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RELIGIOUS PERSPECTIVES ON HUMAN RIGHTS

E-Newsletter
Vol.1 No.5
July 12, 1999


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Religious Perspectives on Human Rights is now available online at: http://www.rghr.net

Religious Perspectives on Human Rights is a weekly e-newsletter issued by Buddhist, Muslim, Catholic and Christian Groups on Human Rights, initiated by the Asian Human Rights Commission.

Why the Dalit Issue Should Become a Pan-Asian Solidarity Issue?

How the religious groups can do to help Dalits?

The worst form of discrimination of human beings now present in the world is the Discrimination of Dalits. Dalits are those who are considered low castes and they were earlier called untouchables. Name Dalits means the oppressed, which is a name Dalits themselves have given to themselves, to symbolize their protest against their condition.

During the twentieth century, Dalits have made tremendous progress in spite of huge violence exercised over them.

Following are important things to know about this issue.

Caste is worse from of discrimination than slavery for the following reasons. In slavery,

(1). The slave is considered a thing, which belonged to an owner. In Indian caste system, " the upper" caste do not consider the "lower" caste, as belonging to them in any way. The purpose of caste classification is total rejection.

(2). In slavery, there is no concept of pollution. The concept of impurity and pollution of upper castes by meetings, or even by sighting or touching of untouchables is a primary factor. Many rituals and even modes of dress are designed to force Dalit to keep out of sight or to wipe out impurities.

(3). The slavery may be terminated by an act on the part of the slave owner or by the slave purchasing his freedom either by himself or by someone else on his behalf. The customs relating to this differs from country to country. However, caste is determined by birth and it cannot be change at all. The questions of merit do not arise at all.

(4). The practice of slavery has diminished a great deal today. However, caste still remains intact. In India alone, over 230 million suffer from this discrimination. In Nepal too caste exist in a strong way. The caste has a very basic significance in Sri Lanka too.

What Can religious groups do to eradicate this worse than slavery practice?

1. Study the issue well. To be ignorant about this issue is too ignorant about major human rights issues in the world. These studies can include group studies.
2. Get connected with Campaigns against this practice. AHRC will provide more details on Campaigns and groups involved, on request.
3. Write to the counterparts of your organization assuring your support for efforts undertaken to eradicate this social evil.
4. Pressurize the leaders of your religious groups to take this matter in their statements and action programmes.
5. Include Dalit issue in your programmes.

A suggested letter to be sent to the UN Secretary General, Prime Minister of India and leaders of your religious group. You may adjust the content in terms of the person addressed.

Addresses

Dear--------

As a human being I am very hurt to learn that over 230 million people in India and some more in other neighbouring countries suffer from a condition even worse than slavery and this condition is known as Caste. That a human being can be graded by birth, and inhuman conditions can be imposed on him throughout his life on this basis can be called cruelty, without any exaggeration. That this condition prevailed even up to the last year of the twentieth century is a bad indictment on us all. I am writing this to urge you to take all measures in your power to eradicate this in reality. Mere legal eradication is not enough. It is essential to take all practical measures to bring this to an end.

Thank you

Note: Please let AHRC know what you and your organization is planing to do about this during the coming year. We will be happy to give publicity to your endeavors.

A comment on last issue-

"Thanks for the Bulletin, They are good suggestion for the crisis in Indo Pakistan issue. I am working with some immigrant Kashmiris here in Luton. So it is very much a close scenario. I like the story of Schram. What a Mahatma he had for the Punchi land of ours. He really put the Dutch power and its bogus history on the spot, made them to look naked on their past misconduct on the island. Such stories carry much weight than thousand words."

Shanthi Hettiarachchi