel inIndia facilities may by out theircommunity. cast be accept them easily. The family fears they the family not members will usually are rescued and broughtback to India, the victims consequences.similar If face and will imprisoned be will they are by the police, caught the girls In case of, inthe sea. disposed Finally, the victim’s be will dead body and sold. harvested be their organs will taken to be or where will the hospital killed be either are will they no use, of employer comes to that know victims is the is president of
23 Pax Lumina 1(5)/2021 INTERVIEW
Anuradha Koirala Pax Lumina 1(5) / 2021 / 24-26Z Commercial and Sexual Exploitation in Nepal n interview with Anuradha Koirala, Afounder of Maiti Nepal, an organisation that protects Nepali women and children from human trafficking.
hat are the economic Do cultural and religious and social factors practices have a role? behind human trafficking? Nepal is a country with a deeply ingrained W patriarchal structure. It has a religion that Poverty and limited access to education, places women below men. The practice of lack of job opportunities and livelihood male domination and female subordination prospects are the prime factors for human has been the culture for ages. There have trafficking. Most of the victims are girls and been some changes, but it is limited to a women from every nook and corner of Nepal. few cities. Even today a woman’s access to Traffickers lure the naive girls under the social, economic, and the political arena pretence of a good job or a better life and, is limited. Further, women’s educational eventually, they are trafficked internally or attainments are lower than those of men, to India or the Middle East for commercial so they are less aware of human trafficking
Pax Lumina 1(5)/2021 Pax sexual exploitation. and its consequences. 24 What happens to the victims?
They are sexually exploited. Minors are given hormone shots to accelerate sexual maturity and are forced to entertain more than 10 men in a day. If they show reluctance, they are punished physically. Many girls and women are prone to sexually transmitted diseases.
Dedicated to the cause What is the level of awareness of these victims about human nuradha Koirala, lovingly called Dijju rights? (elder sister) founded Maiti Nepal in 1993A to protect women and children who are being trafficked within and from Nepal for The victims’ level of awareness about human commercial sexual exploitation. Prior to this, rights is nominal. They are barely aware she had spent more than 20 years teaching of their fundamental rights. They are not children at various schools around Kathmandu. aware that the buying and selling of human beings is a heinous crime. After establishing Maiti Nepal, she set up a home so that she could provide an abode to What is their attitude towards those who have nowhere else to go. Now, Maiti rescue operations? Nepal has three prevention homes, 11 transit homes, two hospices and a formal school. More While conducting rescue operations it is than 1000 children are receiving direct services very hard to gain the trust of the survivors from Maiti Nepal every day. as in many cases they have been sold by their close relatives. Also, the brothel-owner There are awareness campaigns, community instils a negative message about Nepal and sensitisation programmes, rescue operations, its rescue mission. So, at times, it becomes apprehending traffickers, providing legal support to the needy, women empowerment very hard for us to change their minds. But , programmes, and providing antiretroviral after individual, group and peer counselling, therapy to children and women infected by HIV. healing therapies and the interaction
Anuradha has received 38 national and international awards in recognition of her work. These include the Prabal Gorkha Dakshin Bahu Medal, Nepal, 1999, Trishaktipatta Award, fter individual, 2002, Best Social Worker of the Year Award, Nepal, 1998, German UNIFEM Prize, 2007, A group and peer Queen Sofia Silver Medal Award, 2007, and counselling, healing The Peace Abbey, and Courage of Conscience, therapies and the 2006. Due to her continuous struggle, the government of Nepal now recognises September interaction with many 5 as Anti-Trafficking day. Anuradha is a former survivors with similar or Assistant State Minister of Women, Children more horrendous and Social Welfare. stories, we gain In 2010, she was declared as a CNN Hero. their trust and Mother Teresa has always been her largest source of inspiration. bring them back to normalcy. Lumina 1(5)/2021 Pax 25 26
Pax Lumina 1(5)/2021 bring them back tobring normalcy. and wehorrendous gain stories, their trust or more similar with manywith survivors had to face harassment and were forced to ground for the traffickers. Some women sector isafertile the as entertainment easy sector.entertainment Theirlife was never and womento working inthe the girls Further, a bane COVID-19 been has theirminimum basicneeds. meet cannot from Nepal who havesurvivors no food and thewe trafficking were prioritising not and stranded ones at the Nepal-India border the migrantabout workers countries Gulf of we were As talking risk. at higher survivors traffickingput human Thehas lockdown traffickinghas increased. counselling. Despite human the laws, centres for and guidelines psycho-social operating procedures for rehabilitation for care victim and protection, standard children and women, minimum standards trafficking the action against of targeting in 2012that includes the national plan documents endorsedhas also four key policy framework to combat trafficking. human It institutedhas a comprehensive2007. It legal Trafficking ControlandAct, Transportation enactedhas The the Human government victims and theirchildren? victims COVID-19 onthelives ofthe of theimpact been has What Nepal done? thegovernment has of What
they had no foodgrains left. To had nothey foodgrains left. their ease families were on the verge hunger as of havelives they as Their jobs. their lost the ashadow lockdown cast has intheir However,them to endsmeet. make both was nominal,somehowit helping but were they their pay because reluctant. Also, were Some work. throwndo unethical out Slovakia) TrnavaScholar inEducation, University, (Inter tolabs conduct the test. lately,only but allowed private also has it was limited to labs the government-run Earlier, the Polymerase Reaction test Chain level. at the municipality Committee helped central Disaster Relief level and the District CentreManagement took the lead at the level. Crisis The Covid and municipality and Quarantine Centres at the central The initiated government Holding Centres people. and needy to earners wage level government the local of the initiative was made. Food were at packages distributed quarantine awomen-friendly Bardiya district, government of the the local initiative of At for kits hygiene afew months. necessities that foodstuffs included and were They offered basic 500 beneficiaries. and reached campaign relief distribution Nepal Maiti the initiated battle for survival view by by view What isthegovernment doing? What Jomon Jose SJ , Research , Research 1 Alcohol), initiated byAlcohol), the initiated Medical Mission (People’s Narcotics to AIDS, and Response to the Co-ordinator be I was assigned PRANA of exploited? commenced. Cellat had yet not wheneven atime AIDS mission. Accordingly we launched PRANA inour theisapriority times of the signs whichof I am amember. to Responding Congregation Sisters, aCatholic missionary INTER I the sexworkersinKerala,India. on hermissionamong nterview with to work for thesexually youus how got inspired work? Could you share with isthenature ofyour What VIEW Sr. SherlykuttyJoseph,MMS, the WORLD
WALLS Medical College, Kalamassery, Kochi. Kalamassery, Medical College, well as inthe as Kochi inFort Counsellor Control -AIDS project ICTC Cell -as now And Iamworkingon a Government (TSSS). Society Service Social Trivandrum and was Woman/Child Coordinator with Imoved to Thiruvananthapuram Then inone their projects. of the Claretians, with initially,was different.Ernakulam, In I was years inPeru where the nature involvement of 5 of for but puram aperiod and Ernakulam inThiruvanantha- mostly My work been has Beyond into the into the
Pax 1(5)/202127-29 Lumina
27 Pax Lumina 1(5)/2021 28
Pax Lumina 1(5)/2021 drugs are relativelydrugs more Kochi. inFort centres diagnostic using hospitals, etc.Those the latteretc., includes references from Workers, Workers, Male Sex Drivers Truck the first includes Sex While Female Clients. and Provider-InitiatedInitiated Clients Thereof are twotypes references: Client- three are positive. HIV receive inamonth, more not two than or 700to of 800reference Out etc. we cases Transmitted Tuberculosis, Sexually Diseases, problems of all kinds with with associated deal wetowards also cases, positive HIV are aimed activities our mostly Though very few.very pleasure arethis work seeking relatively However,crisis. financial into who get those could it due to be Or asudden addict. drug husbands may sick or be analcoholic or end inthiscategory. up their Sometimes, difficulties financial are thewith who ones Later cooperate. will ,they Usually, persons arevictims reluctant abit to open up. them, initially, dealingwith While these in sex work? 2. How end up dopeople
women from their unfortunate situations rehabilitation is meant to rescue these badly affected. be will explanation that The that theirincome and livelihood alleging the ditches of out are by them often blocked are who women to teenage intheir get helped vested with interests.organisations Young from opposition umbrella other with meets counselling often through Rehabilitation are hired for the convenience workers. sex of are where in the city localities apartments maythey c relationship saleswomen these and with who are alone at home left may into get items. The husbands utility or other textiles women times, workAt to door selling door in the legal process.in the legal role which play asupportive Ernakulam, organisationssome suchas the issue.of However,order part there are into doget not the ourslaw usually of and most the of religious organ organisationstheir by the day. However, workers and would rescued be by night by the PoliceOften, would counter sex these foremost for organisations. these load to isseem fall on Client deaf ears. work going? 3. How istherehabilitation ontinue seeking pleasure. Thereontinue seeking isations like that Swantham in outcome. the programmes rather the qualitative than often more of the quantity bothered about granted are up. They inthe set government a hindrance. often, thingsare taken for As interestbecomes the officers of concerned discard their old ways. often, alack of But foran opening whowould those like to ControlAIDS Programme) many has existence NACP isquite obvious. (National its Nevertheless, prostitution/sex work. Legally, approve not does the Government business. encourage to them mainly maintain their umbrella vested with interest not will the organisational But to them help etc. out. tailoring, programmes like soap-making, Theof training Government conducts a lot are positive. HIV condomsmeasures use they as and seldom that them are mostof safety careful about elsewhere out it too. isto noted seek be It and may they try to the pleasure sex, of background.their once Second, exposed all, the families may accept not them, given them for First of assigning domestic work. to riskin payThere their debts. off isalso are they From able not thiswork, task. easy an isnot people these Rehabilitation of to distribute it, but resolved but to provide it, to distribute it. condomdistribute personally. Ipromised not inthe leadership,by Church some to not the affected men and women, I was advised my work Ibegan among When and without. There fromboth have within criticisms been criticism inyour mission? criticism 6. Have you ever any faced their welfare? organize any programmes for 5. Does thegovernment rehabilitation? 4. Are there of successful cases
explicitly seek sexual satisfaction. sexual seek explicitly to today’s the olden times, women too family problems including divorce. Compared and cheating leading to several hypocrisy of inallkinds a complex situation, ushering mushrooming thismenace. is of it Infact, there isa round works which the clock, field isahardIt reality that inthe IT safety measures and protect themselves. the fact take adequatewith that the rich in starhotels. Icountered criticisms these thingshappening these of there was no dearth was pointed that out isrampant. It malaise reluctance to go where to the rich, too such were myQuestions raised about also Binoy Jacob PaulBinoy SJ&Devassy SJ) by (Interview Paxthis with Lumina. sharing of forthankful thisopportunity from my for Congregation and the support Iamgrateful consider thismission God-given. my about I amhappy involvement and I Such injustice iswidespread. Rs1000/-topass on just the actual worker. would, say for collect Rs3000/-but example, workbut touts as who and middle persons, women who are no more active workers among workers. the sex There are elderly the moreAll heart-rending is the exploitation sex. premarital clear indication Thisisa of abortion. seek who who are those and also positive HIV college of a lot students and teenagers involved I have work. in sex come across Males) and Transgenderswith who are the MSMs(Male of Sex the identity with concern Another isthe problems associated concern at present? are theareas of 7. What mission? thischallenging undertaking 8. How doyou feel after
29 Pax Lumina 1(5)/2021 National Affairs
Justice will not be served until those who are unaffected are as outraged as those who are.
Pax Lumina 1(5)/2021 Pax - Benjamin Franklin 30 Feature Pax Lumina 1(5) / 2021 / 31-37 Farmers’ Protest ost farmers demand the withdrawal of these new legislations. MThey believe that these bills will privatise the agricultural system and make them vulnerable to corporate exploitation. And this is being regarded as an attack not only on the peasantry but also on all the working class.
he country has been in turmoil auction known as the 'mandi system,' which for the past few weeks because provides a Minimum Support Price (MSP). the farmers are agitated over However, most farmers are demanding the three farm laws, namely the the withdrawal of these new legislations. TFarmers (Empowerment & Protection) They believe that these bills will privatise Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm the agricultural system and make them Services Bill, the Essential Commodities vulnerable to corporate exploitation. And Act (Amendment) Bill, and the Farmers’ this is being regarded as an attack not Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion only on the peasantry but also on all the and Facilitation) Bill. working class.
Farmers from North India, spearheaded by The protests are a crucial test of Modi's those from Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, ability to reform India's vast agricultural and Rajasthan, have braved tear gas and sector, accounting for nearly 15 per cent water cannons in the cold. Millions of them of the country's $2.9 trillion economy and are on the streets and the national capital employing about half of its 1.3 billion people. of New Delhi is under siege. Farmers’ Concerns Under these new laws, as Prime Minister Modi argues, the agricultural system will North Indian farmers supply 95 per cent be streamlined and farmers will have more of their surplus rice and wheat production freedom to sell their goods at any price to the Regulated Market Yards known as directly to private businesses, rather than Agricultural Produce Marketing Committees having to sell their products through an (APMC) as compared to the national average Lumina 1(5)/2021 Pax 31 of 10 per cent. Annually, Punjab and Haryana unemployment and debt among the farmers. farmers receive about $10.9 billion in MSPs The new laws disproportionately affect and see it as a critical means of finance for small landholders who lack the resources small-scale farmers (85 per cent of farmers to recover from losses, lack the influence nationwide hold less than one hectare of to negotiate on their behalf, and have the land). Traditionally, the MSP has been a key fear of losing their land to private firms. revenue for local and State governments, as well as for intermediaries operating in The farmers’ protests have put the government the APMC. in a quandary because farmers and soldiers are iconic figures in India; agriculture Protesters are concerned that legislation being the main occupation of Indians since will allow the private sector to buy products prehistoric times. The country also owes a below MSP, tie farmers to unfair contracts, debt of gratitude to the farmers who, after and allow companies to store commodities the Green Revolution, made the country that will create large monopolies. Besides, self-sufficient in food, cultivated enough the Punjab and Rajasthan governments, both foodgrains to feed the ever-growing Indian led by the opposition Congress Party, have population and generated a big stockpile. each passed counter-legislation intended at maintaining the MSP and limiting any trade Presently, Food Corporation of India godowns outside government markets. But, the Modi are holding 2.7 times our annual requirement. administration has given assurances that This is not a one-off phenomenon; as on 1 the government will not remove the MSP. April 2020, foodgrain stocks stood at 73.85 million tonnes which is three-and-a-half Since the big agribusiness and private/ times the reserve requirement of 21.04 corporate buyers have a monopoly in million tonnes. private markets, they decide the terms and conditions of purchase from the farmers. It is also true that the present situation The small and marginal peasants, who needs to be changed, to improve the lack the power to bargain or negotiate and economic conditions of the agricultural compete in private markets, fear that the sector and the farmers, and this requires new laws will lead to the dismantling of systematic changes along with legislation. the MSP and the APMC, which will further This need has arisen because the present lower the price of the produce. This will situation cannot solve the problems of inhibit the freedom of farmers: they will the farmers. The disparity in income and become more dependent on corporations economic status between farmers and and private farms. non-agricultural workers is increasing. It is clear that farmers' incomes need to be Large corporations can dominate the market increased, and this is not possible based on by driving down prices and diminishing the income from crops. The likely solution any advantage farmers had at setting their is to reduce the cost of producing crops so Pax Lumina 1(5)/2021 Pax prices. This will add to India’s growing that the profits can be increased. 32 D expense of our earth, and the farmers. earth, our of expense that lawsrates these These new are rise. will at the conditions worsen, thereAs implications are alarming rates suicide high already inrecent years. experiencing were farmers at toFurthermore, profits. maximise and tend to only look will that the land corporations and generational how to about cultivate knowledge cultural,hold These farmers lands. rural of destruction corporate control lead will over to farms the ecological Additionally, tosusceptible violence assault. and sexual and ifunemployed, women work, be can agricultural economic independence seek women from inPunjab According to eco-feminist Vandana many Shiva, and others. parties teachers, political some across students, trade as such sectors activists, unions, even across base and urbanclasses, rural support its successful been inbuilding has It farmers. and large marginal including medium, small, across ideologies, and collectiveconcerted organisations farmers' action of Views Various Farmers’ ProtestFarmers’ strength and solidarity of the farmers. It is a It the farmers. of and solidarity strength by the organisational were surprised Observers ay by day, the movement bigger. isgetting
33 Pax Lumina 1(5)/2021 34
Pax Lumina 1(5)/2021 E on what is, underon what the aState Constitution, is, by the Centre legislation of bits sweeping are are calling unconstitutional). These (which many, minds, legal including serious cent80-90 per suchflawed of documents lawsthese to are. pointless amend seems It flawed isacceptingthem, it how seriously the have farmers criticism levelled against amendments to of the 14or 15points 12of saysthe government to iswilling it make was barelythe APMC four "When pages. of to The operative resolve thepart crisis. to death" by any panel a"party formed be repeal the laws of and he would want not to - P. Sainath laws unconstitutional Withdraw the farmers were right in demanding the indemanding the werethe farmers right P.minent journalist, believes Sainath
showing that it is some sort of hideous of thatshowing sort is some it is He the APMC that posits one said Bill for themselvesof on the floor Parliament." have sufferedspeak also most crisis the who those Let system public hearings. of Democracies some of in the legislatures -a practice Parliament inour that iscommon should inaugurate India that a happens, If have session. for calling been also aspecial greater now ever than before. The farmers issues,” “The Sainath. said need for thisis and related crisis theto agrarian discuss Parliament of session a special “We need berserk. and run beyond the agrarian goneFrom has 2018, thehe crisis said, laws? No, you withdraw them," he said. you Can amend unconstitutional subject. the price of their produce of the price anyway.” produce.farm control do not Most farmers to break the hold private of profiteers over you have indebtedness, able farm been not you havebecause to able break been not accessfarmers MSP, how many them can, of that… you know, how many check just and youin the APMC say Iwant to break transactions if98% of So, were place taking monopolies. the reality Non-State expanding of thislaw,with isthat we are exponentially we are doing Sainath continued: “What the APMC.” realised even the MSP that is possible at arethey anyway releasing there; haven’t they big creditors, with so commission agents, ‘pre-contracts’,got contracts unwritten with have gateat they the farm because already from park theirproduce to region, region –the vastmost farmers majority, varies it always outside the gates been APMC; of have and agriculture marketable surplus the transactions of the bulk ofbecause stupid, simply isso controlling everything, “Now, Sainath. said is the idea the APMC contracts. makes it that So, voluntary,” nowhere but agreements mandates written contracts, written inwhich the bill isabout enslaved farmer. “You have one another on monopoly from which you are liberating the H discussions, let them suspend it, and convene and convene it, them suspend let discussions, application its forsuspend now pending feel can they (government) technically they are the laws insisting withdrawn. be If assurances give to The thefarmers farmers. should Congress "The government MPsaid, what asked is the way forward, the When by the third November." of week shouldsession have taken place normally consulting the stakeholders?winter The pass the lawsthey in such haste without did Why failed the nation and the farmers. Tharoorhas said, "The government Shashi Tharoor- Shashi through yourbulldoze way you cannot In ademocracy, and the rights of the people." of and the rights your way We through. stand for democracy that inademocracy, you bulldoze cannot Thethe should unions. government realise to withdraw the laws; talkto also can they Parliament. The thehas authority Parliament farmers' protest,farmers' Congress leader at out itting the Centre over the
M - MedhaPatkar framework into thelegal to MSP bring notdoes want The government into framework.” the legal doesn’t the MSP wantgovernment to bring share taken into be should account the but everybody’s calculation, Inour and Adanis. cultivator) are the big as as Ambanis not the movement (owner- They takes shape. the alliance. of Thisis how much part very the ministers are with they but the meeting be present not during might “They she said. to groups,” talking some about reservations government had succeed. not will “The Pakistan, they but and Khalistan China, to by invoking divide areshe said, trying of media, section and The a government labourers.”of would affect the employmentagriculture production,but too. Theof mechanisation laws only affect not new will procurement to move from food to crops. cash the So, be will They forced their due prices. get not to stock and hoard will mean farmers will The agents. freedom corporates official as laws introducenew will big of the agents andsystem the but balances, checks its has The corporates. to present of the agents landlords,” give laws “The concessions she said. create will new “These agriculture’. of the three Acts was the ‘corporatisation was the ‘corporatisation the three Acts Patkaredha the said paradigm behind
35 Pax Lumina 1(5)/2021 90 per cent of the farmers sell their produce to private buyers - Ashok Gulati We should listen rofessor Ashok Gulati, a well-known to the farmers Pagricultural economist, pointed out that there has been a communication gap - Subramanian Swamy between the government and the farmers. “It’s unfortunate there is so much opposition n view of the ongoing struggle of farmers, to these laws. My take on this is they have IBJP MP, Subramanian Swamy said, "I am not been communicated properly to the in favour of reforms, but this bill was passed farmers,” he said. On the question that the in great haste, without consulting anyone. small farmer might get exploited by private MSP is a vital thing. When you frame the buyers under the new laws, Professor Gulati rules, include it. We should listen to the claimed that more than 90 per cent of the farmers. The government should take a farmers sell their produce to private buyers. soft position and not make it a prestige “Only six per cent have gained from the issue like they are now doing." MSP even though it has existed since 1965,” he said, quoting the Shanta Kumar panel Dr. Swamy said the farmers need to be report and the 70th situation assessment empowered and given the freedom to choose survey of the National Sample Survey Office. their buyers. He added that legislation would result in favourable outcomes, but the Prof. Gulati said that MSP was just an rules should take into account the specific indicative price and not a legal one. And concerns of the States. The reforms in the it has been so since it was introduced. He agricultural sector were the need of the explained that under the MSP system, hour and farmers will realise its benefits only the government is mandated to buy in the next few years, but he stressed that, at the MSP whatever quantity it purchases. farmers being the major stakeholders, they Private buyers could not be forced to buy should be consulted and their concerns Pax Lumina 1(5)/2021 Pax at that price. about MSP alleviated. 36 “T the efforts by the Indian ruling classes to classes ruling by the Indian the efforts brought out sharply has the peasantry of Yechuri the ongoingstruggle said historic thisprocess.” of are apart rights labour of accompanied abrogation by sector private to the andwealth services like public mines, public sector, the handing over all of public the of privatisation the large-scale assets, leader, Sitaram Yechuri. national of “The loot for profits,” maximisationof said CPI (M) havereforms, efforts its consolidating been - Sitaram Yechuri profits maximisation of The aimisthe Senior Subeditor,Senior Ezhuthu Magazine) (Prepared by for profits. the maximisation of acquire corporate control over agriculture in India, using neo-liberal using economic in India, classes ruling he bourgeois-landlord Manu Achuthath,
37 Pax Lumina 1(5)/2021 Joe A Scaria [email protected] Pax Lumina 1(5) / 2021 / 38-41
WE ARE GRAPPLING WITH A FOOD MOUNTAIN
ne of the biggest misconceptions across a large section of our society, Oand even among a number of our graduates is that India is severely short of food production. Nothing can be farther from the truth. After the Green Revolution and the White Revolution, India has a food surplus. School and college textbooks may not have changed much from the 1960s. In those days, when we spoke about a food crisis, it always meant a food deficit crisis. Today, when we speak about a food crisis, it means a food surplus crisis, and very many are still not aware of the change on the ground. Pax Lumina 1(5)/2021 Pax 38 agriexports while in most other global rankings, from the per capita GDP to the happiness index, on which we are ranked among the last 10 in the world, India comes towards the bottom. In contrast, our farmers are right on top. Our agri exports recent RBI report have grown from a mere $4 billion in the A said India has now early 2000s to $39 billion. reached a stage where In 1943, India experienced the Bengal surplus foodgrain famine, which killed two million people management has and here we are in 2021 grappling with a become a major food mountain. So much so that even the Reserve Bank of India has said salaam to challenge. So, if India's the Indian farmers. A recent RBI report farmers are such said India has now reached a stage where world champions, how surplus foodgrain management has become does one reconcile a major challenge. So if India's farmers are such world champions, how does one that with all that farm reconcile that with all that farm distress distress and suicides? and suicides?
There are two reasons. First, India's farm sector is easily the most overstaffed in the world. And by extension, having the lowest productivity. Around 60% of Indians depend on agriculture for a livelihood. That is 780 India is one of the world's largest producers million people or one-tenth of the world of milk, sugarcane, pulses, cereals, vegetables, population. For comparison, the United fruits, fish, livestock, poultry and much States had about 60% in agriculture at the more. If anybody has taken the ‘Make in end of the 19th century. In the 100 years India’ campaign to heart, it is the farmers, of the 20th century, they could get most even before the slogan was coined. of them out of farming, moving them into industry and services. So, the US now has Our godowns are full and overflowing. only 2% of its population in agriculture. We don't know what to do with our milk, rice, sugarcane or wheat and many other India in 2021 is where the US was 121 commodities. From as far back as the 1990s, years ago. We still have 60% of our people India has been a net food exporter. And in agriculture, and they contribute 15% this year, that food mountain has assumed to the GDP. No major modern nation can Himalayan proportions, with a record of have either 60% of people working on the 297 million tonnes of foodgrain. Add to farms or agriculture contributing as much that the horticulture output of 320 million as 15% to the GDP. For comparison, China tonnes, plus milk, fish, poultry, and livestock. has 7% of its GDP coming from agriculture If export performance is a barometer for and given China's $14 trillion economy, judging international competence, our that adds up to about half of India's GDP. farmers are right up there. Second, the issue of post-independence In the list of the world's leading agriexporters, governments wanting to always keep food
India is ranked eighth. It is a leader in prices as low as possible. Food security has Lumina 1(5)/2021 Pax 39 lso, note that the Agovernment is vague even when it says it is freeing farmers from the control regime. The very day after the been the watchword for successive Soviet- bills were passed, the thinking, socialist-minded governments for decades. So the farmers of India have Prime Minister said the been reduced to labouring on the fields to mandis (markets) would produce cheap food for Indians, meaning stay and the MSP or the urban residents. the minimum support So whenever potato or onion prices rise, price regime would also the government intervenes and brings remain. Even more down the prices and India loses out every shocking is India's time. But when prices fall, there is no such intervention and farmers are forced to refusal to let its throw their onions and tomatoes on the farmers use the latest roads and pour the milk in the gutters. technology or seeds. So when onion prices shot up recently, the same Indian government that says it's going to free farmers from the control regime immediately imposed an export ban on onions because it has to keep urban give permission? The Genetic Engineering Indians happy. And so the farmers lost Appraisal Committee (GEAC), which was out on an export opportunity and getting formed in 2009. The GEAC met some 35 good prices. times between 2011 and 2021 but has yet not decided whether to permit growing of The government is vague even when it says Bt brinjal or Bt mustard. it is freeing farmers from the control regime. The very day after the bills were passed, the There is a civil disobedience movement Prime Minister said the mandis (markets) going on in Maharashtra over the past three would stay and the MSP or the minimum years, with farmers openly defying the law support price regime would also remain. by planting HT GM cotton or herbicide- Even more shocking is India's refusal to tolerant, genetically modified cotton and let its farmers use the latest technology Bt brinjal. The farmers say the regulator is or seeds. sitting on the clearance of these varieties, but they can't wait. The farmers say India allows Our leaders are all the time talking about high-tech in military, in space research, in going hi-tech, but see what's happening industry, but not in agriculture. In Kerala, on the ground. A few years ago, a marginal a group of farmers are going from pillar to farmer in Haryana planted Bt Brinjal in his post pleading with the communists and the plot. His entire crop was uprooted because Congress begging them to let them plant he didn't have the permission to plant some fruit trees on their plantations. And
Pax Lumina 1(5)/2021 Pax that particular variety. And who has to this in the 21st century! 40 Make no mistake, India's agricultural sector And the other question is whether they is the biggest victim of the License Permit will fall an easy prey to corporates. When Raj system. Every step of its operation, India's farmers have burned in a regulatory from land to seed to fertiliser to pesticide government hell for decades, what does it to cropping to transporting to processing matter if they walk into a private hell for to pricing to exports, is regulated. Indian a change? It can't be worse than what they farmers are enslaved by the need to create endured over the past seven decades and cheap food for their better nourished urban more. But urban India, which cries hoarse counterparts. They are stabbed by India's every time potato and onion prices rise, and socialistic attitude, and they are robbed of share social media posts, urging each other a future for decades together. to boycott these commodities to teach the farmers a lesson and bring down the price 1991 is seen as the year that India's industry of these commodities, have no business to escaped regulatory clutches to a large extent. shed tears for the farmers. The monsoon The farm bills of 2020 are seen as providing rains would be sufficient for the farmers. such an escape for India's farmers. And as They don't need crocodile tears. farmers escape the regulatory clutches, many are asking the question, won't they (Author: Former Senior Assistant Editor, be trapped by corporates and hoarders? The Economic Times) Are you joking? The Government of India has been the biggest hoarder of foodgrain for decades, perhaps in the whole world. Lumina 1(5)/2021 Pax 41 Dr. Vandana Shiva Pax Lumina 1(5) / 2021 / 42-43
AGROECOLOGY
eople across the world are living including burning the Amazon, the heart, through 30 years of a build-up of a lung and the liver of this planet. health emergency, where they are fed with toxic and nutritionally- The need for a new model: Pempty food just because super-profits. Agroecology For three decades, we defined food to be The pandemic has grown because forests just a commodity. And it created chronic were invaded for an agribusiness model that disease and hunger. In the United States, does not care for the world. New diseases there are food deserts - because this is an are coming up, including the coronavirus. extractive economy that takes and takes Three hundred new diseases have come without ever giving back in gratitude, and from the forests including the Ebola, SARS, based on needs and rights. Corona, and many others. The Wuhan virus is the result of invading other species. The Food is the currency of life. If we look at it hunger for profit is creating diseases. The spiritually, everything is a sacrament - from COVID lockdown is an economic emergency. the smallest of microbes to the planet as a The International Labour Organisation has whole, there is a seeking of participation stated that billions will lose their livelihood. in the integrity of creation. Climate change is linked to agribusiness and a commodity-driven system. But food has been turned into a commodity and people are getting sick. Instead of life Industrial agriculture is creating havoc. flowing through the system we have poison The magic word that is used in industrial flowing through it. agriculture is ‘yield per acre’, to feed the people. It does not measure how much we A greed-driven and unscientific food system use on our farm, and it doesn’t measure has given us hunger, and it has given us the fertility of land where we grow food. other problems, including the pandemic. Because it is such a hungry system, hungry The result is we have lost 75% or more - for profit, and is guided by mismeasures like of the fertile soils. We never used to see yield, producing more and more Genetically cyclones of the velocity and devastation
Pax Lumina 1(5)/2021 Pax Modified Organisms (GMO) soya everywhere, that we see today. 42 cycle of water. of cycle Food and water make life. food, of and the which isthe cycle nutrition of the cycle two cycles: systems recognise and creation. ecological The integrity of the laws the lawsworking with the earth, of the land, isworkingwith It agroecology? is isagroecology. alternative What The what isthe alternative? So world views. Pope Francis two these talked about has nature. thereBut conquest thisidea of isalso over common care home with and responsibility. inliving clearlythis about Francis) very talks Si’ ‘Laudato the land. have enriching China farmed, andFor India of peasants 40,000 years, have destroying without Australia. farmed For 60,000years, the Australian aboriginals in California, USA on November USA 19, 2020) in California, the University and Clara Initiative on Environmental Santa of the and Justice Common Good the by Jesuit organised Conference incollaborationCrisis’, Network with South Asia Ecojesuit of Collaborations and the to Present Address Economic–Ecological Responses System Change: Naturaland for Policy, Resource Food the at webinar on ‘Agroecology was speaking She India. ( Dr. Shiva is Founder is Navdanya, of the and Foundation Research for Science, Technology, (the second Encyclical of Pope of (the second Encyclical say ‘give us this day our daily bread’ say thisday daily our us ‘give to species to creation, andevery allowing you thank saying you thank to the earth, We of back, economies build can giving of we circular build can economies. Alternatively F spiritually, is everything smallest ofmicrobesto a sacrament-fromthe the planetasawhole, there isaseekingof integrity ofcreation. participation inthe ood isthecurrency of life. Ifwelook atit 43 Pax Lumina 1(5)/2021 International Affairs
Ethics and equity and the principles of justice do not Violence in change with the calendar.
Pax Lumina 1(5)/2021 Pax Afghanistan -D.H. Lawrence 44 24 Buddha are carved into thecliffs sides of areBuddha carved for and statues, many Buddha statues of Bamyancentral iswell-known Afghanistan. in in, the Hazarajat, mountainous of region group residing ethnic native to, and primarily place. The Hazaras are a Persian-speaking 36 injured. Bamyan isaHazara-dominated occurred took away 29 precious lives leaving the sameyear, Bamyan always enjoyed a Sinceexplosives. the fall Taliban of in statues three in2000with truck-load of The hadTalibans destroyed a Buddha few facing Bamyan city. [email protected] Linto Kanichai in the Aftermath Bamyan The double bomb blast that that bombThe blast double Bamyanof inAfganistan. a nightmare for the people November indeed, 2020was, B omb Blast in Kabul, Herat, Bamyan, and Daikundi.in Kabul, education intheof field primarily serving is and families JRS too. In Afghanistan, animators, (JRS) their students Service was adreadfulIt day for the Jesuit Refugees plenty.a wherein aland the are statues Buddha of day.same acontrast, all happened it What Provinces on the 34inAfganistan of out took blasts place bomb of in23a series Despite thethe release prison. Talibans, of werethey released. Now, no Taliban isin demand to release 500more Talibans and COVID.the contextof Later, there was a 4500 Talibans were released from in jail there shattered the serene atmosphere. ambience.peaceful the recent But blasts of Pax 1(5)/202145-46 Lumina
45 Pax Lumina 1(5)/2021 It is engaged in teaching at universities, conducting English language training for school teachers and less-privileged youth; providing online education especially for girls and children; and in supporting the sustainable development of refugee communities. in a state of numbness. This catharsis was Usually, JRS English classes get over at 4 a healing process. We created a space for pm and the students pass by the bazaar by the students to ventilate their history of 04.30 pm. The blast occurred at 4.30 pm wounded memories. sharp left all of us panicked. We, the JRS educators, were informed that all the children Later, when the students interacted in are safe. But, we got disturbed hearing the smaller groups, they could open up their casualties tolled 19. Each JRS educator had hearts out. Batool, a JRS student recollected only this prayer: "Let my student may not her lost friend. "We had planned to apply be among the 19." for a scholarship and go to India. She wanted to be a teacher. Now, the hands that Meanwhile, photos started getting circulated strengthened me and painted colours to my in the social media. Crumbs of flesh scattered dreams are no more,". We assisted them on wayside and limbs cut off from bodies to be composed. Both the animators and generated a nauseating feel. The dead body educators struggled to hold back their grave of a seven-year-old child still finds difficult emotions. Though time is the best healer, to be faded out of memory. Tears couldn't be the scar of wounded memories still clips held back when we came to know it was the thoughts to flow free and to dream big. brother of one of our students. "He wanted to become a doctor and he had recited the JRS has been giving a priority to girls and English alphabet rhyme to me yesterday," children in its ministry. There are umpteen said Fatima, a JRS student, trying to control number of cases of verbal abuse, sexual abuse her emotions. and gender discrimination in Afganistan. Social constructs do not allow girls to share The JRS is running four Educational Centers their constraints and problems even to their in Afganistan with approximately 4500 parents and friends. Many girls suppress students including 2300 in Bamyan. On their bitter and painful experiences to their the following day, many students reached parents, lest they will be stopped from going the JRS Educational Center as usual. But to school and university. The setting up of we noticed sheer lifelessness in their eyes a grievance redressal mechanism, psycho- out of anxiety and fear. All the educators social support and professional training convened an urgent meeting under the and guidance to educators, etc. are the guidance of JRS animators. The students were current concerns. grouped into two and were accommodated in separate rooms. Soft instrumental music At present, the National Defence Security, was looming inside. Police Department and the Department of Education in Afghanistan have asked The students were provided with a sheet of us to slow down our activities because of paper. The animators helped the students the prevailing threats against Educational to roll back their memories and relive the Agencies including JRS. unpleasant event that had occurred on the previous day. We could see the emotional (Linto Kanichai SJ is serving outburst in each, with some weeping, as a JRS educator in Bamyan) Pax Lumina 1(5)/2021 Pax others taking a deep sigh, and some others 46 MESSAGE OF PEACE Carlos E. Vasco VALEDICTORY LECTURE: [email protected] XLRI-LIPI Peace Studies 2020 Pax Lumina 1(5) / 2021 / 47-51
We are all Children of the Universe
y message today is about a Mcommitment to a new and old kind of duty, and a new and old kind of commandment: the commandment of personal and universal care to all and for all.
his is exactly what we have always needed, and now we have a new opportunity to try again in this time of Pope Francis when the deep Tmeaning of Kath'holicity is rediscovered as the Universality of a simple but powerful message: the Good News coming from a small group of friends and apprentices of our Galilean master, ‘to be preached to all nations’. Lumina 1(5)/2021 Pax 47 ‘Kath’holic’ means for all men and women, for all nations. It is the new meaning of Ecology or Oiko-logy, with the root *oikos e defend the rights of house, home, ecology and ecosystem. It is the message restarted again by Pope W of animals, but Francis in his letter ‘Laudato Si’, the first not of people. If a tiger one in centuries that starts not in Latin escapes from its cage but with a poem of Francis of Assisi in old Italian, and in the new letter ‘Fratelli Tutti’”, in a zoo or a circus, we not in Latin but in old and new Italian: we shoot it with hypnotic are all brothers and sisters. darts, but if a prisoner My message to you, as you start your peace escapes from prison, project, your new embassy of peace, in your we shoot him with live place of birth, or of work, or exile, is about ammunition. hope, warmth, hope and encouragement for the near future: “This new force field, this new Kingdom, this new Home, is now Why? at hand again, here and now.”
Let us start here and now another effort to make a cosmos out of this chaos, an Oikos out of this cave, a family out of this horde, caring for each other as brothers and sisters, the Indo-European languages spoken in children of the same Mother Nature and Ethiopia, Madagascar, Malabar, Goa, Kochi, the same Father Universe, who, for some or Madras (which could be a Portuguese ancient peoples, are dimly represented by abbreviation of ‘o porto de Madre-de-Deus’, the Sun and the Moon, or by the Day and the Port of the Mother-of-God, now Chennai the Night, or by any of the many pairs of in Tamil Nadu, at the other side of Kochi God-Goddess or Great-Ancestor couples in and Kerala). the traditional lore of each nation, ethnic group, country or land. The Kath’holic vision of Paul of Tarsus convinced even the Stone-Headed Simon By the way, Nation is a word that, in Latin, to abandon his restrictive view that the comes from Natus, Native, Natura. We are message was addressed only to the twelve all children of Nature, the Universal Mother, tribes of Israel. and of Cosmos, the World, the Universe: they are the universal Proto-Parents of us Now, for me, the main hermeneutic source all: ‘Deus sive Natura’, as the philosopher to spread this message is the Ancient Aryan Baruch Spinoza’s pregnant pronouncement language and its successors, widespread reads. in Central Asia even before Sanskrit was written, the base of the Thousand Languages The Paleo-Aramaic language family, with of the Indo-European family of East and Hebrew and Arabic as brother or sister West, including Latin and Greek as brother languages was where this message started or sister languages, along with all the Latin about 2000 years ago, not yet explicitly Languages, and even German, Dutch and intending to be understandable by all English, in which I am now speaking. This nations. It was initially addressed only to message, spreading out in Greek and then the twelve tribes of Israel, but, then, sixty in Latin from a small European peninsula years later, it was translated into Greek and of Mother Asia more than 2000 years ago,
Pax Lumina 1(5)/2021 Pax then into Latin, and perhaps to several of is now spread out to the whole world. 48 those apes in the Kishkindha Kanda of the Ramayana.
The Good News is that there is hope that we can end these stupid monkey wars, that we continue, stop and restart as if we had not evolved yet, without having to wait 426,000 more years for the end of the Kali Yuga.
Look at the recurrent pattern: we animalize our adversaries, calling them apes, beasts and brutes, and then we feel free to kill them. Label them infidels, now terrorists, and they become the beastly enemies we not I often think of Ignatius of Loyola in Paris only may kill but must kill. Again and again, and Rome, sending Francis Xavier to Goa, after two thousand years? Yes, sadly so. Sri Lanka, Indonesia, the Philippines and Japan to preach this message. I am sure But why do we preserve the lives of the that Pope Francis adopted his new name temple monkeys and abstain from eating because of Francis of Assisi, but perhaps meat not to kill the sacred cows, but we do also from Francis Xavier, and why not, from not care to preserve the life of our fellow Francis Borgia. humans?
You are now in the same Southern India We defend the rights of animals, but not of where Francis Xavier landed, at the epicentre people. If a tiger escapes from its cage in a of this Earth-shaking movement, then only zoo or a circus, we shoot it with hypnotic a tremor, now again trembling deeper and darts, but if a prisoner escapes from prison, wider. we shoot him with live ammunition. Why? Haven’t we evolved yet? So it appears, When the Jesuits came to India, sailing sadly no. from Madagascar to the Malabar islands and getting to Goa, they found out that the In every great spiritual tradition, philosophical Malabar Katholic communities or ‘churches’ or theological, explicitly religious or not, had been established there 15 centuries we now have very good resonance for this earlier, and they knew the message very 2000-year-old profound message to preach well. to all nations, in the sense that it overflows any restriction to Christian Ecumenical inter- These 16th-century missionaries arriving church dialogues and even any restriction to in Goa from Rome were astounded that the inter-faith and inter-religious dialogues. It traditional Hindu and Buddhist wisdom is universal, inter-ethnic and intercultural, they found in India far surpassed what they in whatever language you translate it. had imagined. They realised that they had Preaching, the Kerygma is now the effort little or nothing to add to the millions of to translate this simple peace message and shlokas of Vedic writings, except for that this simple peace commandment into all one strange utopian message pointing to a languages, here and now. blind spot in Indian and Buddhist wisdom: that we were all brothers and sisters of the The Kosmos, the Oikumene, the Universal same universal Father God and Mother home, where brotherhood and sisterhood Nature, implying that we should be caring of all men and women of our species occur, for each other as for ourselves and should is much wider than any territorial, national not be warring endlessly among us, like or cultural enclave. It concerns everything, Lumina 1(5)/2021 Pax 49 every place, every time: Kath'holon, for the whole world, and Kath'olic, for all nations, cultures and spiritualities. This one simple message and this one simple he worries of the commandment are compatible with every T peacemakers increase legislation. every religion, every philosophy, with the current situation in every spirituality. Turkey under Erdogan, in You still have around you, there in India Hungary under Orban, in the very near you, the same wars of the Tamil Philippines under Duterte, Tigers against everybody else around them, even though some scholars think that in and on and on, distant proto-South-Dravidian times, the and you in India feel again ‘tri-lingual’ mixture might be indicating the pain of the continuing that Telugu also included Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam as they developed later into border skirmishes between separate languages and states. Kashmir and Pakistan and the mounting troubles with The boundaries of Bangladesh and Pakistan seem to be very far away from Kochi, but the displacement of ethnic the tensions between the Vedas and the minorities in Bangladesh, Quran flare once and again in the East and Myanmar and Thailand. the West, and the internal tensions between those two Islamic brothers, Sunnites and Shiites, are even worse, and many other tensions surface again and again between both of them and different Indian religious traditions. very aggressively, where many Protestant But that is nothing proper of Asia or India; it churches side with the traditional right-wing has lasted at least 10,000 years. Let us look parties and think that Catholic liberation back in history and all around our globe: theology is a Communist threat, while many right-wing Catholics are just as vehement There has been a 1000-year rift between and aggressive against those left-wing the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Catholics as they are against Protestants. Western Roman Catholic Church in Europe. It still lasts, and it is very difficult to keep As I just mentioned, we are witnessing the dialogue going, even sharing the same now all over the world, from Spain, France scriptures. and England to the Far East of Asia, and in the Twin Towers even in America, the After Luther’s call for Reformation, there 1200 year-long implausible and incredible was a 100-year war between Reformed confrontation between the Sunnites and the Lutheran churches and not-yet-reformed Shiites, and of both against everybody else, Roman Churches, apparently based only even though both share the same book of in the decision either to adhere strictly to the Quran, adhering either to the letter only, the letter of the scriptures as they stand, solascriptura or to the letter as interpreted solascriptura, or as interpreted by the by the Ayatollah’s oral tradition. Where is Roman oral tradition. the Arab Brotherhood gone?
This rift repeats now again and again in There is a dim hope that the recent so-
Pax Lumina 1(5)/2021 Pax many Latin-American countries, often called ‘Brotherhood Pact’ between Israel 50 Trump and the Republican Senators and the Republican and Trump and slanderfrom abuse Presidentinsults, promisedhas to not take revenge for the Catholic like John F. 60years ago, Kennedy a also Josephthe President-Elect, Biden, history. 200-year-long same Fortunately, and Constitution the the same schooling, the same sharethey thelanguage, same 70 million on each people side, though and Democrats, overRepublicans with problem inthe United States between incredible, transition almostunthinkable Here in Ameri inperil. again are strife, inter-Christian centuries-old with charged also Orange Party inBelfast, Fein Sinn between the peace and talks the from the EuroZone, England of the rift we go back toIf Europe, now wewith see yearsthousand ago. Israelites and Ishmaelites, broken three up the Abrahamiticof between Brotherhood futureof a first opening reconstruction that we thisisthe acknowledge must Still, their leaders. of the and times the egos according to conveniences the political of broken be and will it easily up the Shiites, alow blow isobviously to it but era, a new the Arab of and some Emirates start might Prize Winner Santos and the 60-year-old Winner Prize Nobel- the Liberal of government between Peace Colombian The Talks inHavana foras hisfollowers. HeGovernors. promises to care for them ca, we are the witnessing ca, Evo Morales ayear ago. entrepreneurs against the putsch that staged tonot take revenge and on the politicians promised has wisdom, Inca and Quechua Vice-President, The to new oldappealing and feelafter election the last hope. some at look situation the also inBolivia can new under and Bolsonaro feel despair, we but We could at look the situation inBrazil going back to square zero, or even worse. President of We Trump. support to be seem the with and old Presidents Colombia, of and the new government by the rightist are then-Presidentof now at risk Obama, the support with Communist guerrillas, 21 November 2020). XLRI-LIPI Peace Programme on Studies delivered the at convocation webinar, National University, Colombia. Lecture Vasco(Carlos E. luck to peace,ambassadors and good of you. tomorroware. your mission Do as start peace and universal where care. you Right spreading again of this message to start You time and the right spot are at the right contentmain your peace. of of embassy and thiscommandmentthis message the now. start us Let and Make again? again peacespreadto of this message efforts our and now everywhere again we start not Should Thailand. Myanmar and inBangladesh, minorities troubles the displacement ethnic of with and PakistanKashmir and the mounting betweencontinuing border skirmishes and you feel inIndia the the pain of again and on and on, under Duterte, Philippines inthe under Orban, Erdogan, inHungary situation the current inTurkeywith under the of peacemakers the worries increase But , Emeritus Professor,, Emeritus
51 Pax Lumina 1(5)/2021 SCIENCE Ted Peters & PEACE [email protected] PACCEM in SCIENTIA et
TERRIS Pax Lumina 1(5) / 2021 / 52-55
eace means the cessation of strife and the arrival of harmony. PPeace includes the death of discord, the ceasing of conflict, and the end of anxiety. Peace also includes beauty in nature, justice in society, and tranquility in the soul. As such, peace is eternal.
hen he wrote his 1963 Encyclical, ‘Paccem in Terris’, St. John XXIII was “inspired by a longing Wwhich we feel most keenly, and which ephemeral experience, however, we can we know is shared by all [persons] of realise only fragments of peace. We catch goodwill: that peace may be assured on hurried glimpses of God’s everlasting earth.” When Jesus says, “Blessed are peace only in anticipation, only as a the peacemakers (Matthew 5:9),” those prolepsis of the Kingdom of Peace God peacemakers among us are quenching a has promised us. Sips of daily peace profound human thirst. simply enhance our craving for God’s final and total peace. Peace means the cessation of strife and the arrival of harmony. Peace includes Science similarly slakes a deep human the death of discord, the ceasing of thirst, namely, the thirst to know. conflict, and the end of anxiety. Peace The curious among us thank God for also includes beauty in nature, justice the advent of modern science: the in society, and tranquility in the soul. mental machine-emitting knowledge
Pax Lumina 1(5)/2021 Pax As such, peace is eternal. In our own of the intricacies and complexities 52 being played out right before played eyes our being right out We helplessly is watch thisambiguity as Dehumanisation and Digitisation where are the peacemakers? For we stand and up this, ask: Earth. and overheating once our fecund Planet polluting, contaminating, technologies runawayThis threat is by compounded war. thermonuclear annihilation through to the world the threat self- of research thatNazi bequeathed military with Manhattan incompetition Project was hand, it America’s the other On peacemakers! we stand to up are proclaim: blessed the developing protective vaccines. For this by from SARS-CoV-2 the scourge of teamed to up rescue the race human just has virologists community of the one hand, On the international Yet, science ismorally ambiguous. technologies. inby new to cashed be treasures glittering alongmechanics with ever-present dimensions nature’s of uncover yet daily unseen scientists microscopesThrough and telescopes, natural our and of immensities home. donned a dhoti of hoped-for-peace, of thatdonned adhoti If hadwe previouslyand conflicts. contrasts,crisscrossing counterpoints, inawebare of entangled hopelessly harmony, approachingof social we Instead ideologies. and competing pornography, ethnocentrism, theories, byhourly disinformation, conspiracy a thunderstorm, we are bombarded Like from ishappening. hail opposite the just and disappointment, chagrin hand, much the other toOn our harmony. and social empathic sharing foster should, inprinciple, the globe continent on communication to every electronic immediately via distributed thoughts heartfelt our of the digitisation on the worldwide web. the one hand, On Tacitly, to slide we allow the ‘they’ into a‘they.’ a‘we’ by turning begins Dehumanisation people. ‘otherising’ or perhaps is the process ‘othering’ of To more get precise, dehumanisation Machines dehumanise. humans do not. Only dehumanise. not does webthink combined access with to digitization of Yet, we careful. The should be technology dehumanises. that digitisation appears It torn. been has unity of fabric 53 Pax Lumina 1(5)/2021 e human beings must W honestly confess: it is we who determine whether gradually down a slippery slope to a science saves or whether subhuman status. Once at the subhuman technology kills. level, do we lose our moral obligations No matter how beautiful toward them? Yes. Apparently, this is the human artwork, human nature we have inherited from our ancestors. Scientists call it evolution; someone is capable theologians call it original sin. of spoiling it with graffiti. Just as science slakes our thirst to know, technology assuages our thirst to change things. Both, however, are ambiguous. To be ambiguous is to be subject to more than one evaluation, to be either good or evil depending on the contextual situation. We human Rightly or wrongly, many evolutionary beings must honestly confess: it is we theorists believe that the unit of who determine whether science saves or speciation in evolution is the gene. With whether technology kills. No matter how the ongoing perfection of CRISPR/ beautiful the human artwork, someone Cas9 gene-editing [a newly developed is capable of spoiling it with graffiti. technique in molecular biology for altering the genomes of plants, animals, CRISPR Gene Editing, and people], the prospect lies before us AI, IA, and the Coming of of enhancing human traits and even the Posthuman enhancing the human germline for the foreseeable future. Might we edit Our generation bears the albatross into our children genes for increased of ambiguity when it comes to the intelligence? Right now, the technology question: should we employ science and is too underdeveloped to make this technology to alter our human nature? happen; yet it’s on the futurist’s Should we direct our electric rickshaw up horizon. the road toward a new stage in evolution and the engineering of a new posthuman Artificial Intelligence or AI has taken species? centre stage in the world drama, with many fearing that AI robots will The transhumanists among us see today’s replace flesh-and-blood workers. Far ‘Homo sapiens’ as a ‘trans’ species on the more significant, in my opinion, is the way, so to speak, to a super-intelligent prospect of Intelligence Amplification post-human species. How might today’s or IA. Medical practitioners have engineers enhance human intelligence successfully implanted computer chips in sufficiently to take control of our people's brains for therapeutic purposes,
Pax Lumina 1(5)/2021 Pax evolutionary future? such as to govern epilepsy episodes. 54 Conclusion more like relinquishing control. controltaking future of evolution seems for suchascenario look, acloser Upon and forgotten? fossils dinosaurs, antiques, to buried be as back us think of inthe 21stcentury super-intelligent then descendants our Will finally superintelligence? to then ratchet the up process leading enhanced our intelligentMight creatures intelligenceof sufficienttake to over? generation the next of attain alevel intelligence?human the cyborgs Will thislead will to amplified in Wikipedia, instant accesswith to allthe information provides access to information? And computer chip brain inahuman that step onlyasmall it toIs a implant things through sciencethings through and the thirst to what meansto it have the thirst to know discord We available to drink. know also to thirst for peace when we have only We what means know it beings human ‘Religious Transhumanism Critics’) its and ‘Religious book, anew now editing he is Patrick Brian and Green, Gouw Arvin colleagues, with two Along Extinction?’. or Utopia IA: and intelligence, volumeedited anew on artificial ‘AI He recently Union USA. inBerkeley, California, the Natural the at Sciences Graduate Theological and the of CenterScience’, on behalf for Theology Peters (Ted (John water’ 4:11). ‘living to fountain for looking what Jesus called, the thirst for from us peace drives faucet science and or without technology,With contribution. ahuman which isstrictly Determining suffering or inflict to relieve suffering. to either andindividuals societies by human used be can They ambiguous. are morally Science and technology quenchcannot thirst our for peace. science and technology clear: be us let technology.change thingsthrough But co-edits the journal, ‘Theology and and co-edits ‘Theology the journal,
55 Pax Lumina 1(5)/2021 SCIENCE S. Ignacimuthu, SJ & PEACE [email protected] SCIENCE for PEOPLE’S
WELFARE Pax Lumina 1(5) / 2021 / 56-58
cience and technology provide us with the tools to understand Sthe world, analyse the problems and arrive at solution.
cience and technology are in such research take up problems of powerful tools that influence the the marginalized people and try to lives of people in various ways. find solutions with real passion and They play an important role not commitment. Sonly in determining what we have and can have but also in shaping what we Science and technology can also be are and what we want to be. Science and employed effectively to protect the technology provide us with the tools environment and thus contribute to the to understand the world, analyze the welfare of our planet earth. Today more problems and arrive at solution. If we and more people are aware of the various look at the various gadgets, instruments, negative effects of our activities on the devices, applications and so on that are environment. Research in science and being used by people all over the world, technology has yielded many vibrant it becomes very clear that science and technologies which are being used by technology have certainly contributed various industries and agricultural for bettering the lives of people. people. For example, to reduce pollution, to generate power from renewable The poor and the marginalized also stand natural resources and to minimize the to gain from this when all these become use of chemical pesticides and chemical affordable like mobile phone, medicines fertilizers are some attempts. and so on. Thus, the research related to science and technology can definitely be India is blessed with many indigenous used to improve the living conditions people and they possess a lot of of those who are at the margins of our indigenous knowledge on various
Pax Lumina 1(5)/2021 Pax society, provided those who are involved fields, such as medicine and agriculture. 56 find it very effectiveuseful. and findit very The producingfarmers it. and marketing company is Nimbion Organics called one to Besides, themselves. the farmers Wepesticides. have thistechnology given chemical than in 2.5acres. ischeaper It litres water of and sprayed on the crops mixed be can innearly400 PONNEEM iscost-effective. It One litre insects. of promotes It pests. natural enemies of insect regulator against and growth anexcellent insecticide as antifeedant, oil (43%)and emulsifier (14%).This acts combination oil (43%),karanj neem of isa It PONNEEM. called biopesticide botanical aneffective with came out evaluated scientifically different oils and We on indigenous knowledge. based natural of the use about oils by farmers Wethe farmers. collected information tosolution and find a help we tried Through resistant pests. research insect to repayinability loans and occurrence of due to suicide crop failure, farmers’ of we were the news constantly hearing years twenty Some ago example. own me elaborate on thishereLet our with for the protection the environment. of for the welfare well as as the people of and processes appropriate technologies in acost-effectivemanner to produce harnessed be can These certainly issues. in matters related to environmental have also They tremendous knowledge finding solution finding for sufferingwomen the problemtackling malnutrition, of For example, and interventions. problemssolutions scientific which need There organizations. aresociety many private civil and other such government, from funding sources various support the availability upon financial of scientific research depend largely will the environment through preserving the economy of well as growth as abalanced and sustainable Ensuring countries. and inother in India people which areknowledge benefitting indigenous using scientists Indian other productsother by many developed There oneThis isjust example. manyare endeavour. thatassumption science isanuncreative sciencetheof field is difficult and the restraints whereby students believe that science-relatedof careers, psychological and involvedknowledgeable inthe field from guidance lack adults of whoare and technology, budget lacksuch as of opt due for to factors science subjects Many or students fail refuse to times, and rewarding afruitful as career. the young students to take science up to motivate important Hence, isvery it are worked out. methodologies new discovered, are models new evolved and areare instruments new developed, scientific research new technologies scientific research. It is through only have involved be whowill personnel in to has to develop, needs it acountry If progressgood and prosperity. find affect then, people, can we certainly solutions find manyto problemswhich players involved get to scientists with research finances. needs Hence, if various scientific through research. Any serious forSolutions identified be can allthese protecting natural resources on. and so controllingfacilities, infectious diseases, providingfrom housing better anemia, 57 Pax Lumina 1(5)/2021 t is only through scientific Iresearch new technologies are developed, new instruments are discovered, new models are evolved and new methodologies are worked out. Hence, The elements of curiosity and critical it is very important to thinking should be nurtured, nourished motivate the young and encouraged throughout the students to take up educational system. Dr. Rosalyn Yalon, the Nobel laureate in medicine, says science as a fruitful and the following: ‘Science is not simply a rewarding career. collection of facts. It is a discipline of thinking about rational solutions to problems after establishing the basic facts derived from observations… Logical thinking must come first; the facts can To revive students’ interest toward come later. The Article 51A of the Indian science and to address the negative Constitution clearly states; ‘It is the perception, respective stakeholders need fundamental duty of every citizen of to take necessary actions and to play India to develop the scientific temper, their roles. Here the roles of parents, humanism and the spirit of inquiry and teachers, scientists and role models reform’. are all crucial. The success stories of some scientists will also be effective. In conclusion, the influence of science on All these have the ability to increase people’s lives is enormous; its benefits the self-efficacy, attitude and a strong to humanity are great. Indigenous expectation towards science. Once a knowledge can be used to promote student likes a science subject and has welfare of the people. Curiosity and aptitude to pursue it, then it is easy to critical thinking are very important get motivated to move on. Strong level of to make rapid advancements in curiosity will be very useful to motivate science. Scientific temper should help students to pursue science and research us to evaluate our blind beliefs, our career. superstitions and myths. We should be ready to apply scientific methods such as Over the years, history has shown that observation, experiment, logic, internal resolving society’s problems through consistency and questioning. a scientic approach is the best way to handle those problems. A lot of mistakes (Dr. S. Ignacimuthu, SJ, Director, and logical fallacies can be avoided from Xavier Research Foundation, St Xavier’s being repeated by thinking scientifically. College, Palayamkottai, Tamil Nadu, is an Scientific thinking helps us make better internationally acclaimed Jesuit scientist. decisions and provides a rational outlook He is placed among the top 1% scientists in towards problems we are facing. In the world in the field of biology by professors order to develop scientific thinking, from Stanford University, USA based on we need to talk about science outside total citations of his publications by other class rooms and should be part of public scientists). Pax Lumina 1(5)/2021 Pax conversation. 58 D [email protected] Jamesmon O mass media. media. mass corporate-sponsored government-controlled, the through verbal of diarrhoea akind witness uring aPandemicuring daunting task, especially when you you when especially task, daunting opinionor individual today isa Attempting to form acollective FM Pax 1(5)/202159-64 Lumina that introduces extremely powerful stories, for for that stories, introduces powerful extremely the world of --aworld factory in thismyth Yuval Noah Harari believes that he was born process and thinker thought ahistorian as and howinfluenced it his hisorigins about the talking paid professionals inthem. While newsroom and by themaintained so-called public narrative is often createdThe and against ART ART LIE LIE Snail O' Clock by Dr. by O'Clock Snail George K.M. PEA AND ART CE
59 Pax Lumina 1(5)/2021 good and for bad; and when you live in such a place, you cannot ignore the enormous power of human imagination and the enormous power of the stories to move the world.
In India, artists across the nation have attempted to create a counter-narrative that can influence the public more truthfully, as truth seems to be the greatest casualty in a fake-filled media.
As Harari pointed out, the power of human imagination is enormous and though artists don’t have a monopoly over it, they surely have a tool to materialise their imagination in a truthful way to move the public in an informed manner. “A lie is a lie, even if everyone believes it. The truth is the truth, even if nobody believes it,” said the Palestinian writer and director, Davis Stevens.
To deal with the pandemic, the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, declared a sudden lockdown without any prior preparation in March. It was so ill-advised that the lower Bodhi by Fr. Manoj Ottaplackal middle class and the poor labourers had to Untiltled by Jamesmon clamber for food and sustenance within the given four hours before the shutters were closed on them. The tragedy that unfolded before our eyes, thanks to the unorganised media, was unimaginable.
There is an often-denied fact that autocratic rulers love these times more than any other and giggle in the privacy of their rooms, at the prospect of unlimited, anti-democratic, unaudited powers and publicly pretend to be concerned and make a PR stunt of “trying to help”.
Making peace through their art
How do you approach a pandemic and the consequent lockdown that seems to be one of the ways to manage this situation?. As this is being written, we know the lockdown has misfired. The present situation has brought along a plethora of problems as well as
Pax Lumina 1(5)/2021 Pax opportunities. 60 sole aim is to make peace through their art. aimistosole make peace theirart. through laymen and women. Their priests, religious, who are like-minded, from life, of allwalks like, --friends, artists of isanassociation CARP online under onetogether umbrella to paint. residing came in different India, of parts kindas know.as far we its of first 19 members the and paintingcamps exhibitions, virtual painted.They The result was three online an oyster. to decided do Peace of for Radiance (CARP) fromTwelve the Company artists Artists of stuff istransformedpearl. intobeautiful a thing over and over Eventually, again. this to cover stuff thatbegins the irritating powerful produces It amechanism. has it this crisis, To hurt. even gets agrainit sand, of manage inside anoyster, goes the shell of something When of oysters is us. familiar to The story ways. creative in time thisparticular managing people of Today, are images with media filled the social Untiltled by Sr.Untiltled by Vincy and adults in a non-competitive atmosphere. atmosphere. and adults inanon-competitive camps schoolchildren for They conduct art form, like painting, has proved that it can act proved has that act can form, it like painting, rolevital art intransforming Avisual people. indifferentknow,as Art we forms, a plays the public. The are resultant works often exhibited for Clowns of Life by Sr. Life by of Clowns Sandra Soniya Bodhi by Fr. by Bodhi Ottaplackal Manoj Surge 10 by Joseph 10by JoysonSurge 61 Pax Lumina 1(5)/2021 as a powerful tool of resistance, dissent and experience that French philosopher Jean-Paul revolution, like Banksy, the anonymous artist, Sartre discusses in one of his short essays called whose art is always satirical, anti-authoritarian ‘The Wall.’ The protagonist Pablo observes that and witty. being confronted with death radically alters one’s attitude to everything. When the doors It can act as a reminder to humanity of the are shut and there is no escape, naturally, you atrocities it has committed. Artist Pablo are compelled to go inward. Picasso’s Guernica is a grim reminder of the ravages of war, and at the same time, a The need to go slow, to put on a new cloak protest against such bloody undertakings of an enlightened snail as it makes its slow by humanity. stride through life is the call of the hour, as Dr. K.M. George portrayed through his Snail The attack by the Germans and Italians on O'Clock. Francis Kodankandath, Sunil Jose, Guernica, one of the Spanish cities, took CMI, Fr. Manoj Ottaplackal and Ameera place on a market day, April 26, 1937, when Sarah Thomas, reflected on this moment of ordinary folks gathered on the streets to realisation through their paintings believing buy and sell. The notorious carpet bombing was experimented for the first time; it was that the pandemic could act as an agent (Bodhi) designed to destroy everything systematically. of wisdom and enlightenment. The survival of humanity depends on the ability not to repeat the mistakes of the Anything associated with Buddha always past. Guernica, as a painting, has acted as a invokes in us a feeling of a love-lost, of a conscience-keeper for generations. A simple journey yet to be undertaken, which we keep cartoon can expose the fact that the king is, postponing because we have better or more indeed, naked. urgent things to do. We are warmed often by some external source of light. But an event A soul-ward journey like a pandemic or flood or when you attend to the last rites of a loved one, puts a sudden When people face this ‘never-heard-before’ break on our narcissistic wanderings and type of staying in, one can go through an forces you to look at the soul.
The Flame of Resurrection by Athulya Priya Pax Lumina 1(5)/2021 Pax 62 Athulya Priya coloured their canvas, mirroring colouredAthulya Priya their canvas, mirroring and SFN, HSM,Sandra Soniya, Kallidukkil, Edassry, Vincy like Ebey artists CARP is often taken for granted. service selfless unassuming, whose people, of by professionals health caring of and allkinds the importance the pandemic highlighted has but donenot bywe homosapiensas just see, are and caring allaroundsee Mothering us. and innumerable mothers whom we Earth We are cared for by Mother and sustained Intensive moments caring we create around us; are these that insights the bubble-like delicate protective cover that life own their care, offering is at stake; though breathing we till stop; and there are people weas life, go through from thewe time start this reality. strokes Caring that accompany us Never Ending Plight by Roy M.Thottam Roy by Never Plight Ending
like Joby Maryson, OFM Cap., Shaiju Mathew, OFM Shaiju Cap., like Joby Maryson, protect ourselves have becomeajoke. Artists that we create the barricades to and divide or alife-threatening element for another. All aneye-opener organism becomeeither can existence life. and the of meaning micro- One to one’s return theof basicquestions about point a becomes moment Every cautious. more and become movements measured we face anexistential threat, ourWhen to therootsBack what matters the most. a space is for another and belongingness our and creating and memory collective history find expressioncanvases. on their a haveWe The Manusmrithi runs deeper than we can than can we runs deeper The Manusmrithi an‘ambush’ it called on the haplesspeople. Roy, and activist, writer the well-known Arundhati was manna. anexodus without It walked hungry. They often inthe scorching orrain. torrential sun arepeople made to walk hundreds miles, of and when hundreds call; of beck thousands of today whenwe have facilities allthese at our happens isallthewhenit moreIt criminal and the conveyancelogistics we have today. Pakistan we have did not partition, the nation’s basic hypocrisy. the India- During this the lockdown was announced exposed The reverse migration that placetook when and throwuse materials. are treated like unwanted or termites, pests where Considera whole people of lot a country to have existyou pests as do. aright though crops garden, expensive or your beautiful, Youpesticides. have anexcuse for saving your there pests, are you of want to rid get When manna An exodus without and savour being. of the sweetness the ‘now’ go back to and realise roots, our of the beauty created pointers to to this need make time, to Abraham Rose Jose and Aneeta Divya OIC, 63 Pax Lumina 1(5)/2021 Be Positive by Mariakutty
imagine in the Indian psyche. We are capable Interestingly, there is a country that believes of building walls that can hide the poor, the that beauty can save the world, and that is same ones that keep this country running. France. No wonder most fashion comes from Lower-middle class and the poor labourers the French. They are also great art lovers. They have become the unwanted and aliens in their believe that beauty is a pathway to truth and land. Roy M. Thottam, S.J., Joseph Joyson, freedom. OFM, Cap. Vimal Kallokkaran, RCJ, and Jamesmon, OFM tried to portray this Indian Pope John Paul II too made a statement in his reality which did not appear on the radar of letter to the artists that “people of today and the mainstream Indian media, most probably tomorrow need this enthusiasm (of wonder) because of the cloud cover. if they are to meet and master the crucial challenges which stand before us. Thanks Beauty can save the world to this enthusiasm, humanity, every time it loses its way, will be able to lift itself and set Arundhati believes in an alternative world: out again on the right path. In this sense, ‘To love. To be loved. To never forget your it has been said with profound insight that insignificance. To never get used to the ‘beauty will save the world.’ unspeakable violence and the vulgar disparity of life around you. To seek joy in the saddest Artists believe that they have a responsibility places. To pursue beauty. To never simplify to tell the king that the cloak he wears is just what is complicated or complicate what is imaginary and that he is, indeed, naked. They simple. To respect strength, never power. believe that they have the responsibility to Above all, to watch. To try and understand. tell the truth because they too believe in an And never, never, to forget.’ In one of Russian alternative. writer Fyodor Dostoevsky’s novels, ‘The Idiot’ the main character makes a statement: Beauty
Pax Lumina 1(5)/2021 Pax will save the world. 64 N of Iraq,andtheplight ofthe of KochointheSinjarregion militants intheYazidivillage violence perpetratedbyIS and heinousmassacre State” Fight AgainsttheIslamic Story ofCaptivityandMy By NadiaMurad the IslamicState and MyFight against ofCaptivity My Story The LastGirl: [email protected] John Francis sex slaves. as girls captured “The LastGirl:My adia Muradinherbook, narrates thegrisly
“O massacres and human rights violations often violations often massacres and rights human disasters and evencalamities, the most grisly Pax 1(5)/202165-68 Lumina
Martin Luther King Jr. Natural Jr. King Luther Natural Martin things that matter,” said day we becomesilent about to end theur lives begin REVIEW BOOK
65 Pax Lumina 1(5)/2021 belive that God made the world and left it to the control of seven divine beings. The chief divine being is Malak Ta’us , a peacock angel, who is worshipped in the form of a peacock. Malak Ta’us has often been identified by outsiders as Semitic religious figure, Satan. Due to their belief in the peacock angel the Yazidis had been persecuted by different sects of Islam over the centuries. Some Muslims consider them heretical devil worshippers. As a result, they were subject to religious persecutions over the years. Often, they were asked to deny the Yazidi heritage and conform to Kurdish or Arab identities. The IS considers the Yazidis Kuffars, infidels, and thinks that they are worthy of rape, enslavement and killing. The mind of a Yazidi is full of stories of persecution which they suffered during past many centuries. become prosaic statistical statements without any power to move human hearts. And such Nadia Murad in her book, “The Last Girl: stories of atrocities make very little impact My Story of Captivity and My Fight Against on us and we continue to move about in our the Islamic State” narrates the grisly and day-to-day comfort zones. Hence, to wake up heinous massacre and violence perpetrated the human consciousness in such situations by IS militants in the Yazidi village of Kocho needs willpower, efforts and advocacy beyond in the Sinjar region of Iraq, and the plight of our imagination. “The Last Girl: My Story of the girls captured as sex-slaves. The villagers Captivity and My Fight Against the Islamic in the Kocho earned their livelihood mainly State” by Nadia Murad, a survival memoir , from farming and looking after the sheep. unravel the shocking experience and haunting The story begins in Kocho, a village, where fears of the Yazidi community of Northern Nadia and her family lived peacefully in spite Iraq when they fell prey to the most barbaric of their poverty and hardships. The black clad and shameful atrocities of the IS militants. IS militants surrounded the Kocho village in It also reveals the incredible audacity and 2014 and it was the beginning of the most heroic resistance of the author when faced frightening episode in their life. When the IS with the monstrous terror unleashed by IS people started stealing chicken and sheep, the extremists. villagers never realised that it was a warning indicating the fate of the villagers. Nadia Murad belongs to a religious minority called Yazidis. Yazidism originated, according When the IS surrounded Kocho village in 2014, to some scholars, in the 8th century in The Peshmerga ( Kurdish Fighters of Northern Kurdistan and their numbers increased in Iraq) fled and other forces also abandoned the the 13th and 14th centuries. It has taken Yazidis. All the villagers were driven out to elements from religions such as, Islam, ancient Sinjar mountains. Finally, they were forced Iranian religions, Judaism and Nestorian to gather in a schoolyard. Hundreds of men Christianity and, some say, it is an example who refused to convert were massacred and for religious syncretism. Members of this petrifying fear seized them all. The villagers religious minority are found in Turkey, Syria were segregated into different groups so that and Northern Iraq. They have their own men could be shot dead and young women
Pax Lumina 1(5)/2021 Pax unique belief systems and practices. Yazidis could be taken as sabiyya (a sex-slave) and 66 young boys and women could be kidnapped. After walking for some time secretly, taking In spite of their desperate attempts, nobody great risk, she knocked at the door of a house came to their rescue and they felt completely without knowing what kind of people lived abandoned by everyone. Soon, young girls there. It was the family of an old man called were forced into trucks to be taken to slave- Hisham and they protected her and made trading centres from where they would be sold arrangement for her escape into Kurdistan on a to different people as sex-slaves. fake ID card. The eldest son of the family risked his life to help her escape and he accompanied The journey in the truck was a nightmare. her to Kurdistan. The thrilling and incredible The girls in the bus, in which Nadia was escape plan was meticulously planned and travelling, were all exhausted and frightened executed and she reached a refugee camp as and one militant started molesting them. a destitute, devoid of everything. The great Before reaching their final destination, they relief of the escape soon paved the way for were taken to different slave-trade centres unfathomable grief. She became a completely and had to undergo very cruel treatment, abuse and rape. Somebody told them “ You are an infidel, a sabiyya, you belong to Islamic State”. Soon, they realised that they were in a trap and escape was impossible”. Thousands of Yazidi girls were captured and they ended their life as sex-slaves. In the house of a Militant called Hajji Salman, in Mosul, Nadia was brutally tortured and raped many times. She also contemplated committing suicide. Finally, risking her life Nadia escaped from there into the frightening loneliness of an unknown place under the control of the IS. She was continuously haunted the by the fear of being arrested again. Pax Lumina 1(5)/2021 Pax 67 the readers for an intensive journey along with her sharing her experience. She shows us the abysmal and shameless depth to which human morality can stoop. We can also see he book will remain the sparks of hope, brilliance of courage and Tforever as a source depth of suffering and pains when we move of perennial inspiration through the pages of the book. She portrays the amazing courage and faith of the people not only for the human which helped them bounce back when faced rights activists and with setbacks. Nadia also reveals how she was philanthropists, but for all. metamorphosed from the state of a passive victim to a votary of justice. She has changed The power of narration the stories of IS atrocities from a stale piece of will hold us breathless news to a touching and challenging narrative from the beginning to capable of moving the hearts of people. Her story is actually the story of thousands of the end. Yazidi girls.
The book also throws light into the deep faith, philosophy and the unique practices and customs of the Yazidi community and we are able to look at their experience from shattered and broken person without knowing their perspective and life situation. The whether her siblings are alive or dead. She author shows amazing skill in depicting the really feared whether her community would inner conflict and turmoil of the people. accept her on account of losing her virginity. The natural surroundings such as, fields, The thoughts about her mother and relatives mountains and the landscapes turn into a haunted her. At last she realised that her six powerful backdrop in front of which the story brothers and mother had been killed. The unfurls. Mount Sinjar becomes a source of family was completely broken and destroyed. solace and succour when they are chased to But, without losing hope she started to build death by cruel human beings. up everything again from scratch. Finally, she managed to escape to Germany. It was the The book will remain forever as a source of beginning of another episode of legal battle perennial inspiration not only for the human and advocacy against the IS. rights activists and philanthropists, but also for all. The power of narration will hold us When Nadia narrates how the vicissitudes, breathless from the beginning to the end. If little joys and sorrows of village life suddenly she had not written this book, the world would escalated into deadly experience, her language have remained ignorant about the deeper becomes poignant. She is looking at her dimensions of the organised and systematic experience through the magnifying glass of crime perpetrated by IS upon a small minority the village life and relationships. The book called Yazidis. Let this book continue to shed gives amazing insights into the personal light as flame of hope amidst the darkness of and grass root level impact of violence in human brokenness and sinfulness. the world. She tells us how the dreams and aspirations of the people suddenly evaporated (Author: Principal, St.Michael's into nothingness. The book very well reveals Anglo-Indian HSS, Kannur, Kerala) the fear and shock when people see their dear ones are marched into death. The language is
Pax Lumina 1(5)/2021 Pax powerful and simple and she is able to take 68 Pax Lumina 1(5) / 2021 / 69
Francois Laborde (93), a Jesuit priest who was the primary inspiration behind the iconic Fr.character of Fr. Stephan Kovalski- the ‘Polish priest’ who lived and worked in the slums of Calcutta- in Dominique Lapierre’s City of Joy, passed away on 25 December, 2020. He spent well over five decades in the City of Kolkota, silently serving the poor and the physically challenged.
Fr. Laborde had come to India from France in 1965 and got involved in projects to improve the living conditions of the residents of slums in Howrah. He built an inspiring social enterprise by setting up schools and rehabilitation homes for the less privileged and by providing medical facilities and heathcare programmes for the marginalized people in Bengal. He found joy in working together with Hindus, Muslims and Christians for the upliftment of the deprived. He is the founder of the non-profit organization namely, Howrah South Point Association Francois for the underprivileged.
Laborde, SJ Fr. Laborde believed that God lives among the poor. The only way for humans to become really human is to take care of the disadvantaged. He was conferred the The Iconic Legion of Honour, France’s highest civilian award for the second time in 2019. The Character life of Fr. Laborde is a witness that Perfect characters also exist in the real world. Kovalski is not just a fantasy figure in in the Lapierre’s imagination. Fr. Laborde is regarded the France-born City of Joy ‘Mother Teresa-and more’ of Howrah. (Prepared by Prof. Dr. K.M. Mathew) Pax Lumina 1(5)/2021 Pax 69 ear Editor, LETTER DThe overwhelming majority of people working TO THE as 'manual scavengers' are women. Much of this EDITOR work entails cleaning shit from dry latrines. Pax Lumina 1(4) / 2020 / 66 Most of the people cleaning shit from railway tracks are also women. Yet, every photograph in the latest issue of Pax Lumina, as well as in our article in The Wire, features only men. Perhaps this is a conscious decision, in order to protect the little dignity that is left to women workers, but it makes women manual scavengers invisible to a public that is already criminal in its uncaring attitude. The first image that should strike us when we hear or read about manual scavenging is It is a pity that despite the enactment of an act women cleaning shit with a broom and a basket, banning manual scavenging, it continues to exist for that is, indeed, the overwhelming reality. in our society. However, good souls like Mr Wilson offer us a ray of hope towards the restoration of Shiva Shankar the lost dignity of our less privileged brethren. Visiting Professor, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai. One can only hope that the Central government and the State governments would take concerted ear Editor, actions to implement the existing laws effectively so as to rid our society of this dehumanising DThanks a ton for the e copy of PAX LUMINA, practice. Until such time, our society falls short NOVEMBER 2020. The articles are very enriching, of the justice, equality and fraternity espoused helpful and fruitful. The pictures and paintings in the Constitution. are very apt and catchy. Many articles were arresting and I simply could not stop reading it. Ivin Tomy, The article on Manual Scavenging and Human Masters in Public Policy, St.Xavier’s College, Mumbai Rights by Elsa Muttathu, PBVM was really an eye-opener for me. The problems faced by them are ear Editor, unexplainable, very dehumanising and distressing. Though we are in the 21st century, we still could DThe November 2020 issue of PAX LUMINA not put a "full stop" for this inhuman activity. discussing the plight of the manual scavengers The time has come for a real introspection of was an absolute eye-opener. I greatly appreciate how we really treat the poor, the downtrodden, the efforts and commitment put forth in bringing the marginalized, the excluded and the needy! one of the most debated topics into the limelight. Rather than reinstating the facts, the magazine Emmanul Akilan was successful in incorporating all the dimensions Pune of the matter concerned to the forefront. However, it would have been well-grounded if you could ear Editor, have included an audio transcript or interview of the people working in these fields. I am looking DTeam Pax Lumina deserves special appreciation forward to seeing the upcoming issue and I hope for highlighting issues like manual scavenging, PAX LUMINA will be fruitful in bringing out which hardly appears in the public discourse. many more prominent socio-political problems Among the articles and interviews on the perils to the public eye. of this inhuman practice, I was touched by the interview with Bazwada Wilson, whose work Meera George, among those involved in manual scavenging Economics Post Graguate, Loyola College, Chennai
Pax Lumina 1(5)/2021 Pax earned him the prestigious Magsaysay Award. 70 JOIN THE SIGNATURE CAMPAIGN TO SUPPORT THE HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS
Would you like to join the campaign to protect the liberty of human #Standwith rights defenders? Would you like to demand the release of FATHER Fr. Stan Swamy who worked for the tribals in Jarkhand for STAN decades?
Please Sign the Petition in www.standwithstan.jcsaweb.org Suggestions and feedback may be sent to [email protected]
Letters to the Editor should contain full postal address, LIPI telephone number and email id.
Nodal Platform for Peace and Reconciliation Network, JCSA Ponoth Road, Kaloor, Kochi-17, Kerala, India. www.lipijesuits.org