And the Silence continues

16 Apr 2009

Love thy neighbor.

Opportunities for brotherhood/sisterhood among the different nationalities comprising the island clearly slipped away with policies of parochial nationalism, discrimination and rights violation by state run by certain leaders who fueled Sinhala nationalism that is based on the principle, "By cutting the feet of the neighbors We become taller." There is an old African proverb that cautions the humanity against such a logic. "You don't grow tall by cutting someone's feet". The discriminatory policies and practices soon after the independence that led to the Tamil national movement led to Tamil leaders of different statures and integrity pursue the democratic option of getting into the political process and try to work the system to respond to the grievances of Tamils.

But attempts to work the system made the system move more towards a presidential rather than a parliamentary system. That the parliament floor has made mockery of the democratic and appeals to reason, law, international norms and the humiliation Tamil leaders underwent while attending discussions on the Tamil question, is forgotten. That the government shipped Tamils internally from their place of domicile to the north eastern parts also remains forgotten. Also forgotten is the horrific burning of Jaffna Library (one of the biggest library's in Asia). In the War on Terror approach history is silenced.

The Tamils have tried many means and have been mocked at the response of political system turning more predatory over them. Local and regional political forces have joined the fray and have been active for several years. International attempts to mediate or facilitate a negotiated agreement to the ethnic crisis has all but failed and was dumped unceremoniously recently. On the Tamil side too, dissent has not been tolerated much and democratization process was stifled and LTTE has gained notereity for silencing many Tamil leaders. That LTTE returned from its self-imposed exile from democratic institutions of the Sri Lankan state apparatus by fielding and supporting candidates under the Tamil National Alliance is also silenced.

What is transmitted and re-transmitted is the war on a "terrorist outfit." The silencing of history is an effective project and it is revealed by the silence the pervades on the Tamils issue in Sri Lanka. The current war is an episode in the long time-line of historical antagonism shown towards groups engaged in the Tamil national cause. Only this time some international events have caused a shift in world-view of how national movements are viewed. That LTTE is a big part of it and has climbed to the peak of the Tamil social pyramid that has chosen to wage armed struggle for independence of Eelam is a reality. But the Tamil national movement which will receive major setback with the defeat of LTTE in the current war waged by the Sri Lankan state forces, is sure to think of new strategies to keep the movement and consciousness alive among the next generation of Tamils, there and elsewhere.

My own opinion is that mindset among Tamils is not going to shift much and they are going to find it hard to trust the present composition and attitude of the government to take Tamils' point of view seriously. Sinhala nationals who have been critical have been systematically silenced and it is part of a culture even within mainstream party leaders to engage in brutality against people who dissent. The state has grown more mean over time.

The agency of civilians for several decades now to resist the Sinhala nationalism that had ruined the evolution of the country as a democratic one has slowly been erased out of mainstream representations of the conflict in Sri Lanka and the current war. This erasure will lead to more narrow and less nuanced understanding of the conflict in Sri Lanka and thus lead to misjudgments. Jingoism and military victories are insufficient to rebuild broken relationships. It can lead to suppression, repression, further rights violations and of course coercion, persuasion and seduction. The options are laid out before Tamils and the world. Tamils will of course respond in their struggle to be treated with dignity and respect - and they will know that their movement has suffered a big blow with this war.

This war may produce some learning on how "war on terror" approach can be operationalized in local or regional context. But the lesson most serious players look for is - how to deal with the fact that Tamils have been alienated from the political system and decision-making processes. A demand often made was for transformation of the political system that can deal with the Tamils issue. Such a system is not in place, nor is serious effort taken to think of transforming the system. Peace is not built by silencing.

Here is an article by Arundhati Roy. Well written, well argued.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/4331986.cms

Thirumandiram - Worship of Devotees

12 April 2009

Part of praxis of inter-faith devotion is "how do we engage with people who are devoted, who possess the devotion & discipline that is observable and affective."

In the course of inter-faith encounters, sometimes we do come across people who by their very presence and conduct of their lives, reveal an immense immersion in the spiritual discipline that, the encounter feels like a blessing. The initiative taken to understand the other, sometimes turns into an opportunity to dig deeper into descriptions and prescriptions on how to relate with devotees.

In Thirumandiram in Chapter Seven, under the heading Maheswara Puja (Worship of Devotees) Moolar begins with the following text.

"The offering you give
To the Lord in the temple steepled high
Reaches not His devotees
Who the walking temples noble are;
When you offer things
To the walking temples noble
That sure reaches the Lord
In the temple steepled high."
(Thirumandiram 1857)

A few verses later Moolar asserts:

"Though you a thousand abodes to holy Brahmins give
Though you a thousand temples for the gods build;
None, none is of merit compare
To a day's feed to a holy devotee given;
This be of certain."
(Thirumandiram 1860)

The question that arises then is what is it that makes them so great. What is it that they do that makes them so great. Moolar offers us a clue in the form of a declaration. I wonder if declarations makes us value treasures less.

"In the hearts of the resolute He firm abides;
In the hearts of those who adore, He is in accord comports
Those who held the Primal Lord as their heart's Jewel
And so reckoned Him
How can they part from Him, ever?"
(Thirumandiram 1877)

Encounters between people who practice different faiths happen at different levels, with different objectives and outcomes. As a person who spends more time on process oriented work, it got me thinking, "What if we are somehow able to show half as much respect as described above to the people with whom we engage in inter-faith encounters?" Another challenge thrown up is - How is it possible to keep God away so long?

Peace.

Genocide, Witness, Memory

21 February 2009

When widespread atrocities occurs in an era that we boast of as characterized by information revolution, actors engaged in genocidal acts, war crimes and crimes against humanity make strategic and tactical choices of how to control the flow of information, its verification, interpretation of events and actions. So for people who have taken moral responsibility to stand as witness or become agents of change the most elementary task is to defy political acts of controlling public knowledge and manufacturing of consent through manipulation of information. It is also important to defy the different denial techniques adopted by the actors, both at home and abroad. Challenging established narratives through independent verification is a fundamental element to ascertain what actually is happening or happened. People who care about justice around the world have engaged in such actions in areas such as Palestine, Afghanistan, Iraq and such other places. It is only through independent verification that many facts emerge causing much embarrassment to the actors whether they are state or non-state.

However in Sri Lanka it has become very difficult to do independent verification of facts. Yet many people defy the propaganda, repression and intimidation and do bear witness to the most recent genocidal acts carried out by the Government of Sri Lanka on the Tamils in the name of "War Against Terrorism." And when they do defy, counter-measures are taken to silence, discredit or terrorize them. When this happens it is usual to expect the "international community" to put pressure on the actors to adhere to globally agreed upon norms to put an end to atrocities, genocide, crimes against humanity and de-escalate the situation and move towards a negotiated agreement. In cases where history stands witness to serious rights violations, denials, discrimination, repression of dissent and attempts at demographic engineering aimed at perverting democracy, it is quite natural to expect international pressure to have more teeth.

The Government of Sri Lanka has been using the Official Secrets Act, a colonial instrument as yet another means to prevent certain facts from getting to people within the island and internationally. I expect many Tamils and Sinhalese (as well as others living in that tragedy filled island) to bear witness to what happened and is happening and send information to the outside world whether it is done through the internet or just a message in a bottle. For many, existence itself has become an act of resistance in this island. And a word to those who pick up the bottle, please do not destroy the message. Let it be, or let it be shared with others who can act or heed the call.

Here i would like to share one such message i got. Please follow the link to read it.
http://www.w3lanka.com/02102009.html

Sri Lanka - What's Happening

4 February 2009

Being at a distance makes it hard to write based on one's own observation and analysis of events that are unfolding. However, i feel compelled to write as many friends have been repeatedly asking for my opinion on what is happening there in Sri Lanka.

Though I can share my views and perspectives about what is happening in Sri Lanka from my standpoint as a Tamil from India and as a person who is committed to justice and peace, i feel it would be totally inadequate, shallow and even biased to some extent.

Instead I provide a link to a report published in October 2008 by the University Teachers for Human Rights (Jaffna). I have been told by several Sri Lankans (Tamils as well as Sinhalese) that this group has gained much trust worldwide for unbiased reporting of human rights violations and analysis of what is happening in Sri Lanka. I am also adding another link, a self-obituary written by a senior editor of Sunday Leader, before his assassination.

Here are the links:

http://www.uthr.org/SpecialReports/spreport31.htm

http://www.countercurrents.org/lasantha200109.htm

Bliss - Verses inspired by Thirumandiram

29 December 2008

Senses five draw down the blinds
Unceasing waves of thoughts slow down
The pond still, sounds of the forest pervades the being
Soothing winds calms the inner universe
Stars unfold as the being finds connections and relatedness
Quest leads to the place where six paths meet
Illumination at this junction helps see the treasure within
Knowledge merges with the Knower
Impregnating the Knower with Divine Silence
An act of Grace, this Bliss


Inspired by verses from Thirumandiram

In that Jnana (Divine Knowledge)
The Six Ends merge;
That Knowledge in the Knower (Jnani) merges;
When Knowledge in the Knower merges;
Then dawns Mauna (Divine Silence)
That is Siva-Bliss.

(Tantra 8, 2382, Thirumandiram)

Thirumandiram - Keys to Consciousness - Being with Shakthi

28 December 2008

Sounds of the enchanted inner-scape is lit by Thirumandiram, a Tamil Scriptural classic. The infinite possibilities of inner transformation and emancipation is what this book is all about. Here are a few words of wisdom from it.

Knowing not your Self
You deemed body as Self;
When in Turiya you entered,
You realized the Self;
Even though you realized Self,
Birth's cycle will leave you not;
Therefore, ascend further upward
And unite in Lord,
Pervasive and Pure.

(Tantra 8, 2279, Thirumandiram)

Art & Peace - Exploring Structure

19 December 2008

Structure is another concept that is becoming more widely used in peace & justice work. In capacity building workshops facilitators often use the "conflict tree" to help people see the connection between belief, structure and manifestations. In other words ideology, institutions and outcomes. Participants are then encouraged to explore how certain beliefs have created structures and mechanisms that consistently delivers expected desired outcomes (until challenged).

In one of the workshops that Che and I co-facilitated we began to think about taking this "conflict tree" idea a bit further. What if we acknowledge that the field, the environment in which decision making happens on type of structures to nourish -is seen as a chess field in which multiple actors strategically work everyday to protect their life, livelihood, interests, profits, accumulation, consumption, and control over the rules of the game.

The field when it is part of the chess board of neo-colonialism or market-fundamentalism for example has already transformed itself into a predatory field. Just as farms becoming sites in which the cycle of production happens using seed, fertilizers, pesticides, and water purchased from the market the arenas in which decisions get taken have come under heavier influence of forces whose general principle is "greed, over-consumption & accumulation trumps over justice, human rights & human dignity." This general principle though morally and ethically wrong has many rewards and compensations. It allows us to be part of a game of high-stakes from exclusive clubs catering to every possible want, and the club rules are clear that it is okay to flaunt. Warnings are often whispered about the need to invest in building bigger walls and gates to keep the victims and agents of change out of sight.

Through a complex process of law-making, law-interpretation, adjudication, arbitration, agreements, schemes and manufactured consent the power elite work on changing rules wherever they go. The broad strokes of the rule is that it ensures that the top 10-20 percent can obtain legitimacy to desire to take and hold control over 60-70 percent of resources, even at the cost of impoverishing, displacing, and denial of fundamental rights to billions of people worldwide.

Apart from excessive and obscene consumption, efforts are taken to change peoples knowledge and understanding of things. People are taught and trained to value certain things, possess certain things, consume certain things. They are taught to remember certain things and forget certain things. While media assaults their senses 24/7 there is much that is also not-told. Their right to know what they consume, to know how much toxins are present in what they consume and how much growth hormones are getting into their system through what they consume - are denied. Such knowledge is not released into the common domain, such knowledge is often privatized and held in secret. It is the cost, the externalization of costs that is often buried deep and very difficult to dig out.

The old owl sitting on the tree seems to ask:

How many have to pay with lifetimes of dispossession, displacement, destitution, hunger, malnutrition, dehydration, loss of habitat and livelihood - so a few can live as kings and queens once did?

How to overcome this deception, this betrayal?

How to build peace when we are sowing greed?

(Art work by Che, from Process & Structure series)