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(Cast)e Abroad

By Pardeep

04 August, 2008
Countercurrents.org

The word Caste is derived from the Portuguese word “Casta” meaning lineage, breed, or race. Recently very interestingly 2-3 major cases of discrimination came into light from the developed nations like USA, UK. (“First an Indian millionaire couple caught in exploiting maid”, “secondly a Hindu father set on fire his daughter’s house on fire in USA just because she married a lower caste person”, one another news “A Boston graduate was molested and sexually abused by a Hindu Priest of a Hindu temple in Moshi, Tanzania”). Apart from all these there was news few days back that RSS people strengthening their base in USA, UK universities through the Hindu students studying there. The mentality of these Hindus is like “if we can’t become like USA then what? We can make USA like India”!! I think that’s what they have started working for!! Around one in 25 people in the world experiences some form of caste discrimination. About 300 million people suffer caste discrimination throughout the world. More than half of these are in India.

First time in 2001, Caste Discrimination was brought in front of whole world (by the people working for Dalit Rights) in the World Conference Against Racism (WCAR) held at Durban, despite India’s objection. But still no change in the system, people those were suffering earlier are still suffering!!

Castes which earlier used to exist in India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh etc countries, now these incidents show that caste has been exported from India to the many other developed countries also, which should be the area of concern to all the governments & all those who are concerned about the basic human rights, good community relationships. These incidents are not new, reports (July, 2006) of “Dalit Solidarity Network UK (DSN)” clearly showed Caste Discrimination prevailing in UK. When asked by DSN “Do you believe that Indian people in the UK follow the caste system? 84.67% people said YES. 80% agreed that caste divide people. Even in UK, USA, Canada etc countries there are separate Gurudawaras (Temples of Sikhs) i.e. Ramgarhia, Jat (upper caste in Punjab), and Ravidasi (followers of Guru Ravidas) people can be seen visiting different Gurudawaras same as in Punjab (India).

Another research by Mark Juergensmeyer from UK states that, “Caste relationships between caste groups seem to be upheld to a great extent…the rules of endogamy (marrying within the caste group) are still strictly followed”. People face discrimination in political, education, employment & health sector mainly, i.e. same as in India, thou may be somewhat lesser or to same extant. The former Mayor of Coventry, Ram Lakha, a Labour Councilor who is a Dalit, faced intense discrimination from ‘upper castes’ when he stood for election in a largely Indian ward. ‘During campaigning he was often told that he would not get people’s vote as he was a “chamar”. So he filed his nomination in a non-Asian constituency and was able to win.

A shopkeeper in Wolverhampton, England, tells of an incident where a customer insisted that their change be placed on the counter to avoid contact with someone from a lower caste.
On a factory floor, in Wolverhampton, England, women from so-called upper castes will not take water from the same tap as a lower caste person.
"Caste has caused division and it does cause social devastation. The problem is that nobody has accepted the problem within this country (UK). Caste is one area which is totally swept under the carpet". --- “The Caste Divide,” BBC Radio 4, April 2003

“Rodiya” community of Sri Lanka is considered as lower caste people, similarly “Buraku” community of Japan also have suffered same as Dalits are still suffering in India, but because of the Buddhism in Sri Lanka & Japan the condition of Buraku & Rodiya people is now somewhat better than Dalits of India. It was considered that globalization will destroy the Caste but caste system is so deeply rooted in Hindu religion that there seems no such scope, wherever these Hindus will go, they will carry caste discrimination with themselves & will stop the development & harmony of country. Is there any scope for human development if we continue with Caste Discrimination? Only escape is conversion from Hinduism, as such there is no use of living in the religion which teaches you discrimination & where there is no value of human & humanity.

Untouchables (Dalits) are made “Religious, Economic and Political Slaves” by means of “Hindu Caste System”. Noticing the new cases of caste discrimination in developed countries, I think it’s a time for the international leaders at UN to again rework on the present policies related to the “Caste Discrimination” also people who believed in “Basic Human Rights” from all over the world have to come forward to destroy “Hindu Caste System” and give justice to millions of people suffering since last thousands of years.


Further References:-


No Escape – Caste Discrimination in the UK (Dalit Solidarity Network UK Report, July 2006) Report is available at www.idsn.org/Documents/pdf/UK-Diaspora.pdf


A History of the Untouchables: The Buraku and the Dalit – An article by Katelyn Coyle


Caste discrimination – A case for inclusion in the new equality framework? -- An article by Annapurna Waughray

Caste Discrimination Overseas – Adjourned Debate in the UK Parliament (22 Nov, 2005)

Dalit Journalists Expose Caste Discrimination in Nepal's Villages as National Dalit Protests Escalate (August 14, 2007)



 


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