REPORT FROM MUMBAI

by Rikke Nöhrlind

The Dalits and the fight against caste-based discrimination stood out forcefully, very visibly and colourfully among the hundred thousand local and global grassroots people gathered at the World Social Forum held in Mumbai, India on 16th to 21st January. An estimated 1300 Dalits from India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Bangladesh raised their voices and beat their drums "to talk" about oppressed lives, the hope for a life in dignity, and the belief in change through own efforts. The foundation for a strong social and political movement clearly exists.

Caste discrimination was one of the five main themes at the World Social Forum. Public meetings, seminars and workshops with speakers from countries in South East Asia, Japan and also African countries, where similar forms of discrimination based on work and descent exist, attracted many thousands of participants. Suggestions and strategies for changing the situation in the various countries included the struggle for land rights; legal form; access to justice; change of attitude through education and ensuring Dalits' participation in the political and public spheres. "In Nepal there is not even one Dalit in the judiciary," the Dalit Women's Rights advocate Durga Sob told the audience. Martin Macwan from the National Campaign for Dalit Human Rights in India spoke strongly against globalisation. The forces of globalisation would not bring water, land and  education to the Dalits. He also stressed that the Dalits met at the World Social Forum as actors, not as passive objects, to share the dream that another world is possible.

Prior to the World Social Forum the National Campaign for Dalit Human Rights (NCDHR) had organised a nation wide rally. From four corners of India the Swadhikar Rally crossed through 22 states covering about 33.000 kilometres in five weeks. Dalit activists met with local Dalit  communities, organizations and political leaders. They organized mass meetings about Dalit livelihood rights, poverty and globalisation. The big rallies contributed towards paving the way for a new phase in the fight against caste discrimination. According to Paul Divakar, National Convenor of the NCDHR, the Swadhikar Rally reached out to no less than 15 million Dalits. Dalits who now assert themselves and send a clear message to the Indian Government: "We will hold you accountable."

The International Dalit Solidarity Network and its members were among the organisers of the many events focussed on caste-based discrimination, human rights and marginalisation. Some events highlighted the resemblance of the discrimination faced by Dalits in South Asia with that of communities in other parts of the world. At the conference From Frying Pan to Fire – future of Dalits and Descent Based Communities, Prof. Penda Mbow from Senegal brought attention to the discrimination experienced by descent-based communities in Senegal, and the audience heard about the plight of the Buraku People of Japan from Tagawa Masato representing the Buraku Liberation League. Nicolae Radita described the social stigmatisation suffered by the Roma people in Europe.

Focussing on the situation in India, the National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights had organised a workshop “Combating the Common Enemy”, a round table for discussion of the discrimination faced by Advasis, Dalits, Muslims and Women, as well as a workshop on Manuel Scavenging, which is practised all over India, despite the fact that it has banned by law since 1993.  700-800.000 people, 95 per cent of whom are Dalits, continue to work as manual scavengers today.

At a public meeting on “Exclusion and Discrimination – Racism and Casteism” organised by the World Social Forum, thousands of participants heard about the discrimination and marginalisation of communities on the basis of caste and race in Nepal, Nigeria, Japan, Bolivia, Ecuador and India.

The World Social Forum became a new meeting place for caste-discriminated people from all over the world. Strong bonds of solidarity were built between the caste-afflicted people of Asia and Africa as well as with the Roma people (the gypsies) and indigenous peoples, who have a long history of fighting discrimination. With the World Social Forum Dalits have set an agenda, which is supported by an increasing number of movements, organisations and international media. A video message from Nobel peace laureate Nelson Mandela was screened at the Closing Ceremony. The former South African president said that the struggle against apartheid showed what people power could achieve if it is committed to overcoming all kinds of discrimination on the basis of caste, gender, race, class or ethnicity.

It is our hope that the Indian government, the governments of other caste-afflicted countries, and the international community will take this message very seriously and take action now together with the 260 million people affected by caste discrimination.