Learning from the Asian Gwangju Folk School organized by May 18 Foundation

"Today I have the most important voice of our generation on behalf of human rights and democracy in the East Timor and around the world after participation in the Asian Folk School organized by May 18 Foundation at Gwangju,South Korea. Naldo Rei is our indispensable hero on all these issues."

Second I again faced circumstances which proves, "Our's truth have obviously been ' a thing contrary to the interest of human that have dominion' in our society .Therefore , we have never lacked for enemies who have been busy refuting, misrepresenting & vulgarizing us over the last many years. But we have suffered equally, perhaps more, at the hands of friends -- they have brought much grist to mills of enemies through their dogmatism, scientism, economism & much else besides."

We are keeping alive an ancient tradition of our ancient land to oppose inequality; exploitation- a tradition pioneered by lord Buddha,Kabeer, Mahavir, Biras Munda and Guru Gobind Singh and other. "Buddhism raised the slogan of revolt and uprising. The Varna (caste) system also is not permanent---- Buddha openly attacked in hundreds of his sermon- Brahamanical tyranny, the Varna system, the monarchy and inequality. When Buddha that announced his mission in life was liberating humanity from suffering it had a great social significance. All the oppressed and downtrodden- the low caste, the women, the poor, the indebted and the slaves looked upon the Buddha as a great liberator." ( Y. Bala Rama Moorthy).

The abandoning of our caste background for the sake of the Dalit Community, we are reminiscent of the path of uprising and decision taken by Buddha 2500 years ago. We are continuing this Indian tradition of challenging Brahmanism and caste system. We have changed our lifestyle limiting to the barest and basic minimum denying ourselves the luxury and comforts so that we can devote ourselves for the cause of the Dalit community.

Peoples' uprising for democracy and human rights is vital part of human development, which is main inculcating learning in folk school. I learn, "Capitalism tears up 'all genuine bonds between human,' and dissolves 'the world of human into a world of atomized individuals, hostile to each other.' It leaves 'no other nexus between man and man (woman and woman) than naked self-interest, than callous "cash payment-- and resolves personal wealth into exchange value.' Every aspect of human life is commodified and the very things which were once 'communicated, but never sold; acquired, but never bought—virtue, love, conviction, knowledge, conscience, etc.--'now become marketable and pass 'into commerce'. The 'divine power of money' overturns and confounds 'all human and natural qualities' in the market place…"

 

I would like to write a poem by a famous Hindi poet Mr. Gyanendra Pati, chairperson of People's Vigilance Committee on Human Right--

In Golden Jubilee year of Freedom

Freedom means
Freedom to choose in market

And your choice,
Decided by those who have
Body-prowess of gadgets,
Illusion- power of advertisement

They like your freedom
Freedom to be consumer-slave

On summit of mechanical civilization
They've not only made computers
But your mind too, a computer
Whose software they supply
Home delivery , free,
Absolutely free,

You too, think better say " Thanks you" Smiling
Society too, won't beer the weight of a rebel mind

You don't jump in the market one fine day
In these days of global market
By and by alone, the market become your world

And now the mind is handed over to the market
The delicate mind,
Shaped round like dung-cake by market Embossed with the fingerprints
The dung-cake ready to be burnt down
Like the deep dwelling ocenic fire and stomach-born(e) hunger-fire
To keep the fire burning
In the market-womb

Whose ever-consuming appetite is global market
Their shutters are ever open.

 

Thanks, folk school for giving to opportunity for learning in personal life about anger and frustration management and challenging the manipulation in honest and brave way. I am going to use all learning in my future life and I de- learn my innocence: become more so-called mature in callous globe of neo-colonialism based on fractured life of human.

 I am remembering the brief of my grandfather told that when British colonial force killed 30 people in my family and seized all property, then we became more stronger fighter family due to our conviction for democracy and free world. Again, I stand stronger with more clear understanding of contradiction in Asian society in context of patronizing the human life.

Thanks to folk school for opportunity for new learning, friendship and wisdom for art of life.

 

In un-rest

Lenin Raghuvanshi, India

Please visit:

http://www.kwangju.co.kr/read.php3?aid=1252594800368980028