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Vol. 1 | No. 4 | November 2020 A Quest for Peace and Reconciliation
THE PLIGHT OF THE MANUAL SCAVENGERS As individuals we can influence our own families. Our families can influence our communities and our communities can influence our nations.
-Dalai Lama
A Quest for Peace and Reconciliation
For E- Reading (Free Access) www.paxlumina.com Vol. 1 | No. 4 | November 2020
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) Editor • Dr. Kifle Wansamo (Hekima Institute of Peace Studies, Nairobi) • Dr. Jacob Thomas IAS (Retd.) • Justice Kurian Joseph Managing Editor (Former Judge, Supreme Court of India) • Dr. George Pattery • Dr. Binoy Pichalakkattu (Former Professor, Visva-Bharati University, West Bengal) Associate Editor • Dr. K. Babu Joseph • Dr. K.M. Mathew (Former Vice Chancellor, CUSAT, Kochi) Contributing Editors • Dr. Ms. Sonajharia Minz (Vice Chancellor, Sido Kanhu Murmu • Dr. Augustine Pamplany University, Jharkhand) • Dr. Francis Gonsalves • Dr. Jancy James (Former Vice Chancellor, Central University of Kerala) • Dr. Kuruvilla Pandikattu • Roy Thottam Dr. C. Radhakrishnan (Litteraeur, Kochi) • • Dr. Neena Joseph • Dr. Denzil Fernandes (Director, Indian Social Institute, Delhi) • Devassy Paul • Sheise Thomas • Dr. K.K. Jose (Former Principal, St. Thomas College, Pala) • Sunny Jacob • Dr. M. Arif (Adjunct Professor, Design Premraj Sarda College, Ahamednagar) • Predish Sama • Dr. M.P. Mathai (Adjunct Professor, Gujarat Vidyapith) • Dr. Paramjyot Singh (Centre for Peace and Justice, XLRI Jamshedpur) Pax Lumina • Dr. Siji Chacko (Director, Conference Development Office, JCSA) An Initiative of Peace and • Dr. S. Mohammed Irshad Reconciliation Network (TATA Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai) Jesuit Conference of South Asia (JCSA) • Joye James (Former Professor, Vision Loyola College of Social Sciences, Trivandrum) Promotion of Peace and Reconciliation • Dr. Neil Tannen (Asst. Professor, St Joseph’s College Autonomous, Bangalore) LIPI, the Nodal Platform for Peace and • Dr. Walter Fernandes Reconciliation Network of JCSA, aims at (Professor, NESRC, Guwahati) 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(4)/2020 Pax 03 Vol. 1 | No. 4 | November 2020
A Quest for Peace and Reconciliation Contents
EDITORIAL
05 | Nullified Lives Jacob Thomas The Crude Reality 09 | The Outcaste of India - The Sanitary Workers James Regina C. Dabhi
18 | A Crude Reality in India A. Sahaya Philomin Raj
28 | WHO CARES WHEN WE DIE? ...DALIT LIVES MATTER! Paul D’Souza
INTERVIEWS
14 | How to End Manual Scavenging Beswada Wilson
23 | No Turning Back Divya Bharathi International Affairs 33| The United States and its Dramatic PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION Francisco Javier The Human Rights Perspective 38 | Manual Scavenging and Human Rights Pax Lumina 1(4)/2020 Pax Elsa Muttathu, PBVM 04 42 | Shutting Down of Amnesty India Aakar Patel
44 | STAND WITH SAN A Hero from the Excluded Space 47 | Abject People, Abject Space, and a Hero Who Fought it J Devika
51| Didi of the Musahars
BOOK REVIEW 52 | THE UNSEEN by Bhasha Singh Dominic Palakeel
55 | CASTE MATTERS by Suraj Yengde Nishant A Irudayadason
REPORT
58 | XLRI-LIPI CERTFICATE PROGRAMME in Peace Studies 2020
59 | LIPI SCIENCE TALKS
ART AND PEACE
62 | Music of Silence and Colours P. Surendran
LETTER TO THE EDITOR Pax Lumina 1(4)/2020 Pax 05 Nullified Lives
ear readers, this issue of Pax Lumina may offend your gustatory sensibilities. Though this is not a deliberate Dattempt at invading your finer sensorial boundaries, we apologise.. You are the client and as they say in management lingo client is the queen. And our job is to give you what you want. Yet as you know seeing is not always an activity with intent, though looking is. We didn’t want to look at these people. Nobody wants to. But we saw them , right here in our midst and it is our duty to report what we saw. After all without truth there is no justice and without justice there is no peace. Pax in our name stands for peace. The focus of this issue is manual scavengers and their nullified
Editorial lives. We know they are alive because of the indispensible work they do in collecting, removing, carrying and dumping the most dispensible commodity human beings produce-- excreta. The primary work of collection from the lakhs of dry latrines that still exist in many parts of India is done by women of certain communities which form the lowest of the low of the outcastes. They do this work in the early morning before the sun rises in the dark of the dawn so as to be unseen and thereby not to hurt the sensibilities of the rest of the society! The rest of the work in this valueless chain is for men to accomplish. Many suffocate and die as Divya Bharathi the film maker tells our managing editor, Binoy Jacob who interviewed her. Baswada Wilson, 54, was born in this community in Karnataka and has worked all his life for the emancipation of manual scavengers,travelling all over India. He is now the National Convenor of the Safai Karmachari Andolan which works for the eradication of manual scavenging. I interviewed him with great trepidiation at confronting this horrid reality he is working to eliminate. But I was amazed by his sanity, practical wisdom, hope and unadulterated commitment. He has been deservedly honoured with the Ramon Magsasay Award. He is now working with the Niti Aayog, Govt. of India to identify the actual number of people employed in this sector, convert the dry latrines to water closets and rehabilitate the workers. He is patient
Pax Lumina 1(4)/2020 Pax but optimistic. Please read what he says in the following pages. 06 One important thing Wilson and others who work with manual scavengers point out is the structural violence implicit in the caste system which stifles the lives and dreams of those at the bottom of this pernicious hierarchy and still worse, outside it. There are more individuals and organisations who are working to eradicate this scourge from our country. We have featured some of them and their work in this issue. Howsoever painful the reality surrounding us may be, this magazine has a duty to look beyond the immediate surroundings; at the world beyond. We have our correspondent from California writing about the just concluded US elections and their implications for the US and the rest of the world. As of now Trump has not conceded defeat. Big egos take a little time to deflate. But we wish both the victor and the vanquished peace and reconciliation, in their own interests as well as the well-being of the US and the rest of the world. Certain developments in the recent past in India have cast a shadow on the human rights record of the nation. Two such instances, one about the closing down of the offices of the Amnesty International and the other on the incarceration of human rights activists like Fr. Stan Swamy are highlighted in the section on Civil Society and Human Rights. In our Art and Peace column, we have introduced an abstract painter from Iraq.. Our columnist writes about the music of her art. Machine learning and Biotechnology are the two major frontiers of modern science discussed by our science columnist, an eminent scientist. There are other features and articles in the magazine which go beyond the focus of this issue and which too, hopefully, will arouse your interest, stimulate your thinking and nudge you to action. Wish you all a very Happy Diwali! Stay safe, stay peaceful. Jacob Thomas
Editor Lumina 1(4)/2020 Pax 07 The Crude Reality
In India, a man is not a scavenger because of his work. He is a scavenger because of his birth irrespective of the question whether he does scavenging or not.”
Pax Lumina 1(4)/2020 Pax - Dr. B.R. Ambedkar 08 James Regina C. Dabhi [email protected] The Outcaste of India- The Sanitary Workers
Pax Lumina 1(4) / 2020 / 09-13
Hypocrisy and contradictions are part of the social life of many of us Indians. Our clean India campaign might clean the streets of India but our mind-sets are littered with the filth of the varna-caste beliefs and practices
ntroduction subsection of the Dalit community. Dalits before the independence of The recent gruesome gang rape India were untouchables or the Avarna. and killing of a 19 year-old young Dalits are not shudra, the fourth caste Iwoman in Hathras by the so called within the realm of Hinduism. Dalits are upper caste men, in Uttar Pradesh, India outcastes, identified as the Scheduled has shaken the country. A large number Castes after 1951 as India became a of Indians are on the streets asking for Republic.The Constitution did away justice while those affiliated to Hindutva with social discrimination. But has ideology and politics protect the accused. the practice, of treating the Dalits as This young woman belonged to a untouchables, ceased? The answer is community called VALMIKI or BALMIKI, NO. The so called upper castes who the manual scavenger community. call themselves savarna even today discriminate Valmiki and Dalits in a The manual scavenging is almost number of ways and in varied degrees exclusively done by the Valmiki, a [in fact the savarna should call Lumina 1(4)/2020 Pax 09 The pedagogy of the oppressed by Paulo Freire has the critical analysis that can help us to understand the life of Valmiki and the inhuman conditions under which they live and work in India.
themselves kavarna where sa means good and varna signifies colour and k signifies bad as their treatment of other human beings is bad, inhuman]. The underlying assumption is Valmiki are not human beings and thus can be treated inhumanly. They are inferior, and therefore, can be humiliated, insulted, sexually exploited and the women of the community can be raped or ‘used’. Varna or caste is what race and white sewers. It often involves using the most supremacy are in the west. basic of tools such as buckets, brooms and baskets. The practice of manual Thevarna-caste hypocrisy is obvious in scavenging is linked to India’s caste the practice of untouchability. If the so system where the so-called lower castes/ called upper caste members touch the avarna were expected to perform this outcaste/Dalit, s/he will be polluted. job. Manual scavengers are amongst However, these so called upper caste the poorest and most disadvantaged have no problem in molesting and raping communities in India. Till date, it is the women of the outcaste. Hypocrisy this community that is engaged in this and contradictions are part of the social profession not so much out of choice life of many of us Indians. Our clean but out of social, economic and political India campaign might clean the streets compulsion, helplessness. of India but our mind-sets are littered with the filth of the varna-caste beliefs Let me cite two examples from an article and practices. ‘India lower caste still removing human waste’ (https://www.aljazeera.com/ Who are the manual features/2014/08/25/india-lower-caste- scavengers of India? still-removing-human-waste/).
Manual scavenging refers to the "I studied commerce and banking, but practice of manually cleaning, carrying, I couldn't find work. Even though I am disposing or handling in any manner, educated, the village council hired me Pax Lumina 1(4)/2020 Pax human excreta from dry latrines and to clean toilets because I am from this 10 still two to three lakh families in the country who continue to work as manual COVID-19 and the scavengers. lockdown and demand The Safai Karamchari Andolan (SKA) on their service has an organisation of manual scavengers exasperated has been working for the eradication their situation of manual scavenging in the country, estimates the number of reported in many ways. instances of manual scavenging since They are the ones who 2013 at well over 1,70,000. often manually have to collect and dispose Most of the dirty work has to be done by women. The going into gutters, sewage, the Covid19 infected toilet pits which are chocked is done by waste of the hospitals the men of this community. Removal without necessary and carrying dead animals from private property and public places is done protection. Social by the members of this community. discrimination is seen In time of disaster, natural and man- in the way they are made, members of this community are treated by authority called to clean up, compelled if they are employed by Municipal Corporations and civil society. with minimum or no facility for hygiene and protection.
Many occupational diseases, therefore, are seen common among members community" Kailash Pokerji Kundare of this community. They do not have (Jalgaon, Maharashtra, India). much access to public health service. With privatisation many of the towns "I had to work with my head veiled. and cities have outsourced the work to During the rains, my clothes would private players who, in turn, employ become drenched with excrement. They members of this community with would not dry. The house would smell. minimum wages and protection. I started to get skin diseases and even to lose my hair" Badambai (Neemuch, Education among them is the least, Madhya Pradesh). higher education very rare. They suffer the economic brunt of limited income The reality of the Valmiki sources and employment opportunities. (manual scavengers) The life of Valmiki can be better According to the 2011 census, there are experienced and understood in the still 26 lakh dry toilets in the country. light of Ambedkar and his efforts in Forty per cent of these are in the rural annihilation, his critique on religion areas while 60% are in urban India. Every and his legal mind in framing the State government and the Centre keeps Constitution of India. The pedagogy appearing before the Supreme Court of the oppressed by Paulo Freire has to claim total eradication of manual the critical analysis that can help us to scavenging. But the truth is there are understand the life of Valmiki and the Lumina 1(4)/2020 Pax 11 Manual scavenging is not only a caste- based but also a gender-based occupation with 90 per cent of them being women. The cow vigilantes have Households with dry latrines prefer killed so many people women to clean the excreta instead especially Muslim of men as they are located inside the house. COVID-19 and the lockdown and under the pretext of demand on their service has exasperated cow protection. But the their situation in many ways. They very same people who are the ones who often manually have to collect and dispose the COVID-19 worship the cow leave infected waste of the hospitals their dead animals to without necessary protection. Social rot or call the Valmiki discrimination is seen in the way they to dispose of the dead. are treated by authority and civil society. The inhuman, irresponsible and uncivilized behaviour of Indian society at large.
The untouchability is just one manifestation of this deep-rooted exclusion and discrimination. Gandhiji inhuman conditions under which they wanted to do away with untouchability, live and work in India. the physical manifestation of Varna- caste discrimination while Ambedkar Subhojit Goswami, in an article wanted varna-caste to be uprooted. ‘Manual scavenging: A stinking legacy of suffocation and stigma’ in Down- The life of Valmiki is what it is, largely to-earth of September 2018 describes due to what the Indian society is and the situation of the manual scavenger the way it treats the Valmiki. In spite of as a stinking legacy of suffocation and the abolishing of untouchability by the stigma. Every year, hundreds of manual Constitution, the varna-caste-ridden scavengers die, asphyxiated by poisonous Indian mindset has not changed as much gases. The Valmiki take up this lowly as one would have liked it to. job, not knowing that human faeces and urine which harbour a variety of COVID-19 vaccine might be discovered diseases, may carry Hepatitis A, E. coli, and prevented in future. Numerous Rotovirus, Norovirus, and pinworms. strategies such as legal and social The community risks infection by coming reforms have not eradicated varna- in contact with these wastes. That also caste based discrimination in rural and explains why sewer workers die as young urban areas. The mind-set of a sizable as 40, falling prey to multiple health Indians (not only Hindus but Muslims, issues: cholera, hepatitis, meningitis, Christian, Jains, Parsis, Sikhs, Buddhists typhoid and cardio-vascular problems. and even some who claim to be atheist) In fact, repeated handling of human are infected by the varna-caste ideology. excreta without protection leads to respiratory and skin diseases, anemia, Manual scavenging, banned through a jaundice, trachoma and carbon monoxide legislation in 2013, still prevails in India Pax Lumina 1(4)/2020 Pax poisoning. due to ''weak legal protection and lack of 12 spheres life, of private and public. and practice from discrimination all of and do away with to has its shed inIndia society First all,the civil of taken place. andchange has some discrimination against struggle been the years there Over has lost. is not communities Yet and individuals. all many to of easy change the mindset isnot it inIndia, andreligion politics society,In the caste ridden backed by thereIs away forward? do thiswork. community. No ready be onewill else to this by members of for postmortem places have to cleared be or brought found bodies the decomposed at some Valmiki the dead. of Often to dispose their dead to animals orthe call rot, whoworship people same the cow leave cowpretext of protection. the very But under Muslim the especially people have manyso The vigilantes killed cow and others. (WHO) Organisation study by the World global a new Health enforcement'' according the rules, of to the status Valmiki of and deal strictly and economic commitment to improve should ensure will governments political These do away discrimination. social with Centre have to have to will the political State Theat the Governments and the varna varna -caste mentality,-caste varna -caste ideology ideology -caste -caste -caste with it lingers on, making it difficult it lingers it on, making with for associated and discrimination the stigma have aform employment as ended of but scavengingThemanual formany may at large. society administrationgovernment, and civil within whodiscriminate those with some data for data some this article (I am and exploiters have to becomereally human to transformed. be and The exploited varna The us. communaland and of outside says we have to resist inside the evil Paulo communities. As other as Freire help to the Valmiki community well as isa init, enshrined and the principles to values the Constitutional Adhering any favour to them. doing and isnot the government right istheir it and mobilising themselves, be improved to need They by accessing have and aspects health hygiene suffered. the and treatment society the larger of discrimination accountOn social of to has it but continue more rigorously. Thereeducation isamust. isa change to higher Education from primary theirfamilies. support to opportunities the absence other of to return scavenging manual in again raising the fear could that people once to secure and alternativelivelihoods former or liberated scavengers manual grateful to grateful Parshot undergo achange. -caste infected mindset of all has infected all has of mindset -caste am Vaghelaam for providing - James Regina C. Dabhi C. - James Regina ) 13 Pax Lumina 1(4)/2020 INTERVIEW Beswada Wilson
How to End Pax Lumina 1(4) / 2020 / 14-17 Manual Scavenging
ax Lumina: Thank you The problems of Mr. Wilson for agreeing to those working in this converstion. We are the septic tanks quite impressed by your work Pamongst the manual scavengers for their and sewage drains emancipation and rehabilitation. What is are more severe. It the state of these hapless people now? is a pan India problem. Bezwada Wilson: I am glad that Mechanisation is yet to you are interviewing. We work in 49 find its way into districts, mostly spread in Bihar, UP, MP, these areas. Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, J&K. Approximately 56,000 people are Many die in the engaged in manual scavenging and the process, inhaling toxic majority are women. They are mostly gases and by the involved in dry toilet cleaning. This is very nature of job. done before daylight to avoid the sight of people. The work includes collection, And most of them carrying and disposing of night soil. are Dalits. Septic tanks and sewage are cleaned Pax Lumina 1(4)/2020 Pax by men. 14 Government of India plans to declare about it as of now. We are still searching. India as a Manual Scavenging Free State. Hopefully this is the last and final leg of We have conveyed to the authorities of our journey. NitiAayog the difficulty in achieving this target immediately and asked for more The problems of those working in the time. They want proof for the continued septic tanks and sewage drains are presence of manual scavenging. We more severe. It is a pan India problem. need to furnish very clear data. After Mechanisation is yet to find its way into that, within a few months the task of these areas. Many die in the process, conversion of the dry latrines to water inhaling toxic gases and by the very closets can be completed. nature of the job. And most of them are Dalits. We doubt if the Government is Dry latrine is inside the home, with no taking it as a serious matter. commode or water drainage, and it has to be cleaned by human beings. Everyone Pax Lumina: What about the benefits defecates in to a basket or a bucket and of the policy of reservation? Are these the nightsoil has to be transferred to the people benefitting from this? basket to be carried to the dumping site. Bezwada Wilson: As sub castes Water closet has to be made on a war -Valmikis/Bhangis - in some places the footing and the safai-karmachari must be Government is willing to give up to Rs provided with proper livelihood option, 40,000/- as a onetime cash assistance. i.e., rehabilitation. And though up to an amount of Rs, Twenty-five lakhs is needed for the Niti Aayog has agreed to work with us rehabilitation, they are not willing to and support us financially in achieving provide the same. the task of conversion of the dry toilets. They want us to do a survey of the Educational levels are low amongst these people involved.It must be done in a people compared to that of other Dalit systematic manner – construct new communities. Yet one cannot say that toilets and rehabilitate all the women there has been no benefit at all. Here and in the process. This is all that we know there are a few Government servants
What is required is political will. If the administration works with a political will, things will fall in place. There must also be interventions at policy level. Pax Lumina 1(4)/2020 Pax 15 Manual scavenging is prevalent in other South Asian countries like Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. These are the nations that I have visited and seen the situation myself.
from these communities… a few officers, difficult to find educated members in two/three Sub Inspectors of Police etc. our communities. Most of our children join work after their marriage. But in Pax Lumina: What is the key to success a situation of poor health in the case of such a programme as this? of any one of their near and dear, the children do extend their helping hands. Bezwada Wilson: What is required is political will. If the administration works Pax Lumina: what about similar with a political will, things will fall in situation in the other South Asian place. There must also be interventions countries? at policy level. It is our dream to work upwards from rehabilitation to Bezwada Wilson: Manual scavenging is reservation to Government employment prevalent in other South Asian countries to a mighty designation in a politically like Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Sri strong situation. It is true to some extent Lanka. These are the nations that I have that these communities suffer from visited and seen the situation myself. I untouchability and discrimination. do not know about the other countries.
Pax Lumina: Where do you get the As and when technological advances are energy/motivation for this struggle achieved, these unhealthy practices will from? give way to better ones. This is what has happened in the western nations and Bezwada Wilson:After seeing and even in other parts of the world. There, experiencing so much oppression, it is the construction of a toilet is a basic very difficult to sit idle even for a minute. necessity.
Pax Lumina: What about education of It must also be noted that progress their children? in India has been hampered by the prevalent caste system.Annihilation of Bezwada Wilson:We are still poor Caste, as Dr Ambedkar would have it, is a
Pax Lumina 1(4)/2020 Pax in educational standards. It is very dire necessity for technical progress. 16 are not rich, and our fight is long – put are and fight to our rich, not date, areof as power, in not fighting they would say. people The forwhom we are outcome, Babasaheb Dr as an important change is Social India. of Constitution assured by the what islegitimately we want anoutcomeas work, our of change the social we think about When work. for theirdedicated and tremendous Jesuits communities similar and allother Wilson: Bezwada Lumina? you would like to convey Pax through Pax Lumina: the marginalised. upliftment of for works which also (NCDHR) the for Campaign Dalit Rights Human Theremembers. are NGOslike National and arounddistricts 2,000women are They work in176 Clubs. Gender Equality We inthe Ambedkar girls organise In promoting peace and reconciliation fellow our of beings. human dignity It is andfor the fight… restorationof the struggle fight, easy.not isstruggle, it So, stopa full to practice a5,000-year-old is
What is the message isthe message What I must thank the thank I must Pax Dr. Editor its by Lumina Jacob Thomas. was conducted interview This for justice, peace and reconciliation. onpower the and it tableto put restore power to exercise. We exercise must this his/her has individual country. Every asovereign State,great agreat Republic, We understand must that isa India joining the oppressor. are power. infull returning State The is oppressors.who their base lost They are and are re-emerging joining the state reconciliationpowers The dominant yet. hasn’t India reachedBut of the stage children, raping my womenfolk,etc. when you are harassing still me and my him/her now. forgive Icannot But forgive Ican reconciliation.seek Ok, to istime it he/she isdoing iswrong, Once the oppressor realises that what justice. justice So, ismost important. we so, and And religion. have to seek atrocities continue caste inthe name of violence scenario, and In the Indian takecan place whenonly violence stops. - one realise must that reconciliation technical progress. Caste, dire necessityfor system.Annihilation of would haveit,isa noted thatprogress in Indiahasbeen hampered bythe prevalent caste It mustalsobe as DrAmbedkar
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Pax Lumina 1(4)/2020 I in Re A [email protected] Sahaya Raj Philomin A. the Scheduled Caste Communities inIndia. the Scheduled to who belonged the lowerpeople strata of occupation the upon is an imposed it but for chooses voluntarily his/her livelihood ajobor occupation is not one Scavenging” in the country. ‘Manual Scavenging’ ‘Manual perpetuates ‘Untouchability’ evil. social this greatest to curtail legislations special from enacted has various the parliament this, practice vibrant allover the country. Apart we and noits find more abolished permitted, is that ‘Untouchability’ vividly out it spelt at inception, India its of the Constitution the ‘caste Though the people. of mindedness’ reflectsof the intensity the country of part couples inmost themarried inter-caste of killings’ ‘honour of The inhuman most act life,of publicor private, whether inIndia. and tendencies prevail inallspheres From top to the caste bottom, attitudes society. isbasically acaste–ridden India ntroduction: India Crude alit y
in 2013 by yet another enactment, known known in 2013by yet another enactment, prohibited firstlatest in 1993 and inIndia wasscavengers officially latrines" to empty "dry by the workers. any done without is usually protective gear This brooms, plates, and tin work buckets. in the removal raw of excreta human using involved denotes, the labour also It exists. or on the streets wherever defecation open toilets or as fromused latrines or pit the pits from containers or buckets other that are rawof (fresh and untreated) excreta human organizations. and non-Governmental by Governmental built and incommunity latrines latrines inprivate out iscarried It his or her hands. excreta human of with by human another up the picking ‘Manual Scavenging’means where ‘Caste system’ isactively practised. countries, phenomenon Asian in the South unique isavery Scavenging’ ‘Manual Manual Scavenging:
1 2 It also refers also It to the removal The employment of manual manual of The employment Pax 1(4)/202018-22 Lumina in an open drainin anopen or pit.” or latrine excretahuman inaninsanitary handling in any manner,of, or otherwise disposing carrying, cleaning, manually or acontractor, or anagency authority for or employed or .by alocal anindividual “a as engaged person scavenger” “manual 2013”.the term Act has defined Act This Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Prohibition “the as the Employment as of abolished andnomore permitted, spelt itoutvividlythat India atitsinception, practice vibrantall the Constitutionof over thecountry.over ‘Untouchability’ is Though we findits 3
in both the districts. Majority of them are of Majority the districts. in both isaround population whose 13000 bodies, contractorsdirectly or through inthe local workers who have either recruited been workour among the ismainly sanitary and Health centres.Railways However, in private and sectors public including both isaround 25000,numbering districts scavengers’ two inthese total population scavengers scavengers. among other The the manual toidentify distinctly task, Tamil of districts Nadu, Ifindit adifficult past 6years inMadurai and Virudhunagar team ‘Para of and advocates for Legals’ the In my among works the scavengers the with India: Scavengers inTamil Nadu and in ScavengersManual amongordinary work cleaning of and manual scavenging is castes doing the the scheduled of population the State. According to the census 2001,the the scavengers manual of actual number in figures These not are even a of tenth the 2011 had the figured number to 334 only. Earlier, the CasteSocio-Economic Census are scavengers only462manual in2015. data stating that there anunscientific with Tamil of Government Nadu come has out ordeals. to unimaginable subjected womenfolk, who are and doublyexploited 4
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Pax Lumina 1(4)/2020 to for the Government action as suitable manual scavengers and the submitted data in Tamil Nadu 3,032 identified in2016,it 8districts some surveyed (SKA), Andolan the state Safai Karamchari of unit When 1.2 million. say campaigners to700,000 but iscloser it figures it put at than less -official disputed scavengers manual of number exact is the but emptied manually being latrines thatdeclared there were 9.6million dry March India of 2014,the Supreme Court In scavengers’the manual population. to ascertain undertaken authentic survey to note, that there important isno isvery It scavenging manual across of cases India. of India The 2011 Census found 794,000 1,97,25,376in29Statesnearly India. of Even the Judiciary isnot Even theJudiciary Government, andthus, Government, has beenidentifiedand keen ingivingpressure measures prescribed of therehabilitation by law, sofar inthe declared asmanual no onehasavailed scavengers bythe knowledge, nobody nobody knowledge, and intakingsteps to theGovernment to implementthe Act. Hencetomy 7
country. 6 5
Litigation invoking the jurisdiction of invokingLitigation the jurisdiction this regard. Ipreferred So aPublic Interest to implement the provisions in the Act of However, to refused take they any steps rehabilitation the Act. per as scavengersmanual and to for arrange their and declare the 254 identified workersas with the plea to verify officials Government law. that After survey, we approached the according is undertaken, to thesurvey appropriate if high would go definitely very scavengers manual of number inthe State out thatpoints the This the districts. both scavengers254manual we identified in time, of span and inashort are operating, where we the two of districts, parts some in asample survey teamour undertook the law.per Inaddition in2016, to that, pressure to the Government and in taking pressure to the Government on keen giving isnot Even the Judiciary its filing feet without its onreply. the case isdeliberatelythe Government dragging date as till beforepending court the same matter in2017,the was filed the case is Though the Act. per as proper survey committee to undertake appropriate survey scavengers manual as and to an establish the identified workers for declaring Court the Madurai the Madras of Bench High deaths are more. all the States. deaths inTamil Nadu were among the highest 1993 and 2019inTamil July Nadu. The between tanks and sewers septic cleaning around scavengers 206manual while died, According to the State data, Government hundredsof workers of due to asphyxiation. the lives the protectiveof claimed has gear the protective basic apparatus.absence The even without into tanks getting the septic the manholes and bythe entering sewers to the workers witness involved incleaning any proper protective gear. alarming is also It without drainageopen all over the country Similarly, the workers have to the with deal only inMadurainot allover but India. reality available. defecation isacrude Open facilities for the public is proper sanitary are far the concerned as no two districts As nature ofthework: and deaths hazardous Sewage by law, far so inthe country. the rehabilitationof measures prescribed no and one thus, has availedGovernment, and scavengers manual declared as by the identified been has nobody knowledge, Hencesteps to implement the Act. to my 8 In fact, the unregistered Infact, District, TamilnaduDistrict, 2017, on 28January scavengersmanual in Sattur, Virudhunagar the Inone interactionsshit! of held with arethat onlythey responsible for others’ that scavengers the manual themselves feel is responsible for The irony their‘shit’! is that community the manual-scavenging in this society. ingeneral, Indians, feel, system strongly operatingthe stagnant of are they because still to unable make it, thisfilthyof and profession,despising but These workers issues. those rid want to get grasp and understand the complexities of to scavengers’manual and issues try key Ihavemy work, come the to of some know castes. During frommostly the intermediary higher-ups These come their supervisors. as who officials functioning are Government to out meted them by the Caste Hindus, and treatment the inhuman sufferings pains, We the scavengers’ manual have observing been Complex Reality The legalprovisionsand issues oftheseworkers. do notaddressthecore Hence, rehabilitative measures issues attheground for amorepowerful, very narrow andthey narrow very concrete law which concrete law provided inthe2013 address theircore Act areinadequate, would genuinely there isaneed level. 21 Pax Lumina 1(4)/2020 22
Pax Lumina 1(4)/2020 strong action taken by the Government there for isaneed proactive and affirmative To anend put to discrimination, thiscaste-based Suggestions obligations to end scavenging. manual conventions and covenants that reinforce to international other party is also India and Political Civil on Economic, Rights. Convention and(CEDAW), International Women against Forms Discrimination of the Convention All of on the Elimination (ICERD), Discrimination Forms Racial of Convention All of on the Elimination (UDHR), the International Rights Human found inthe Universal Declaration of law, rights human including protections deliberately international violates various The practicescavenging overmanual of India. practised even sectors inthe Government all openly webeing findit Still law long back. was prohibited by‘Manual Scavenging’ complex reality. involved isavery scavenging. inmanual It digest this state who are those mind of of difficult to understand and isvery sir?” It do thisjob Iwhowill not and me asked “If innocently up got one young man very is a need for concreteis aneed amore law powerful, core workers. these of issues Hence, there address do not and they narrow the very provided are inthe 2013Act inadequate, provisionslegal and rehabilitative measures The organizations. andsociety by the civil Conclusion atissues the ground level. which would genuinely address theircore 9 8 7 6 5 16.08.2018 4 3 2 1 Government. society,civil Judiciary, and the Media the of support the full should get issues approach regarding scavengers’ the manual change and transformation.of The new strategies tonew accelerate the process thereresults. So for isaneed developing have past efforts failed themaximum to get so effectively far. tackled been not has The society. practice, on a blot the it Indian called this inhuman of after cognizance taking Minister The Manmohan Prime Singh, former Delhi, 2012 17June, Conference the State of Welfare Justice Ministers, and Social 13.11.2019,p. 7 Edition, Chennai Nadu, says survey”, ScavengingThe in Hindu, “Manual fatalities highest Tamil June 2015. 2014.Retrieved23 India. of SupremeOrs". Court And India Union Of "SafaiKaramchariAndolanAndOrsvs 2015 6September Retrieved raisesof India. Times over stink scavenging". manual The 2013)."Census UmeshIsalkarUmeshIsalkar, TNN(30April p270 Bhasha. Singh, Wire,TheScavengers “The missing Manual of Tamil Nadu”, No.of 2013, chapterAct, 25 I(2)(1)(g). Rehabilitation Their The ProhibitionScavengersEmploymentof Manual of and 16,2013. September Retrieved Commission. National Rights Human Series. Rights and scavenging" manual (PDF). Your rights "Human Know Manual Scavengers (New Delhi: Penguin P261 Books). India’sabout The (2014):Unseen, Bhasha Truth Singh, 9
The issue of manual scavengingmanual of The issue
Divya BharathiDivya INTER VIEW Tu enrol myselfasanadvocate, Despite completingthelegal struggles andprotestsfor rning studies (2014),Icouldnot No No Back filed againstmedueto my involvementinthe because therewas Pax 1(4)/202023-27 Lumina human rights. QR Code: QR Code: Kakkoos FIR
23 Pax Lumina 1(4)/2020 2. How many people are engaged in manual scavenging or cleaning of sewerage in Tamilnadu? Are there only men ?
r As I have highlighted in my documentary, There is no record or register regarding the ntroduction: Divya Bharathi, actual number of manual scavengers. The the Social Activist based at Madurai, report given by both the government and Tamil Nadu and the Director of the non-governmental agencies are totally documentary 'Kakkoos' (Toilet) on different from reality. The data given even in manualI scavengers speaks to PAX LUMINA. the Parliament are fake. Manual scavenging is carried on only by contract labourers 1. How did you get attracted everywhere including the railways. This is to the community of manual the scenario throughout India. In case we scavengers in Tamil Nadu?
r I was born as the only child in a poor family at Viruthunagar, in Tamil Nadu. My parents were mill workers. Even from my school days I was attracted to the Marxist- Leninist Communist Party. I was also influenced by the ideology of Ambedkar and Periyar Ramasamy Naickar by reading their books. I used to watch films shown in the party forum highlighting the problems of labourers. Since I was very much interested in films I thought of working in the film industry, and accordingly in 2008, I joined Madurai American College, for Visual Communication course. I paid Rs 65,000/- If they are made towards fees which was unaffordable for a permanent, it would person from a poor background. Within six attract the provisions of months of joining the college, my mother was diagnosed with cancer. This naturally to labour legislations additional financial burden. Consequently, followed by I was compelled to discontinue my studies penal action according there. Then I joined the Government Law College (place?) with only a thousand Rupees to the Acts (1993 and towards fees. Despite completing the legal 2013) prohibiting manual studies (2014), I could not enrol myself as scavenging. an advocate, because there was FIR filed against me due to my involvement in the struggles and protests for human rights. So I started working as an event photographer/ videographer to earn a living. Though I was aware of manual scavengers and their problems from my school days, it attracted
Pax Lumina 1(4)/2020 Pax my serious attention during this period. 24 ask the railway authorities about the number of people involved in track cleaning, ‘Nil’ is the answer. If they are made permanent, it would attract the provisions of labour legislations followed by penal action according With regard to rehabilitation, to the Acts, (1993 and 2013) prohibiting there is no provision for their manual scavenging. housing or healthcare or In Madurai district alone, there are 30,000 their empowerment. Even the people involved in manual scavenging so called highly publicised especially for septic tank cleaning. Both men and women turn up for this but women are “Swachh Bharat ” scheme more in number these days because their of the ruling party has wage is less compared to that of men. Women not made any impact in can also be easily exploited physically and this area. The provisions financially. of the Prohibitory Act on 3. How about their social manual scavenging is not status? implemented at all. r Total reservation in Tamil Nadu is 69%. Of those, the scheduled caste represents 18%. Out of this 18%, 3% belongs to Arundhathiyar community which is exclusively engaged in manual scavenging. They are not treated as human beings and are socially excluded. Pax Lumina 1(4)/2020 Pax 25 They are not given entry in public places like no records are maintained. Often, the hotels. Untouchablity is practised against litigation process is very lengthy and justice them. These people suffer from inferiority is denied to them. I myself have filed around complex because of the social stigma attached 9 petitions claiming compensations, but it to them. The same is transmitted to their is well over three years now, no judgment children also in schools and elsewhere. has been obtained. In fact, the government Even among the scheduled caste, they are should have given this compensation without in the lowest rung of the social ladder. It is going for time-consuming litigation. quite unfortunate to hear one’s own child asking its own mother not to serve food There is great lacunae in providing medical by the hand soiled by manual scavenging. facilities to these scavengers. As they are handling all the waste and garbage including 4. How many people have died human excreta manually, their hands and during their work in the past legs are full of wounds. Since they are 5-10 years? exposed to bleaching powder even their skin is peeled off. In fact, the government r As part of making a documentary on is supposed to provide 44 safety tools for Manual Scavengers, I had spent about 14 manual scavengers such as gloves, masks months among the scavengers. In all, 21 and boots. Practically, nothing of this sort persons died within this period. Annually, is given. With regard to rehabilitation, it is reported, around 30 persons die due there is no provision for their housing or to asphyxiation while cleaning septic tank healthcare or their empowerment. Even the alone. so called highly publicised “Swachh Bharat” scheme of the ruling party has not made 5. Any compensation/ medical any impact in this area. The provisions of facilities or rehabilitation the Prohibitory Act on manual scavenging measures available for them is not implemented at all. from the government? 6. What is the level of education r According to 2014 judgment of the among them especially of the Supreme Court of India, if a death occurs youngsters and children? to a manual scavenger an amount of Rs.10 lakhs should be given to the family of the r Most of them drop out before they deceased. This is precisely the reason why reach the high school. The major reasons Pax Lumina 1(4)/2020 Pax 26 must be implemented. be must and mechanization modernisation to it, is eradicated, continue. will it Inaddition the great problem caste of discrimination thispredicamentbehind iscaste. Unless r thistaboo. of occupation because are provided not employment inany other areThey brandedus ‘untouchables.’ They discrimination. and social are poverty and the NGOs. from the media tremendousgot support State. There I the neighbouring to Kerala, party.the ruling Hence, away Ihad to run There frompolitical opposition was also I was woman. projectedan as aberrated media. inthe social especially in the media three Ihad months. to face criticism of alot me and myagainst stay inunderground for award for Igot registered thisisthe case The was only brought out. the documentary had to allmy pledge jewellery. Somehow, financially. tonobody support For this I beforesufferings the world. was There theirproblemsI wanted to and highlight scavengersmanual since my days. school r
The major andThemajor the only reason reason I was deeply moved by the plight of the of movedI was by deeply the plight award? How was itreceived? Any scavengers? ofmanual story the depicting the documentary inspired you to make 8. What practice? 7. How we can end this working on a documentary on trans-women. on trans-women. working on adocumentary my life-long Currently, commitment. Iam is for Fighting theirrights marginalised. thedowntrodden and the exploited, the r Pax Jacob Binoy by Lumina was conducted interview This for the vulnerable the society. of section play an active role of in the empowerment come to out the realities and the people of should including the religious, negative. All, r support. to legal of me alot extended Raj Fr.PhilominBesides, in the fieldwork. me 2013 and he oriented Act, Scavenging providing the Tamil version the Manual of Madurai me by whohelped IDEAS of Raj I receivedand guidance from Fr.Dr.Philomin Igratefully remember thelanguage. support there was no literature available inTamil r weapon. apolitical as my Iuse documentaries free service. legal advocate, by providing people Ihelpthese an As beings. human as their dignity and insafeguarding the exploited, of cause for the in myI am single-minded struggle
This is my life. My isalwaysfocus on Currently, situation isvery the political the documentary, Iwas making While 9. What are your future plans? 9. What LUMINA? 11. Any message to PAX collaborative ventures? 10. How your about
27 Pax Lumina 1(4)/2020 28
Pax Lumina 1(4)/2020 MATTER! LIVES ...DALIT DIE? WE WHEN CARES WHO [email protected] Paul D’Souza
T afford tolivewith… a progressivenationcannot existential contradictionthat 'unclean' Indians?Itisan clean (SwachhBharat)with within... shame’ callsustoclean upfrom whichisa‘national scavenging The existenceofmanual figure despitefigure the government’s claims over few the last years. The striking most have tanks and septic sewers increased cleaning while killed people of The number and elsewhere. inIndia caste discrimination continues to the form most insidious be of nor a recent phenomenon. Manual scavenging workers are neither restricted to one locality Thesewage deathsof almost across India. feature newspapers innational and regional on October Express' 11,2020,isaregular in 'Indian published “like this” The news asphyxiation. to alive, makeout of it two died managed them one of well. as unconscious While into two save jumped other himand fell he fainted due to toxicthe tank, The fumes. Devendra, a sanitation worker into stepped Pax 1(4)/202028-31 Lumina recently. According to police,as in the national capital in Badarpur injured tank aseptic while cleaning andwo athird died persons was Can wehaveIndia The Acts with its amendments “Who would work in these dangerous drains? were portrayed as a ray of I too do not like to work but I convince myself before I get into the sewerage that I have to hope, however, that too failed to do. I make a compromise with myself. But criminalise manual scavenging when I come out, I feel like a prisoner who and ended only with a strict has just come out of jail. If there are people around, I feel ashamed to walk and even my suggestion to use safety gears co-workers stand far. Often when I sit for while entering septic tanks. my dinner, I remember the scene and the The ground reality has hardly smell. At times, I begin to doubt myself, seen any substantial change. have I come to this world by committing some crimes in the previous birth?”
The pitiable condition of the sanitation workers in general, and manual scavengers, in particular, raises questions as to why it continues and why they have to die to and advocacy and interventions by civil keep the country clean. When large scale society has been the number of deaths due deaths of manual scavengers continue, it to manual scavenging during the last year. does seek answers from those concerned. According to a February 16, 2020, article in The Dalit community engaged in the 'The Hindu', 110 workers were killed while occupation concerning their faith and being cleaning sewers and septic tanks. considered Hindus questions the wider ‘Hindu community’ about the difference in Though manual scavenging has been their treatment. To ‘Gandhians’, from whom prohibited under ‘The Prohibition of they derived the title Harijan, the question Employment as Manual Scavengers and asked is: Can we get dignity if we continue to their Rehabilitation Act, 2013’, a National follow caste norms of prescribed occupation Survey in 18 States identified 62,904 manual as suggested by Gandhiji? The community scavengers between 2013 and January 31, also raises questions to the ‘Ambedkarites’ 2020. The de-humanising practice continues on the reason behind not being considered a to draw temporary attention from the part of their movement, and if they too are policymakers, judiciary, executive and civil responsible for the continued exclusion faced society organisations, and the media which by the manual scavenging community. The often ends up becoming a piece of news or question put to the ‘liberals’ is about their debate in electronic media. The Acts with failure in paving a path for the community its amendments were portrayed as a ray of which has been institutionally denied hope, however, that too failed to criminalise access to occupational mobility when other manual scavenging and ended only with a communities were able to transcend to find strict suggestion to use safety gears while dignified viable alternatives? Moreover, entering septic tanks. The ground reality the internal reformation does demand has hardly seen any substantial change. an introspection from the community herself: Why is the community stuck to One of the manhole workers of Ahmedabad this dehumanising traditional occupation Municipal Corporation who regularly went when some of them are treated as “lesser inside the sewer lines for cleaning operations humans” without receiving dignity which at night says, is the fundamental right of every person? Lumina 1(4)/2020 Pax 29 Looking towards the future, the pressing question of a way-out for the communities engaged in ‘unclean’ occupations, and the discrimination faced by them because of their occupational engagement remains unanswered. Formal education is intricately linked to upward social mobility and in this aspect; schools play an important role in sorting out individuals into their prospective levels. However, education has not opened possibilities for the future generation of the community as expected. A field-based study undertaken by the Indian Social Institute showed a steep high dropout rate after secondary school among children of households engaged in ‘unclean’ occupations. Moreover, children from the community continue to be the victims of visible and invisible discriminatory practices, in the classrooms and outside the classrooms. The exclusionary practices in schools and society in general also affect their educational aspirations and become a matter of grave “Sadly, they want me to clean their toilets, concern amongst them. but they don’t want to see my sight when I go to the government office. Recently, I A survey, as part of the above-mentioned visited an office to get a caste certificate study, covering a total of 12,348 children for my child’s educational purpose. The showed that only 0.6% of them have government official told me, ‘why do you completed higher-level education. Without want the certificate for your child? What higher education, any entry of youths from will he do with education? He is your child the community, to dignified occupations and will continue to take over your work promised by modern India’s ambitious once you leave”. campaigns like'Skill India', 'Digital India', 'Start-up India', etc. remains unimaginable. The constitutional values and social thinking Moreover, the lack of political will to pull must correspond and corroborate to find a out these communities from the grips of the way-out to end the dehumanising practice caste-based occupation ascertains entrapment of manual scavenging and to bring change of the coming generation of the community at the ground level. Our constitution in the mission of ‘Cleaning India’. guarantees equality; however, we live with the social thinking that predominantly treats Every parent desires to raise happy and people unequally based on caste and creed. successful children, however, the parents Initiatives to mechanise cleaning the cities involved in ‘unclean’ occupations invariably have brought some hope among people, have to go through humiliations for what is including the manual scavengers who have their right ascertained by the Constitution. been given the machines. But the extent to A member of the Dalit community shared which the programme is implemented is the pain and humiliation he had felt when yet to be seen. The contradiction and the he went to the government office to get a paradoxes in which we live does not allow Pax Lumina 1(4)/2020 Pax caste certificate for his child. the age-old practices to change. It is now 30 by the police without the consent of her family. The girl belonged to the Valmiki The pitiable condition of the community. The crime and what followed in Hathras once again repeats the old sanitation workers, in general, narrative – caste does matter. There have and manual scavengers, in been protests across the nation but none of particular, raises questions as this is comparable with the protest against to why it continues and why the infamous Nirbhaya gang rape. Similar narratives are repeated for the deaths of they have to die to keep the manual scavengers in cities’ dangerous country clean. drainages: Who cares when they die!
One of the women from the Valmiki community, working as Safai Karamchari on a contractual basis narrated her hope and aspiration from the nation as follow: a well-accepted observation that frequent "I have been doing this work for many years. deaths of India’s sewer workers aren’t a Our men go down the septic tank, and we governance failure – they are rooted in caste. are not sure whether they will come alive Therefore, a campaign to change the mind- or not. Day by day the number of deaths is sets of people is as vital as the programmatic increasing and every other day we hear in intervention for social mobility and human the news of septic tank death. I have three treatment of communities historically children and I don’t want them to do this involved in ‘unclean’ occupations. work, I want a life of dignity for me and my children”. Several studies have shown that although the caste system is eroding in urban centres, Movement like ‘Dalit Lives Matter’ must atrocities against Dalits continue, and the come to the center-stage of socio-political brutality of the physical and sexual assaults consciousness. Manual scavenging is an issue has increased in recent years. Caste does of social and institutional discrimination matter, and it matters much to a caste which that demands social justice as the only is considered “lowest in the hierarchy” - the way out. There is a clarion call to all the Valmikis among Dalits. It must be noted that citizens - beyond Dalit mobilization - to the manual scavengers and those engaged join the movement to respect human life in ‘unclean’ occupations are predominantly and dignity. Every death inside a sewer is a from the Valmiki community. painful reminder of their tragedy to the family members which keeps them wondering: will Atrocities on Valmikis and Dalits are not this ever end? However, for every Indian new and unheard of. In the year 2005, at who dreams of a clean India must begin to Gohana, in Haryana, a whole locality of believe that human life and dignity does Valmikis was burnt down by the dominant matter. The nation that envisages global caste Hindus which led to a migration of leadership for itself cannot allow its citizens 2000 Valmikis from the village. Recently, to suffocate and die in the sewers and pits on 14 September 2020, a 19-year-old Dalit of our mother earth anymore. woman was gang-raped in Hathras in Uttar Author is Researcher Pradesh. After fighting for her life for two at Indian Social Institute, Delhi. weeks, she died in a Delhi hospital. The body of the victim was conspiratorially cremated Lumina 1(4)/2020 Pax 31 International
“For it isn’t enough to talk about peace. One must believe in it. Affairs And it isn’t enough to believe in it. One must work at it.”
Pax Lumina 1(3)/2020 Pax - Eleanor Roosevelt 32 California Francisco Javier PRE The and its SIDENT United States ELECTION J in living memory has been as contentious as been has memory in living No election which candidate one supported. isfinally over,that the election regardlessof are breathingMost relief Americans of asigh minimum to win. to Trump’s 214.Acandidate requires 270 received has Biden 274 size) population electoraldesignated on votes mostly based farso inthe electoral votes (each state is to them call for one candidate or the other, –remain divided too closely and Georgia two Carolina states –North votes). Although Trump’s over of 4million 47.6%(amargin vote won the by popular 50.6%toBiden to asecond term. president in U.S. to not elected be history Dramatic Dramatic President is only the 9th Trump after in office. one just term Trump unseatand President will Donald won has Election the US Biden oe AS ON 09 NOVEMBER 2020 ON 09NOVEMBER AS Pax 1(3)/202033-36 Lumina IAL FROM AMERICA VOICE VOICE
33 Pax Lumina 1(4)/2020 and looting from some protesters on the far left. This came after the earlier rejection by many on the right of Covid-19 prevention measures imposed by health authorities such as wearing masks in public and restrictions of movement. At that time heavily-armed figures showed up in state capitals, even attempting to occupy the State House in Michigan. Recently, the FBI revealed that it had foiled an extremist right-wing plot to For in Joe Biden, we will have kidnap the Democratic Governor of Michigan. a white president who formerly served as vice president to Despite the fear of violence, the election went off peacefully on November 3. Although it America’s first African American took until November 7 to determine the president. In vice president outcome, the days of waiting were peaceful. Kamala Harris, we will have Yet, a number of dangers and challenges lie the first woman to be vice ahead. president and she is the President Trump has yet to concede the daughter of an Indian mother election to his opponent. This is unusual, but very little has been usual about Donald and Jamaican father. Trump. Although Joe Biden has not only won the popular vote but crucially also the Electoral Votes required, Trump has spent the last week making baseless claims of or expensive. For both the right and the vote rigging by the Democratic party, by left of the political spectrum, this election election officials in the states, voter fraud was considered extremely critical - some and imaginary stories of fake ballots ‘found’ arguing that the fate of the nation hung and fraudulently counted. If this continues in the balance - which resulted in record- it will only deepen divisions. The Trump breaking voter participation. campaign has also filed various lawsuits in the ‘battleground states’ where the vote The fear of election violence was a common count was relatively close between Biden and concern. Those on the left worried that Trump, though these are not expected to right wing militia groups with high powered succeed and at least one suit was summarily automatic weapons would intimidate voters or thrown out by a judge for lack of evidence. worse - unleash violence in the case of a Biden win - in Democrat-leaning urban, suburban Perhaps the greatest challenge lies in the and coastal districts. On the right, people realm of social media, in which large portions worried about looting or mob violence on of the public inhabit alternative versions the left in the event of a Trump win. Their of reality – often based on lies, conspiracy fears were not unfounded. theories or slander – which convince them of untruths manufactured by extreme political Violent outbursts had disrupted the mostly forces including foreign governments’ cyber peaceful anti-racist protests against police warfare efforts. Even if these extreme forces violence during the May to July time frame, by and their social media projections do not heavily armed militias and white supremacist result in violence and domestic terror (and groups opposing them from the extreme they have; just examine the criminology of
Pax Lumina 1(3)/2020 Pax right, and mob style destruction of property school shootings, for instance), it still leaves 34 those of hisparty. of those He acommitment outlined to apresident be just not for allAmericans, reconciliation. political and of He promised where once the middle thrives, class again race or gender, commitment of to aneconomy justice of regardless of background belong, where alltone, of anAmerica people of anupbeat He speech. struck rousing victory Joe Biden’s washe win confirmed, gavea the evening SaturdayOn of Nov. 7th,when spectrum. across the political anddivision mistrust the United States vulnerable to persistent could easily lead to Republican legislative could lead easily to legislative Republican scenario 2018.This of elections the midterm had has since it than Democratic majority Representativesof have will aneven slimmer controlled be still The by Republicans. House Senate The will likely government. divided preside 20,2021he will overon January a isinaugurated Joe President Biden When –want it. media and on social the Congress, in the media, inpower –in people great whether extent inreality,possible isgoing to to depend a be fissures will political and of healing peace, of reconciliation thismessage Whether by the outcomedisappointed the election. of empathy who are for supporters Trump even expressed the two parties.He between to compromise and find groundcommon after he has left office. Will they continue to Will continuethey office. after left he has weeks befor figures and media inthe react ten to Trump remains also how politicians It to seen be sixmonths. inthe last passed has Democratic the House majority legislation Senate any the pandemic of financial relief toMcConnell avote from inthe bringing Senator Leader Majority the Republican repeatedly, for of inthe refusal example, orpass aveto. We have obstruction such seen before reaches it the President’s desk for a requires houses inboth legislation passage Biden’s of obstructionism Any vision. reward Donald and Trump’s incendiary often false Tweets with affirmations, often affirmations, false Tweets with interviews, and the public stage on and the on public stage interviews, which his enduring power overwhich hisenduring of the United of prime challenge facing these last challenge facing last these prime people’s opinions rely? past two months in the majority past two months inthe majority almost uncontrolled spread for the has which reached The coronavirus, days of the Trump administration administration the Trump days of e Biden’s and inauguration, then and the early days of Biden’s of days and the early presidency. two Inthe last to the national three weeks, caseload has jumped from jumped caseload has States, is the other isthe other States, 35 Pax Lumina 1(3)/2020 Trump and his Republican allies in Congress holds the cards on the pandemic. And major action seems unlikely. The administration has made clear that their only real plan is a vaccine, but by the time one is ready and can be widely distributed to the entire nation it may be the middle or end of 2021. will effect bipartisan legislative cooperation on the pandemic, from a Republican-dominated Senate, is yet to be seen.
Despite the many challenges the United States around 8 million to 10 million. The country faces, there are three particular reasons for is hitting record daily new cases, nearing one hope. First, despite how contentious the and a half lakhs per day. Deaths have also election was, the greatest fears of violence risen above one thousand per day and are in the streets did not materialize. Second, climbing. At this rate, before inauguration the reactions of world leaders - such as PM day (Jan 20) we could exceed the horror of Modi of India and PM Macron of France - the height of the pandemic in April, with to Biden’s win have, in just these first two hospitals overflowing, refrigerator trucks in days, already been overwhelmingly positive. cities to store the corpses of the dead, mass Trump’s unpredictability and disdain for graves, and an economy locked down and multilateral international cooperation may people out of money and work once again. be a thing of the past. A Biden administration promises to resume cooperation on trade, In the short term, Trump and his Republican security and the environment. Third, despite allies in Congress holds the cards on the the racial injustice in the U.S. which has been pandemic. And major action seems unlikely. so publicly aired this year, the winners of The administration has made clear that their this election show that a multicultural and only real plan is a vaccine, but by the time multiracial America is the future. For in one is ready and can be widely distributed Joe Biden, we will have a white president to the entire nation it may be the middle or who formerly served as vice president to end of 2021. That leaves time for this virus America’s first African American president. to cut a path of destruction much deeper In vice president Kamala Harris, we will and wider than it already has. have the first woman to be vice president The Biden administration in January will likely and she is the daughter of an Indian mother inherit a public health crisis much worse than and Jamaican father. Both Biden and Harris it is today. They are aware of this and thus have given their lives to public service. The have announced a task force on Covid-19 younger generation will have in them leaders being convened imminently to make plans. who exemplify what is possible.
Pax Lumina 1(4)/2020 Pax Whether having new presidential leadership 36 when the rights of one of when the rights "T man areman threatened." man areman diminished he rights of every every of he rights -John F. Kennedy The Perspective Human Human Rights Rights 37 Pax Lumina 1(4)/2020 Elsa Muttathu, PBVM [email protected] Pax Lumina 1(4) / 2020 / 38-41
MANUAL SCAVENGING AND HUMAN RIGHTS
hile one part of humanity lives in opulence, another part sees its own dignity denied, scorned or “Wtrampled upon, and its fundamental rights discarded or violate. What does this tell us about the equality of rights grounded in innate human dignity?” Pope Francis (Fratelli Tutti, Para.22)
India is a land of many contradictions and one of the most outstanding of them is the ability to live in peace with extreme inhumanity in the midst of sublime ‘spirituality’. We boast about ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam,’ India is a land of many while practising untouchability and caste- contradictions and one based discrimination. Our politicians, of the most outstanding immaculately clad, steal the limelight for the ‘Swatch Bharat Abhiyan’ while our unsung of them is the ability heroes disappear in sewers and septic tanks to live in peace with inhaling toxic gases. extreme inhumanity in Imagine a day in the life of a manual scavenger, the midst of sublime who gets up early in the morning to clean ‘spirituality’. and carry human excreta with bare hands or using buckets and brooms or having to descend the sewers and septic tanks
Pax Lumina 1(4)/2020 Pax emanating toxic gases for a livelihood. 38 According to Antonio Gutierrez, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, the implementation The Preamble to the Indian Constitution begins with ‘We the people’ resolved to of the 2030 Agenda secure for all its citizens EQUALITY of for Sustainable status, as well, opportunity and dignity Development ‘must of the individual. Even after 70 years of embody the principles independence and after having brought in the Employment of Manual Scavengers and of inclusiveness, Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) integration and Act, 1993, Prohibition of Employment as ‘leaving no one Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act 2013,manual scavenging is being practised behind’.” unabated in many parts of the country. What is worse is that this particular occupation is associated with caste denigrating some sections of Dalits to a lifelong bondage from which they cannot escape. A typical example What sense of purpose or self-worth of this is the story of Sunil Yadav a BMC will a person gain from such a degrading employee in Mumbai, who inherited his work? Human Dignity and inclusion are father’s job. Despite the fact that he holds central values of the Gospel, Catholic Social a couple of graduate and post-graduate Teaching, Constitution of India and the degrees including a Masters in Social Work United Nations. The Charter of the United from Tata Institute of Social Sciences Nations “reaffirms faith in fundamental Mumbai and is currently a Ph.D scholar on human rights, in the dignity and worth of Manual Scavenging at Babasaheb Ambedkar the human person.” The preamble to the Research and Training Institute (BARTI), Universal Declaration of Human Rights for a living Sunil does manual scavenging (UDHR) recognises “the inherent dignity and was denied promotion from a 4th class and of the equal and inalienable rights of worker to a 3rd class worker! Of his first all members of the human family as the day at work in 2001, Sunil says “The first foundation of freedom, justice and peace day, I was sent to clean a house gully. It had in the world.” Article 1 of UDHR “affirms dead rats and stinking sewage. I thought I that all human beings are born free and was sent to hell.” equal in dignity and rights.” Article 2 talks of the universality of these rights without “Manual scavenging is not a career chosen distinction of caste, class, race gender or voluntarily by workers, but is instead a nationality and insists upon the role and deeply unhealthy, unsavoury and undignified responsibility of the governments to ensure job forced upon these people because of these rights to all its peoples. According to the stigma attached to their caste. The Antonio Gutierrez, the Secretary-General of nature of the work itself then reinforces the United Nations, the implementation of that stigma” said Navi Pillay, the UN High the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Commissioner for Human Rights in 2013. ‘must embody the principles of inclusiveness, One of the objectives of the Swacch Bharat integration and ‘leaving no one behind’.” Abhiyan introduced by PM Narendra Modi Lumina 1(4)/2020 Pax 39 was to eradicate Manual Scavenging. But still an estimated 1.3million people are employed in manual scavenging and 90% Even after 70 years of them women. In 2019, 110 people died while cleaning sewers and septic tanks. of independence and after having brought In 2018, the special Rapporteur to Water in the Employment of and Sanitation to the United Nations Léo Heller remarked, ‘the emphasis on building Manual Scavengers toilets should not 'contribute to violating and Construction of Dry fundamental rights of others, such as those Latrines (Prohibition) engaged in manual scavenging.’ In his report Act, 1993, Prohibition to the 45th session of the Human Rights Council in 2020, he made the following of Employment as recommendation “Establish a monitoring Manual Scavengers system to follow the process of emptying and their Rehabilitation pit latrines under the national programmes, in order to control possible trends of Act 2013,manual increases in manual scavenging practices, scavenging is being ensuring that this practice is not carried practised unabated out in a caste-discriminatory manner.” (A/ in many parts of the HRC/39/55/Add.1, para. 71(n)) country. Human Dignity and Human Rights are inalienable and universal. While there are many mechanisms and Human Rights instruments available, an ignorant and immune citizenry that is blind to the universality of Rights may be instrumental in perpetuating discriminatory and degenerative practices like manual scavenging and caste- the voices of ‘Safai Karmachari Andolan’ a based discrimination, which is a slur on the movement to eradicate Manual scavenging dignity of the nation. led by Bezwada Wilson.
A tool to organise community Do no harm to reclaim their dignity Is Manual scavenging practised in your area? Civil society organizations advocating Who are engaged in this profession? Are for the rights and dignity of the manual they provided with protective gear? How scavenging community have recourse to a socially included are they? Are there policies tool: Rights-Based Litmus Test developed to protect and rehabilitate those employed in by the NGO Mining Working Group at the manual scavenging? If so, what is the level of UN. It is based on four principles:1) Do implementation? What are the monitoring no harm, 2) Eradicate the root causes of mechanisms in place? If the governments fail poverty 3) People as right-holders and 4) in the implementation of effective policies, sustainability. This litmus test can help civil is the Civil society empowered to use the society as well as policymakers to assess National or International mechanisms and monitor the implementation of the like the High-Level Political Forum or the Prohibition Act of 1993 and Prohibition Universal Periodic Reviews to raise the
Pax Lumina 1(4)/2020 Pax and Rehabilitation Act of 2013 and amplify issues during the national reporting. 40 In 2018, the special Rapporteur to Water and Sanitation to the United Nations Léo Heller remarked, ‘the emphasis on building toilets should not 'contribute to violating fundamental rights of others, such as those engaged in manual scavenging.
1) Eradicate the root causes of society? How do we hold the Governments Poverty. as duty-bearers accountable for the non implementation of policies? Is poverty and caste-based discrimination at the root of manual scavenging? What 3) Sustainability. does it do to the sense of dignity of the affected community? How does it address What is a sustainable future for their gender-based discrimination? Are there children when they are shunned in society skill training programmes that will facilitate by reason of their parent’s occupation? a transition to more decent jobs? What What percentage of budget allocation for opportunities do their children have of the rehabilitation of Manual scavengers education to escape the stigma? are effectively used?
2) People as right-holders The unspent budget allocation for the rehabilitation of Manual scavengers and Do those engaged in manual scavenging non implementation of the Acts are not have a choice regarding their job? Their only testaments of indifference and lack children’s future? What rights are denied of political will but gross violation of the them by reason of their birth? What is the rights and dignity of the Dalit Community. level of participation of the community in (Author was the Former NGO Representative, UN) socio-cultural and economic lives of the Lumina 1(4)/2020 Pax 41 Aakar Patel [email protected] Pax Lumina 1(4) / 2020 / 42-43
Shutting Down of Amnesty India
he citation for the Nobel Peace Prize for 1977 opens with this Amnesty’s presence in countries can often paragraph: itself be fluid. In India, the organisation has been represented over the decades by T"Amnesty International is a several disconnected groups. It began five worldwide human rights organization decades ago, about a decade after Amnesty run by its members. It is independent of International was founded, when George all governments and all financial players. It Fernandes was a member. When that first is also independent of political convictions set of members either passed away or and religious faiths.”The independence bit dispersed, another set came. Sometimes refers to Amnesty’s policy of accepting no there was a gap of years when this happened. funding from governments or corporates. Over the decades, several different groups The bit about political convictions refers have come together in India to set up to Amnesty’s desire to engage on human an Amnesty International structure. At rights with all governments even if they are times, they would also have the resource despotic. The thing that is less understood to establish the executive and bureaucracy. about Amnesty is the first line. That it is a The writer Mukul Sharma was the Director movement run by members. The ownership of Amnesty India under one such structure of Amnesty International is not with any a decade and a half or so ago. Others have fixed set of individuals or even with a parent come and gone before him. organisation. It is floating ownership that resides in millions of individuals around News of Amnesty International halting its the world. The members elect boards at the operations in India because of Government national and global level that are empowered action must be seen from this perspective to recruit the executive and the bureaucracy which, as mentioned, is not well understood. (comprised expert professionals such as Amnesty International India said that it researchers, advocates and so on) who was unable to establish organisational do the evidence-gathering that is at the continuity given that its accounts had been core of Amnesty International’s work. The frozen without a trial or conviction. It had members are investors in the human rights no access to resource to defend itself in court Pax Lumina 1(4)/2020 Pax space. Because of this unique structure, or to pay salaries and statutory liabilities. 42 In the recent past, it had reports brought out brought out In the recent had it reports past, them. by often jailing freedom journalists of expression laws of the curbing and the misuse researched it freedomIn Chhattisgarh, of law, and the Public Safety Act. crowd control preventive the and detention of amethod as action pump shotguns of use Forcesthe Armed Powers Special the Act, concerning violations rights on human data) on-ground of of lots evidence with gathering produced long pieces research (usually reports the organisation Kashmir On India. Amnesty the State other issues, On did with not engage has nowThis ended. violence children. sexual against with dealt that of and part aroundgovernments India, and schools with was working it in which education, had aprogrammeIt rights human of issue. Western with working on the same Railways violence. for had also It several years been and improve sexual of the reporting to try and Maharashtrapolice forces inKarnataka had programmes where the with associated it violence. on India as gender based Amnesty body, the rights human with engaged such includesomeThese pieceswhere State the interested had been India that Amnesty in. work to ahalt be rights thehuman lines of Second, that there would immediately. work 160 employeesabout would out of be thatThis two First, would mean things. basis for international action. For example, the basis for international action. For the example, Amnesty’s research are reports as oftenthe used protests brokeAmendment Act violently out. inDelhi after the Citizenship and on the riots in Assam on the National Citizens of Register members of parliament’s motion on India and parliament’smembers of and on India motion concern’, the European particular of Union’s Freedom’s as whichIndia a ‘country marks report States Commission Religious on International the recent United inIndia, rights human StateUS The on Department’s 2020 report alone. the first report four dozen references to in India Amnesty India’sAmnesty There findings. about are on the former isbased president Chile, of Bachelet, Michelle officeholder current the two different commissioners high including whichunder wasout put reports, on these the findings of part large and 2019.Avery in2018 on Kashmir two out reports brought at the United NationsRights for the firsttime CommissionerHigh of the for Human Office International India was theAuthor Former Director Amnesty of and soon. again return will it But often inthe past. for shutdown beenbeen has now it as - there presence. anAmnesty be has will It to isasignatory which India Rights, Human of on the Universal Declaration based liberties stands for freedoms -individual and globally thingsthat of Amnesty believe inthe sort long there as So are who inIndia individuals changing. keep Amnesty) of inthe(members case by voters elected and governments their own make the up UN(nations) are independent continuity. that members the individual But bureaucracy an organised with which has General and a office head ThereSecretary isa to akin something being the United Nations. understood International isbest as Amnesty down. why want to it shut might be agovernment areason credibility as and may seen be also areflection as of the organisation’s seen be gatheredto material by Amnesty. may This allmake reference on India interventions frequent Rapporteurs’ United Nations Special
43 Pax Lumina 1(4)/2020 STAND WITH STAN Pax Lumina 1(4) / 2020 / 44-45
tan Swamy, an 83-year-old Jesuit of in burial or cremation places. In the 1990s, Jamshedpur Province, was arrested the retired bureaucrat-turned-activist BD by India’s high-profile National Sharma and his colleague Bandi Oraon, used Investigation Agency on charges of stone slabs inscribed with constitutional Scolluding with Naxalites and Maoists especially provisions under the Panchayati Raj Act with those accused in Bhima-Koregaon case. and the Fifth Schedule. This came to be In fact, Stan had no association with the known as Pathalgadi. accused and he has never visited the far-off place. The arrest of Stan who championed Through the Persecuted Prisoners Solidarity the cause of the rights of Adivasis over Forum (PPSF), Swamy stood for the innocent their lands, forests, water and resources for Adivasis languishing in jails on fabricated the last four decades is in total violation of allegations. After a study, he found that human dignity and Constitutional rights. of the 102 youth imprisoned, as many as The Jesuits, as they are called the world 97% said allegations against them were over, have been at the cutting edge of the unfounded. The government had imposed struggles of the poor and the marginalised the harshest law, the Unlawful Activities for almost five centuries. Stan’s mission is (Prevention) Act on them without evidence. in resonance with the Universal Apostolic Stan exposed the deplorable conditions Priority of the Jesuits to ‘walk with the in jail, and the repressive measures by excluded.’ the authorities without court sanction. The large number of acquittals eventually What is the ‘crime’ that Stan Swamy vindicated his stand. allegedly committed? He demanded the implementation of PESA (The Panchayats Stan’s arrest has invited widespread -Extension to the Scheduled Areas - Act) criticism and protests both nationally of 1996 which was introduced in the late and internationally. Civil society members, 1990s as a legislative means of promoting intellectuals, social activists, religious groups self-governance in rural areas through the and journalists have reacted vehemently creation of local village bodies. But it is against the unlawful arrest and judicial perpetually sought to be diluted, bypassed custody of Stan and demanded his immediate and sabotaged. release by staging peaceful protests and fasting in many places. The economic and social problems of Adivasis The bail petition filed earlier on health are rooted in the gradual displacement ground was rejected and Fr Stan continues from their customary lands. The Forest to be in the Jail. The next step is to move Rights Act, 2006 was enacted to secure the High Court with a bail petition on the the rights of Adivasis to their lands and basis of the ten thousand page long charge forests. It is still on papers and they have sheet. Let us hope that justice will be done been consistently denied of land ownership and truth will triumph at the end. rights. Stan has been supportive of the Pathalgadi Movement, a traditional practice (Source: www.standwithstan.jcsaweb.org
Pax Lumina 1(4)/2020 Pax Jesuit Conference of South Asia) of honouring ancestors by placing stone slabs 44 he is seen as a dangerous enemy of this of enemy government? adangerous as seen he is then that with, aresurprise it a Is fighting. solidarity inunflinching who hestands theand Adivasis, young these that as Swamy powerful as adversaries is It UAPA!him under to implicate thethe of that NIA venality they are trying of the is a gentlerkinder and person. It sign to imagine wouldSwamy difficult It from be ashram his Ranchi. at Stan has The NIA FatherforciblyOctogenarian taken democracy. secular requiresonly People to silent. be to need restore the breakmust this silence. For to evil succeed, the good accepted.to be cannot silence the We people. This draconian Many the by are government used laws being himbai grant togovernment fair be least at and towards to stop. the Iappeal must violence. This No inanyviolence Jesuit indulge entice or anyone will us. be will it Today headed. is Swamy, wascountry Stan it tomorrow forcing is limits”.all where It to us about ponder the “crossed communities, has otherand marginalised for years infaraway places to reach Adivasis Dalits, Swamy,of arrest The been inJharkhand who had working #
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Communist Party (Marxist) India of Lawyer, Supreme Court of India of SupremeLawyer, Court - Prashant Bhushan Chief Minister,Chief Jharkhand - Sitaram Yechury - Shashi Tharoor- Shashi - Hemant Soren - Harsh Mander Human Right Activist Right Human WITH General Secretary, Congress Leader STAN l.
the lives livelihoods adivasis. and of the profits precedence of mining take companies over to suppress silence for and them; because this regime, is That why seeks adivasis. of governement the rights for the alifetime fighting spent Swamy has Stan Tribal). (self-reliant Adivasi” for beats Father heart My for who “worked Stan, Atmanirbhar the tribe as away life. as of the tribe that what for theywere justice and hope is arresting arrestedgovernment himfor conspiracy, one realized the When survive. may world imagination its and Swamy 83represented at Stan that ahope the tribal executedstrategically is a plan. Stan of Fr arrest saint.The years. He for aliving forty I knowFrStan is the past Jesuits involvement Dalits is and the among Adivasis an option. This is an option an is to This with option. walk an the excluded Swamy, immediate demand release refrain and from caring and defending the rights of the the of and poor the defending and rights caring arbitrary arrests of innocent law abiding citizens. abiding innocent law of arrests arbitrary India and strongly condemn strongly India and the Fr. of arrest Stan vulnerable over all the world, insolidarity stand with Stan and other human rights defenders in other rights and human with Stan We, Jesuits as involved education, of inworks - Social Justice and Ecology and Justice Ecology -Social
- Fr Stanislaus D'Souza SJ D'Souza - FrStanislaus - Ramachandra Guha -Ramachandra
- Shiv Viswanathan -Shiv Secretariat (SJES) Secretariat Provincial of South Asia Provincial South of Society of Jesus, of Rome Society - MedhaPatkar Author and Historian for truth and justice Scholar and Activist Scholar Social Activist Social Social Activist Social - Dayabai
45 Pax Lumina 1(4)/2020 A Hero from the Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a Excluded mighty stream.
Pax Lumina 1(4)/2020 Pax - Martin Luther King Jr. 46 Space Pax Lumina 1(4) / 2020 / 47-50 J Devika [email protected] Abject People, Abject Space, and a Hero Who Fought it: Recollections of Fieldwork in an Ex-Manual Scavenger Settlement
And not long after I began going there, I learned the history of how an ‘abjected’ space, a marshy, inhospitable, swamp, was joined to a people who were abjected by the harsh norms of caste that prevailed in the erstwhile kingdom of Travancore in the 1940s. rom 2013 to nearly 2017, I was a frequent And how, despite much visitor to a prominent city-slum in struggle and some gains, Thiruvananthapuram. I went there as a researcher on urban governance the place continued to Fthrough women in Thiruvananthapuram, be abjected – even after Kerala, but was actually more curious to the ex-scavengers were learn of the nature of urban socio-economic disadvantage in post-1990 Kerala. I will moved to Kerala’s first call the place Kulamnagar. Despite many government-sponsored improvements, especially through the housing for the socially- Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal excluded people, a place Mission (JNURRM) housing, there was only one word to describe the place: abject. now known as MSK Nagar. And not long after I began going there, I learned the history of how an ‘abjected’ Lumina 1(4)/2020 Pax 47 space, a marshy, inhospitable, swamp, was joined to a people who were abjected by the harsh norms of caste that prevailed in the erstwhile kingdom of Travancore in the 1940s. And how, despite much struggle and some gains, the place continued to be abjected – even after the ex-scavengers All equally bore the were moved to Kerala’s first government- stigma of being the sponsored housing for the socially-excluded rejects of the traditional people, a place now known as MSK Nagar. janma-bhedam order A muddy swamp adjacent to an old abandoned of caste and the effects serpent-grove and a pond where death of colonial capitalism, rituals of the members of a nearby Brahmin and this commingled settlement were conducted, the land which later became Kulamnagar from the late seamlessly with that of 1930s onwards was not just considered unfit the manual scavengers for human habitation, it was considered and the land that haunted. However, this (and the edges of accepted them. other swampy areas in the city) was the place where the Dalit people who were brought to the capital city of Thiruvananthapuram in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as scavengers could set up their habitations without being challenged and evicted by the caste elites. They were part of the new arrangements for city sanitation: a modern, cheated by upper caste lovers, inter-caste scientific arrangement, so it was claimed. couples, young and orphaned heirs of Nair Yet, it was an edifice built on the clay feet families who escaped attempts to murder of the evil of casteism. People who were by greedy uncles and relatives, besides a expected to clean the city and thereby large number of Dalit Tamil families who protect the health of its residents were engaged in the Municipal sanitation work. banished to the city’s peripheries, to the Many of these refugees of caste, gender, most unhealthy and insanitary spaces. and capitalism became head-loaders in the nearby bustling market; the women did How these people took over these areas and odd jobs and low-skill labour. All equally made them places of their own are stories bore the stigma of being the rejects of the that must be told some day. They were clearly traditional janma-bhedam order of caste not just inhabited by the lower caste manual and the effects of colonial capitalism, and scavengers who were brought in from the this commingled seamlessly with that of neighboring Tamil areas. Indeed, the oral the manual scavengers and the land that sources that I collected from Kulamnagar accepted them. revealed a much wider spectrum of people who settled down there in the mid-20th One of the heroes of this settlement who century. They included Muslim merchant- appeared in the memories of the senior families who enjoyed considerable prosperity residents there is worth remembering: I before they were plunged into losses and shall call him Isaac. He was a Dalit man destitution because of the Great Depression, from the neighbouring Aryanad, who working class, lower caste women who ran shifted to Thiruvananthapuram and became Pax Lumina 1(4)/2020 Pax away from oppressive husbands or were sanitation worker in the 1940s with the 48 But even if such practices were undermined, clearly, they would leave a trace, powerful enough to subject the people and their place to disgrace, for decades later. At least that is what I learned from my research on Kulamnagar.
Thiruvananthapuram Municipality, one around the land between these two places. of the earliest labour leaders there. As a He was not superstitious at all – he would child, he had mastered exorcism from his regularly urinate inside the sacred grove grandfather – he hailed from a long line and wasn’t ever afraid! Gradually, people of traditional Pulaya exorcists. But later, stopped being scared of the place, and the he was converted to Christianity while grove shrank to just a few trees and then still a teenager by the missionaries of the almost disappeared.” London Missionary Society and received a basic education from them. He had to flee Yet, this man’s biography also reveals how his village, however, after falling in love the stigma persisted – and how scavenging, and eloping with a young Nair woman. even when it came to be recognized as Reaching Thiruvananthapuram, he signed labour – continued to add new layers of up as a manual scavenger. The land on stigma. Kulamnagar’s later notoriety was which Kulamnagar now stands was the only as a key site of illicit liquor manufacture refuge for the penniless young couple. His and drugs peddling in the city. Many of daughter told us of a story that she had our interviewees in the 40-50 age-group heard being told and retold at home when remembered the Kulamnagar of their youth she was a child, in the 1960s: “ People used and late childhood as tense and fraught to be very scared of the spirits of the dead with danger, with drunkards, illicit liquor- and the serpents in the sacred grove that sellers, and drug-pushers making things were supposed to haunt this place. Papa was very difficult. This was in contrast with the not scared – he strode boldly towards the memories of older women – one of them, wild area where the serpent-grove stood, a for example, remembered two thieves little away from the tank – and built a fence among the earliest residents of Kulamnagar Lumina 1(4)/2020 Pax 49 Isaac’s story, then, strikes one as unbearably tragic. As someone who fought – to a considerable extent, successfully – to bring dignity and rights for sanitation workers, Isaac was a hero. Yet, the very nature of the work that he did – that of scavenging – which could not be done without dulling the senses somehow, with strong liquor mostly, ultimately consumed him. He was addicted to it. His children recollected how cruel he could become at times – how the job simply gnawed away at his humanity – and how they and their mother could only watch, helpless. The Nair-born wife stood by his side till the very end, knowing well that the deterioration was beyond their control. It was the work that destroyed a man of immense ability, conviction, and courage – work imposed on him by a merciless tradition that was simply reinforced by an – one was a “traditional” thief, who plied equally ruthless ‘modernity’ that denied his trade in far-off places, and the other sanitary lives to sanitation workers and dug up the copper pots from the mud in condemned those who protected the city’s the tank-bed and sold them. They did not health to the most unhealthy conditions. seem viciously criminal, unlike the figures that emerge in the accounts of the younger Kulamnagar continues to bear the stigma women, who remembered outright criminals even though the unionised sanitation striding around the place. Isaac’s daughters workers moved away to their own housing remembered that the men at Kulamnagar colony provided by the government. The had always been heavy drinkers – because of new colony, the MSK Nagar, also bears the the kind of work they did. “Remember, our same stigma. father used to get down into the sewers to clean them – not a job anyone can do unless Kerala’s record on manual scavenging is not dead-drunk. And the others too needed a entirely clean. Yet, we live in the illusion strong drink – those who stripped the hides that the working class' democratic upsurges off dead carcasses and the butchers too.” of the mid-20th century swept the rotten Initially, they would get in from outside; legacies of caste-ridden work away. But and soon, a female migrant desperate for even if such practices were undermined, income began to brew and sell it for the clearly, they would leave a trace, powerful residents. The troubles began when the enough to subject the people and their market extended outside Kulamnagar with place to disgrace, for decades later. At least outsiders becoming customers. Soon, it that is what I learned from my research on became uncontrollable as the illicit liquor- Kulamnagar. makers and traders acquired connections with local policemen and officials. “Our The author is a feminist researcher and father used to consume quite a bit,” said teacher at Centre for Development Studies, one of them, about Isaac in the 1960s. “But Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. he knew that things were moving in a bad way. He began to secretly inform the police
Pax Lumina 1(4)/2020 Pax of these elements.” 50 S rights and privileges. They are bribed with with are They bribed and privileges. rights arein Bihar completely unaware their of untouchability. According Dalits to Sudha, of the evil whofought against Ambedkar Sister Sudha isgreatly inspired B.R by Dr Constitution. India inthe envisaged Rights their Fundamental education and madelegal them aware of to them inspiration.meaning imparted She residential inPatna school named women inBihar. a In2005she established and life foradvocacy skills and Dalit girls literacy, healthcare, vocational training, voice), anot-for-profit organisation for For thisshe founded by providing education and employment. women was to empowering thrust major and violenceharassment, them. Her against rape, of sexual cases particularly faced abuse, study lawcases tofor fight have womenwho resigned ateacher her jobas and went on to Notreof Dame to work for the poor. She elder sister. In1965she the joined Sisters is affectionately called ‘didi’which means arewho considered the "untouchables". She Pradesh, and Uttar community inBihar Pax 1(4)/202051 Lumina Musahars Didi on this. mumkeep and officials other politicians from and the administration, allcorners, exploited They isfulfilled. motive aretheir for out vote no one but turns them once liquor, for elections food and during money herself toherself the Musahar, the Dalit and aCatholic devoted nun has who hailing from the State Kerala India of r. Sudha Varghese worker isasocial
of the Nari Gunjan Nari (woman's (woman's Prerna, Prerna,
I chose toI chose inBihar,” spend says Sr.Sudha. ahundredand died deaths in50years that untouchables. “Ihave lives lived athousand continues her prophetic mission for the Award Padma Civilian She prestigious Shri. Award. In2006,she was awarded the with Award Saman Asmita andBihar Bihar Award, Samaritan Good Philips Corporate securedSudha many has awards such as back to my home inDanapur,” she recalls. me this life.given was after It that I moved goons whosome don’t my own life. has God me thatupon Ican’t fear to my lose life to then the realisation Road. But dawned Bailey and was forced to live inarented flat at my home inDanapur due to death threats any Ihadcould to killed moment. be leave were whenIfeared daysand nights that I miserable state inBihar. the poor of There caste of system, the evils and theabout “I was unaware India. inNorth the poor moreSudha spent five than among decades 51 Pax Lumina 1(4)/2020 BOOK Dominic Palakeel REVIEW [email protected] Pax Lumina 1(4) / 2020 / 52-54 THE UNSEEN by Basha Singh However hard they struggle to break off the chain, they eventually fall into the same loop. It is this social predicament that is the topic of Basha Singh’s scintillating work THE UNSEEN.
veryone must be his own (Hindi) in 2012. The English version of scavenger” said Mahatma the same book was published in 2014 Gandhi. When he said it, translated by Reenu Talwar with the title what he had in his mind was Unseen by Penguin. The relevance of the “Enot the taboo associated with the work but content and the lucid style of narration the fact of stigmatizing certain sections of turned the book an instant hit with wide people with this kind of work. It is many public acclaim. “This eye-opening book is years since Gandhi said it, but the social an unsettling mirror that brings us face reality is surprisingly the same, where the to face with a side of India that most of unpleasant burden of clearing the dirt of us have learnt not to hear, see, or feel”, the society still rests with a few unfortunate said noted economist. Jean Dreze. ones. However hard they struggle to break off the chain, they eventually fall in to the 'Unseen' exposes the plight of manual same loop. It is this social predicament that scavengers across eleven Indian States. is the topic of Basha Singh’s scintillating The removal of human excreta from work the Unseen. toilets without flush-systems is described as manual scavenging. The author shows Bhasha Singh is an independent that the septic tank or pits are usually journalist, activist and writer. As a cleaned at night. Though both men and journalist her focus has been on agrarian women are employed, the dry latrines are distress in north India, the politics and usually serviced only by women. Singh ground realities of nuclear plants and argues that the people who are forced issues of Dalit, gender, and minority to carry out this degrading work remain rights. She published her first book on invisible, and are pushed to the margins
Pax Lumina 1(4)/2020 Pax manual scavenging, Adrishya Bharat, of society. The book tells more about the 52 aspects of an abhorring task as this. This this. as task anabhorring of aspects dwelling on the theoretical and ethical who do suchaworkpeople rather than law machinery responsible forlaw the machinery Power’ andof the government targets on the doors States. Part two: ‘knocking involvedpeople across init the different and accounts the practice of well as as invisible the cases ‘the deals with India’ Part one: into isdivided two parts. book 2006to 2012,this Singh by Bhasha written A compilation several of articles existence.social andfrom demeaning thisstigmatised to liberated get communities are trying how women fromhighlights such Focussing more on women, thisbook practice suchinhuman of ispresented. to liberate themselves from the clutches the fierce desire and constant struggle Secondly,the way live and people think. practicebased dictates and influences primarily, evil: social how thiscaste- attemptsbook to cover two facets this of Singh. As a result, today, aresult, As Singh. when aman says scavengingmanual illegal, Ms. that thislaw achieved has isto make tolittle ameliorate the situation. All done unfortunately has but it very Bill Scavengers and theirRehabilitation Prohibition Manual Employmentas of the passed 2012, the Union Government the scavengers. manual of in Infact, the plight home thiswork: through drive thatthe point the author attempts to released from thishell.” Thisis exactly caste are interlinked, be we not will long scavenging manual and as our As on forehead. our casteour iswritten anybody inthisworld.because Thisis makes it no die, differencepeople to our “If her research blankly: out points of part as whom the author interviews one the scavengers manual of Laxmi, Railways. the Indian invisible scavengers manual working for on the revealing has also articles part eradication thispractice. of second The 53 Pax Lumina 1(4)/2020 crawls into a septic tank to carry out excrement in buckets upon his head, he is actually breaking the law! Since the government has failed to provide This book offers a thought- alternative employment opportunities provoking reading of to these communities, the essence of the one of the marginalised Bill remains to be an utopian dream. communities in India. The book details the plight of manual Presenting people of scavengers particularly their social life and blood in real status, deplorable working conditions, pathetic safety measures, and the life situation, the book agonizing self pity with which each one provides a captivating lives. Going beyond a mere depiction reading that is capable of of the existing situation in a pan India scale, the book also raises pertinent stirring the conscience of questions about the caste bindings in the the reader. modern Indian society. It depicts manual scavengers battling deep-rooted social stigmas as they try to take up other means of livelihoods. Owing to their so called lower status in the caste hierarchy, several instances in the book where she finding any sort of employment other emotionally gets involved in the topic than manual scavenging is not easy as which invariably weakens her own claims it is stiffly resisted, even belittled by the of dispassionate portrayal. The outrage rest of the groups. The untold stories that she demonstrates on behalf of this of double oppression of women are admittedly ill-treated community seems brought to the fore through the stirring to overshadow the massive research testimonies of women scavengers. Ms effort that she must have undertaken for Singh has unearthed a poignant fact: a book of this scale. Similarly, there are that they are hugely bitter about the fact instances of the author losing focus of that over the centuries, they have been her central topic and lavishly devoting unseen and unheard because an ostrich- pages on other issues outside the like society has buried its head in the purview of her focus. For instance, while sand, unwilling to deal with the issue. talking about the situation of the manual The book also peeps into the policies and scavengers in Kashmir, she gets carried laws made in their name and analyses to away by stories about the violence of what extent they have been successful. the armed forces against the civilians So in that way, it acts as a sign board for considering the scope of her work it was policy-makers and social activists. irrelevant to the narrative. The author passionately narrates the This book offers a thought-provoking heart wrenching stories of the manual reading of one of the marginalised scavengers with a great empathy for communities in India. Presenting people them. But at times the style of narration of life and blood in real life situation, the gives the impression that her own self book provides a captivating reading that imposed tag of “manual scavenging is capable of stirring the conscience of journalist” does away with the objectivity the reader. that is necessary for a research oriented Pax Lumina 1(4)/2020 Pax work like the present one. There are 54 BOOK Nishant A. Irudayadason REVIEW [email protected] Pax Lumina 1(4) / 2020 / 55-57 CASTE MATTERS by Suraj Yengde This book is a wonderful piece of autoethnographic literature, drawing inspiration from different disciplines to analyse the complex realities of India from a Dalit perspective.It challenges our moral and political consciousness not only to become aware of the human rights violations suffered by the Dalits, but also to subscribe to a philosophy that would enable us to join hands with Dalits in their struggle to end such violations.
This book has six chapters. In his introduction, the author shares his personal memory of his loving he author of the book Caste grandmother, besides all the struggles Matters, Suraj Yengde, has stirred that he had to undergo at a very young controversy about the reality of age that include, poverty, lack of access being a Dalit. The author has chosen to sanitation, doing odd jobs, having Tto critically analyse the deplorable Indian been treated unjustly and witnessing reality aggravated by caste discrimination violence to back up his claim how “the and the practice of untouchability from an strict apartheid based on caste and experiential perspective, thus presenting religion retains absolute sanctity, giving it as a memoir. A Dalit or a Tribal reading little or no occasion to understand this narrative can resonate with his life the humanity of the ‘lowly’, ‘polluted’ experiences. Caste discrimination as a lived or‘unmeritocratic’ Dalit”. He chose to reality of the author adds credibility to adopt the Socratic method of dialogue by his analysis of inhuman practices against placing in the forefront the dialogues of the Dalits, ranging from verbal abuse to two great Indian heroes who fought caste instances of sexual violence against Dalit discrimination - Mahatma Phule and women. Dr Ambedkar. Lumina 1(3)/2020 Pax 55 In the first chapter titled “Being a them in strong words. Dalit”, Yengde shows that, despite the equality of rights guaranteed to all by the Yengde notes in the fourth chapter titled Constitution, the Dalits are subjected to “The Dalit Middle Class”, that with the systemic discrimination annotated with rise of the Dalit middle class, emerged personal examples of being ridiculed Dalit consciousness that could destroy and taunted. Referring to Heidegger’s “collective amnesia of vicious Brahmin existential ontology of Time, the author supremacy”. He observes that the Dalit claims being a Dalit is to have a limited Middle class is inspired by the vision ownership of existence and “Time in the of Ambedkar and sees organized revolt Dalit experience could be understood as against injustice along with Education a deprivation of privilege where the body as the path to success. He speaks of the politic is facilitating the civic death.” need for “frontal Dalit attack on all forms The second chapter titled “Neo-Dalit of human bigotry.” In the fifth chapter Rising” surprisingly discusses many titled “Dalit Capitalism”, he criticises recent events to assert the humiliation the view of some Dalits that economic and degradation that Dalit officials face success will lead to Dalit empowerment. from among their peers, thus showing Whatever economic success Dalits may “the inadequacies of legal provisions in achieve, “without a dynamic vision for the absence of society’s willingness to the future, they would remain merely acknowledge its prejudices”. a gaggle of geese”. The final chapter titled “Brahmins against Brahminism” The third chapter titled “Many Shades of traces the historic anti-caste movements Dalits” highlights the recent awareness in which some Brahmins played a among the Dalits to assert their culture significant part. in music and the fine arts coupled with humanistic values and scientific temper. The book is meritorious, at least for However, there are always obstacles to two important reasons. Firstly,Yengde’s this aspiration due to various factors analysis of the question of Dalits within including the subcastes among the the social, economic and political Dalits. Yengde notes that there are 1200 narratives of India is comprehensive. Dalit subcastes and 4000 sub-subcastes He touches upon many vital issues of - all of them want to maintain their the contemporary India including the unique historical and cultural identity violence done to Dalit girls and boys but “forced into Hindu untouchability”. who marry other caste people. He puts Sadly, there is stratification among forward Dalit love charged with political these subcastes, which has resulted in vision as “an effective antidote to the the neglect of some groups who are malady of caste,” “an intense force of “co-opted by Hindutva forces into their fraternity”, and “the only force in India projects of violence”. Further, the Dalit that can accommodate the ignorant and leaders, who are supposed to represent uphold the virtues of compassion”. He the Dalit cause, “work under the tutelage has presented a detailed discussion on of their Brahmin bosses who thrive capitalist economy and cautions how in the Brahminical ecosystem”. More Baniaization(Baniya referring to caste importantly, he classifies the Middle- involved in business - whom Ambedkar class Dalits as Token Dalits, Elite Dalits, calls “worst parasitic class known to Self-obsessed Dalits and Radical Dalits history”) of Dalit groups will create “a not only to highlight the differences toxic condition of oppression by the among them that make it impossible for oppressed”. He vehemently criticises Pax Lumina 1(4)/2020 Pax them to join hands but also to criticise capitalist ideology in uncompromising 56 laid the foundationlaid black liberation of he favours the approach the latter of who white supremacy, against their struggle T. Washington and W.E.B. in Dubois Booker leaders century the twentieth of the approaches two eminent of black to have racial equality. discussing While inthe US the Blacks of and the struggle for Dalit to have rights equal the struggle interesting comparative between analysis Secondly, the author makes an caste capitalist market. the new within out caste oppressions carried everyday while remaining blind to the local, order the as centralimperial problem squarelyIndia to points the Western debate movements“the in the left of because discourse” inthe left agentless Inhiswords, Dalit “the remainsleft. remark the political about pertinent to the Dalit question, he makes a inreference at India length of landscape the political discussing terms: While laments thatlaments unlike where the US the Dalitsof to have life, adignified he to approach asimilar inthe struggle the author subscribes education. While power and of higher freedom, equality on dignity, human political rights, civil Jnana-Deepa Vidyapeeth, Pune. Vidyapeeth, Jnana-Deepa Professor Ethics, and Philosophy of IrudayadasonNishant A. to end suchviolations. in theirstruggle would to Dalits us enable join with hands to aphilosophy that to also but subscribe suffered violations by the rights Dalits, only tonot becomeaware the human of moralour consciousness and political from challenges aDalit perspective.It the complexanalyse realities India of inspiration from different disciplines to literature,autoethnographic drawing pieceof isa book wonderful This the post-independent India. society. However, in the case thisisnot casteof have ostracised by the been intheir fight for eradicationAmbedkar Brahmins who backed and Phule up to show how manyfrom young history any evidence caste group and gives to careful not malign is particularly caste The author people. high so-called from suchcontribution lacks the India rights, civil the Black of in support could people offervoices critical White
57 Pax Lumina 1(4)/2020 REPORT Pax Lumina 1(4) / 2020 / 58
XLRI-LIPI CERTFICATE PROGRAMME Peace Studies 2020
he third batch of the certificate The members of the faculty are known for programme in peace studies jointly their profound professional competence, organized by XLRI , Jamshedpur educational leadership and research experience. and LIPI, Kochi is in the final Dr. K. Babu Joseph (Former Vice Chancellor of Tstage and the convocation is scheduled to Cochin University of Science and Technology) be held on 21 November 2020. The students, is the Principal Advisor. Prof. Dr. M.P. Mathai 50 in number, represent a cross-section of (Adjunct Professor, Gujarat Vidyapeeth) is India from almost all the regions of India. the Dean of the Faculty. Dr. Jacob Thomas Among them are professionals, teachers, (IAS, Retd.) is the Academic Coordinator. social workers, religious, lawyers, college Other members of the faculty include Dr. students and researchers. The course aims at Paramjyot Singh (Director, Centre for Peace strengthening of right attitudes and values and Justice, XLRI), Dr. Denzil Fernandes along with enhancing professional skills. (Director, ISI-Delhi), Dayabai (Social Activist), Dr. Augustine Pamplany (Director, ISR-Aluva), Loyola Institute of Peace and International Dr. S. Painadath (Director, Sameeksha, Kalady), Relations (LIPI) is the Nodal Platform for Prof. Dr. K.M. Mathew(KUFOS, Kochi), Roy Peace and Reconciliation of the South Asian M. Thottam(Coordinator, Art & Peace, LIPI), Jesuit Assistancy which aims at creating an Prof. Dr. Neena Joseph (Former Professor, atmosphere of peace with a multi-pronged Institute of Management in Government), approach. LIPI is academic in nature, spiritual Dr.Sr. Beena Jose (Principal, Vimala College, in vision and interdisciplinary in approach. Trissur), Toby Joseph (Atmamitra, Kalady), Collaboration and networking with similar Dr. Babu Joseph (Former Director, National institutes sharing a common vision is a major Institute of Naturopathy, Pune) and Dr. Binoy dimension of LIPI. Accordingly, it has a tie up Pichalakkattu (Director, LIPI). with XLRI-Xavier School of Management, Jamshedpur. XLRI is one of the premier To the participants the course provides business schools in India. The Centre for a thorough understanding of peace and Justice and Peace (CJP) is a new initiative justice. It familiarizes them with leading of XLRI launched in 2019. practices of conflict management and conflict transformation. Besides, the students are The course content includes: Understanding equipped with practical skills in teamwork peace and justice; Structural inequalities and interpersonal relations. Ultimately, they and human rights; Conflict transformation; experience peace and act as Ambassadors of Identity, violence and peace; Communal Peace. For the Management promoting peace harmony; Inner peace in times of covid-19; is a vision and a mandate. Holistic approaches o health care; Science and peace; Art and peace. Assessment is based on Director, XLRI-LIPI Peace Studies Programme assignments and project work. The project Lumen/Jjyothis, Ponoth Road, Kaloor work is supervised by competent faculty of Kochi - 682 017. [email protected] www.lipijesuits.org / Mob: (+91) 94974 45381 Pax Lumina 1(4)/2020 Pax XLRI-LIPI. 58 S (Former Vice Chancellor, CUSAT) Joseph KBabu Dr PerspectiveA Mathematical and Humanities: ofScience Unity however, make ample use of logic in their however, intheir logic make of ample use from the ‘math pest’. Science and humanities, free areHumanities to extent, maintained, alarge presentation, mathematizable. or isat least, employs either mathematicsdescription, inits Pax 1(4)/202059-61 Lumina is anonlineportaltodiscussthebasicandadvancedconceptsin of intellectualof activity. Science any of regardedbeen separate as compartments cience have and humanities traditionally contemporary ScienceandTechnology.contemporary Itfacilitates onlinetalks Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Technology, and andHistory Loyola InstitutePeace of Loyola Kochi) Relations, &International and conversationsontopicsinMathematics, (An Initiative of LIPI SCIENCE FORUM SCIENCE LIPI of Initiative (An Philosophy ofScience. LIPI SCIENCETALKS
of Mathematics, the famous mathematician Mathematics,of the famous mathematician The Principles itself. Inhisbook, 19th century inthe Boole, including George and logicians, was noted by several mathematicians theory That thereset and are parallels logic between indicative the of existence symmetry. a deep of as abstractsame may This algebra. be construed are different theory set representationsof the and ispointed that out it logic In thistalk, to appreciate allknowledge. of the unity theory, and set one enabling logic between therefore, is, It natural a toconnection seek mathematics. via relatedbeing theory to set and the sciences, latter humanities both through isastrong thread that runs Logic an thrive. which no discipline without reasoning, of finding universalscience application as the on thetheory, foundationbuilt set of logic application. its of Mathematicsdegree is adifference with formulation, but inthe
WEBNER SERIES
59 Pax Lumina 1(4)/2020 and philosopher, Bertrand Russell, refers to this symmetry as duality, but downplays its importance. It may be noted that the basic material dealt with in logic is propositions, while that set theory is sets.
After demonstrating the duality between logic and set theory, we argue that the symmetry between them may be broken by the peculiarities and ambiguities of particular languages. Further investigations are called for.
Thanks to advancements in Computer Science and Information Technology, Data Science and Data Analytics have emerged as powerful tools.
The speaker discusses a range of topics such as axiomatic formulation, subjective and fuzzy approaches, probability and Data Science. He argues that science does not deal with reality but with models of reality. He introduces Probability, statistical model building through random variables, probability distributions and stochastic Statistics processes. The steps involved in model building are explained and illustrated with respect to and Data Science epidemic modelling in the context of COVID 19. The importance of data and the challenges posed Dr K K Jose Kanichukattu by Big Data are explained in detail. Data Science (Hon. Director, School of Mathematics is an interdisciplinary field that uses scientific & Statistics, M.G. University, Kottayam) methods, processes, algorithms and systems to extract knowledge and insights from both structured and unstructured data. All decisions andomness and uncertainty exist in our life in management and health sciences, business and probability deals with its quantification. and planning, research RThis measurability of uncertainty is one and development are of the greatest discoveries in science which data driven today. Data led to the development of Statistics. It is the science is regarded as a science of taking wise decisions in the face of fourth paradigm of science uncertainty based on systematically collected (empirical, theoretical, data. Statistics has become the new technology computational and now for advancement in all disciplines including data-driven). biological and physical sciences, managerial and social sciences, health sciences and engineering.
Pax Lumina 1(4)/2020 Pax The contemporary era is driven by Big Data. 60 T CRISPR/CAS9 technique. CRISPR/CAS9 reference special with to Sciences and in Genetic recent developments of in the light critically this controversial situation controversy. of a storm will discuss speaker The created has sciences areas, and other technology applications inmedical enormous With methods. and more reliable previous than gene editing technique gene which editing isfaster, cheaper the genomes future of isa generations. CRISPR DNA only theirown but not tochoose modify raised profound may how people questions about editing. However, has technical ability thisnew genome organisms DNA by guided of modify cellular repairusing and processes to intervene have for looking been biologists molecular years, exceptionalwith and precision. ease For many organisms change the DNA living sequences of Fellow,International Oxford, University of UK) &TORCH Trissur College, Vimala (Principal, Sr.Dr Jose Beena Challenges and Prospects Technique: Gene Editing Scan QR Code to watch Video | Subscribe to to QRCode watchScan |Subscribe Video and organisms have made it possible to and organisms have to made possible it modifications inthe genomesof cells for site-specific making echnologies LIPI Science Talks Science LIPI Thodupuzha & Visiting Associate, IUCAA, Pune) IUCAA, Associate, Visiting & Thodupuzha (Head Physics, Newman of College, the Dept. of JoeDr Jacob of theU Perception in the Milestones will also be discussed. discussed. be also will the Gravitational waves of recentthe detection the Universeof facilitatedlandscape through window of a The opening intoetc. a broader like telescopes, space launching of telescopes in science, especially, instruments of the use in thisarea by the advancements about brought focus will on the tremendousspeaker progress inventions/new The to ideas which led it. Universe now, as of and the circumstances/ the milestonesabout inthe perception the of is The talk firstand twenty early centuries. was acquiredknowledge of the twentieth during which four the greater of last centuries, chunk Astronomy came into existence the only during now we as know knowledge of the body of part A insights about the Universe. The major the Universe. about Themajor insights yet is vibrant it new in contributing stronomy isone the oldest of sciences,
niverse
Channel. 61 Pax Lumina 1(4)/2020 ART P. Surendran AND [email protected] PEACE
Music of Silence and Colours Pax Lumina 1(4) / 2020 / 62-65
reat masters say that music is the noblest among the arts. This glorious placement is given to music may be because it is an art that breaks all Gnational and cultural boundaries. Hence all genuine artists try to break the boundaries. According to Walter Pater, the English art critic, “All art aspires to the condition of music.” This is true of the abstract paintings of Madam P, the Turkish painter. She had no formal training from any school of art. She inherited the skill from her parents.
Madam P was born in Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark, in 1975. As a child she used to wander about in the gardens of Copenhagen and to carve certain drawings on the snow flakes. Looking through her window she felt
Pax Lumina 1(4)/2020 Pax Madam P elated upon seeing the passersby on the street 62 enjoy her drawings on snow. Since that early time itself, she took painting to her heart as a mode of thinking and style of living.
When she was 14 years old she started drawing pictures using oil paint on larger canvas .In every series, she employed different languages; a colorful sail to the blissful experiences. The WhatsApp messages Madam P sent even during this pandemic season are full of hope.
Like many other artists, Madam P’s life also passed through different stages of creativity. She also had a figurative stage. Thereafter, she turned to abstract expressionism. As the the name indicates, ‘Phoenix’ is a painting on resurrection. Colours take life as flames. The image of flame in the myth of Phoenix merges with the sky in this beautiful work. The five- elements-based beauty is well embedded in this picture. The furious whirls and pools are also apparent in this painting. Certain paintings look like colourful rivers put in vertical direction. ‘A journey to my soul’ is a significant one that belongs to this group. The images of the journey are portrayed in abstract style. The landscape of the painting is quite mysterious. ‘The Real Love’ is a self-searching enquiry into platonic love. ‘The Princess’ dances between concrete and abstract expressionisms. In the treatment of colours, romanticism is quite resounding. The picture exists not in melancholy but in bliss. The use of blue colour is amazing. Lumina 1(4)/2020 Pax 63 ‘Happiness in my soul’ also displays high arranged horizontally. Dark brown is the positive energy. It is a search that surpasses main colour in it. The light streaks of red are the melancholy. The unending search can be also used. The letters in this painting look considered as a general feature of Madam P’s like musical notations. Ney (Reed f paintings. Men are always haunted by primordial flute) makes us feel the gentle touch of the melancholy. So life becomes an unstoppable soothing melody. This musical instrument search to overcome this melancholy. This in the Sufi tradition is a renovated form of is a work where green is the hero. Blue and the flute of the Ottoman period. Turkey has magenta turns into the colors of healing. a rich heritage of sufism as well.
‘Language of Silence’ is another significant Turkey has a rich heritage in paintings. series. It is a sequel to the ‘Lost a map’ series. Madam P never denied it. The geometric The language of silence is filled with the shapes in the carpet and the abundance of primeval memories. In this painting, she uses colors have always inspired the painters. It the alphabet of Gokha Turks, the nomads is a continuity of ancient Persian art works. with Mangolian origin. They were also known The doyen of modern art Henri Mattise was as Blue Turks. Their letters are not used in inspired by Persian Carpets. Furthermore, specific meaning but as mere shapes only. Ebru art is still popular in `Turkey. It is a form It resembles the work of KCS Panicker who of traditional painting in water colour. They utilized alphabets in his series called ‘Words take water in square shaped vessels and pour and Symbols.’ Even though there are a variety oil into it. The paint with water colour on the of languages in the world, all of them are found oily surface. After that, they put the paper on to be insufficient. Moreover, human beings it to sketch the painting . Marbling in Ebru still depend on silence. This is the philosophy art is marvellous. Madam P also drew much put forward by these works. inspiration from these rich cultural heritage.
‘The language of silence’ contains works which ‘The Lost Map’ is another series . ‘The lost a overflow with music. There is one painting map of Piri’ is the famous one in this series.
Pax Lumina 1(4)/2020 Pax which appears to be like a number of Bamsuris Ahmed Mohiyudhin Piri was an admiral, 64 sailor and mapmaker in the Ottoman period. The maps he prepared in bird’s eye view is still a surprise as he did it at a time when the technology was not much advanced. In the eleventh century an unknown map maker had prepared world maps named the lost map of the Caliphs. These traditions also had a huge impact on Madam P’s abstract works.
Another important series is the ‘Mechanical Work.’ It depicts the evolution from ancient times to the digital age. This series is totally geometric in nature. Geometry has influenced the paintings from ancient time itself. The American painter Alfred H Bar coined the word Geometric Art. The movements Verticalism, Supermatism and Minimalism are all rich with geometric art. Piet Mondrian is the greatest doyen of geometric art of all times. Madam P’s Mechanical Age series is an extraordinary continuation of European geometric art. It is the expression of human conditions imprisoned in squares everywhere.
In the map of contemporary Turkish paintings, Madam P stands out with her unique creativity and charisma. She has already conducted her painting exhibitions in different parts of the world. Her paintings have already grabbed envious placements in various museums and universities. Her paintings occupy a place in Danish Parliament too. In fact, she is preparing to arrange an exhibition in India very soon after the lock down. Pax Lumina 1(4)/2020 Pax 65 LETTER TO THE EDITOR Pax Lumina 1(4) / 2020 / 66
Dear Editor,
Thanks again for PAX LUMINA dated Sep 15,2020, which I just finished reading. I can very well make out the steady growth in "readability" of the rather new bimonthly in terms of language, relevance of topics, commitment & focus of authors etc..
However, I feel the journal could still be better focussed in terms of general headings under which articles are presented. While reading a weekly newspaper like THE ECONOMIST, for instance, I give varying levels of attention to various sections ( such as The World This Week, Editorials, Regions/Nations, Business & Finance, Books, Obituary and so on) so that I can optimise the time of reading & get the best on topics of my interest.
I am sure that with the extremely relevant theme of peace & reconciliation , PAX LUMINA would be in a position to present its highly topical articles into appropriate sections & heighten the interest of the readers.
K.A. Joseph Kochi Pax Lumina 1(4)/2020 Pax 66 JOIN THE SIGNATURE CAMPAIGN TO SUPPORT THE HUMAN RIGHT DEFENDERS
Would you like to join the campaign to protect the liberty of human rights defenders? ?
Would you like to demand the immediate ?release of Fr Stan Swamy who worked for the tribals in Jarkhand for decades?
Please Sign the Petition in www.standwithstan.jcsaweb.org LIPI
Suggestions and feedback may be sent to [email protected]
Letters to the Editor should contain full postal address, telephone number and email id.
Nodal Platform for Peace and Reconciliation Network, JCSA Ponoth Road, Kaloor, Kochi-17, Kerala, India. www.lipijesuits.org