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WCAR Cauces pages
Caste Caucus
CASTE DISCRIMINATION - A GLOBAL PROBLEM
Inhuman treatment of a vast global population has been justified on the basis of their caste. In much of Asia and parts of Africa, birth into a particular ‘caste’ (derived from the Portuguese word ‘casta’, meaning ‘race’) is the basis for the definition and exclusion of distinct population groups by reason of their descent. For over 250 million people worldwide—who continue to suffer under hidden apartheid, segregation, modern day slavery, extreme forms of discrimination, exploitation, and violence—caste imposes enormous obstacles to the full attainment of civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights.
Caste is descent-based and hereditary in nature. It is an immutable characteristic determined by one’s birth into a particular caste, irrespective of the faith he or she practicesl. Caste discrimination is discrimination on the basis of work (i.e. occupation within society) and descent. Under various caste systems, divisions in housing, marriage, and general social interaction are reinforced through the threat of social ostracism, economic boycotts, and physical violence.
Communities adversely affected by caste or caste-like systems include:
- Dalits
(so-called untouchables) of Nepal, Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan;
- Burakumin
of Japan;
- Osu
of Nigeria; and
- Rodiya
of Sri Lanka
Other countries with caste or caste-like systems include:
- Senegal
;
- Mauritania
;
- Mali
;
- Guinea
;
- Madagascar;
and
- Countries with a significant Indian diaspora, including Malaysia, the United Kingdom, the United States, as well as countries in East and South Africa, North America, and the Caribbean.
Common Features of Global Caste Systems
These communities share many features in common; features that have allowed even the most appalling practices to escape international scrutiny. In many cases, caste systems coexist with otherwise democratic structures. In countries such as India and Nigeria, governments have also enacted progressive legislation to combat atrocities against lower-caste communities, however discriminatory treatment remains endemic, and discriminatory societal norms continue to be reinforced by government and private structures and practices, frequently through violent means.
Common features shared by caste systems in various countries include:
- Impunity for perpetrators of crimes against low-caste communities
- Physical segregation
- Social segregation, including the prevention of inter-marriage
- Restrictions on occupations (frequently limited to the most menial and filthy forms of work)
- Use of degrading language to describe those from the oppressed section based on constructed notions of purity and pollution, filth and cleanliness
- High levels of illiteracy, poverty and landlessness
- Pervasive debt bondage due to poor remuneration for ‘low-caste’ occupations
- Non-implementation of any legislation designed to address the discrimination
- Double-discrimination and exacerbated exploitation against ‘low-caste’ women
Caste Discrimination Buried Beneath Poverty
Lower-caste communities are almost invariably indistinguishable in physical appearance from higher-caste communities. For most outsiders then, the visual cues that otherwise accompany race or ethnicity, are often completely lacking. Stark economic disparities between low and high-caste communities can also be buried under a seemingly homogenous landscape of poverty. Poverty also masks a lack of political will to change the status quo by shifting the debate to a lack of resources. A closer look reveals the discrimination inherent in the allocation of jobs, land, basic resources, amenities and even physical security. A closer look at victims of violence, bonded labor, and other severe abuses also reveals that in many cases they are the lowest ranking in the caste order. A perpetual state of economic dependency allows for such abuses to go unpunished, while a biased state machinery looks the other way, or worse, becomes complicit in the abuse.
U.N. Recognizes Caste as a form of Racial Discrimination….
Caste discrimination’s place in the WCAR has been confirmed by numerous international bodies created by treaties and by the title of the conference itself. The urgent need to address the enormous problem of caste discrimination has been identified by the U.N. Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights’ August 2000 resolution on Discrimination Based on Work and Descent, aimed at addressing the issue of caste as discrimination based on work and descent.
The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) has also repeatedly affirmed that caste, as a form of descent-based discrimination, falls within the definition of racial discrimination under article 1 of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD). CERD has affirmed that "the situation of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes falls within the scope of" the ICERD. CERD’s findings in relation to the reports of Japan (March 2001), Bangladesh (March 2001), Nepal (August 2000) and India (September 1996) have all affirmed that caste-based discrimination falls under the purview of ICERD, as a form of racial discrimination.
Similar conclusions have been drawn by the U.N. Special Rapporteur on racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance in his January 1999 report. In 1997, the Human Rights Committee noted that members of scheduled castes endured "severe social discrimination," and suffered "disproportionately from many violations of their rights under the [ICCPR]."
Several preparatory meetings for WCAR have highlighted the need to address caste-based discrimination. These include the Asia-Pacific Experts Seminar in Bangkok, the European NGO meeting in Strasbourg, the African Experts Seminar in Addis Ababa, the NGO forum in Tehran, the Asia-Pacific NGO meeting in Kathmandu, the Global Conference Against Racism and Caste-Based Discrimination in New Delhi, and various Satellite Conferences, including the Bellagio Consultation.
….but Caste remains Excluded from WCAR
Various manifestations of caste and descent-based discrimination and abuse exist in over a dozen countries, yet it remains a neglected issue in the international community. The World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia, and Related Intolerance (WCAR) presents an ideal opportunity to begin to address this blight on the UN’s human rights record.
Scant attention will be paid to this conference in many parts of the world if it fails to recognise such a widespread, extreme form of discrimination on the basis of work and descent. Will the voices of a quarter of a billion people be silenced yet again in the name of diplomacy, or will the conference be a landmark moment in the ongoing effort to eradicate apartheid from the face of the earth?
International Dalit Solidarity Network.
http://www.dalits.org
Who are
Dalits?
Caste
system
One of the more
confusing mysteries of India is her caste system. The caste system, which
has existed already for more than 3000 years, has been developed by the
Brahmins (priests) in order to maintain their superiority. Eventually,
the caste system became formalised into 4 distinct classes (Varnas).
At the
top are the Brahmins, the priests and arbiters of what is right and wrong
in matters of religion and society. Next come the Kshatriyas, who are soldiers
and administrators. The Vaisyas are the artisan and commercial class, and
finally, the Sudras are the farmers and the peasant class. These four castes
are said to have come from Brahma's mouth (Brahmin), arms (Kshatriyas),
thighs (Vaisyas) and feet (Sudras).
Beneath
the four main castes is a fifth group, the Scheduled Caste. They literally
have no caste. They are the untouchables, the Dalits, which means oppressed,
downtrodden and exploited social group.
The
Dalits
A Dalit is not
considered to be part of the human society, but something, which is beyond
that. The Dalits perform the most menial and degrading jobs. Sometimes
Dalits perform important jobs, but this is mostly not socially recognised.
Dalits are seen as polluting for higher caste people. If a higher caste
Hindu is touched by an untouchable or even had a Dalit's shadow across
them, they consider themselves to be polluted and have to go through a
rigorous series of rituals to be cleansed.
In India
there are approximately 240 million Dalits. This means that nearly 25%
of the population is Dalit. It also means that in a country, where everybody
is supposed to have equal rights and opportunities, 1 out of 4 persons
is condemned to be untouchable.
In general
one can say that being a Brahmin means that you are more privileged. This
can imply having a good education and, accordingly, a more powerful position
in the society. Being born as a Dalit you will be less well off and because
of less education you will have a less good job. In daily life there are
a lot of consequences
of being a Dalit.
Dalits
are poor, deprived and socially backward. Poor means that they do not have
access to enough food, health care, housing and/or clothing (which means
that their physiological and safety needs are not fulfilled). They also
do not have access to education and employment. With deprived we would
like to underline the injustice they face in every days life. Officially,
everybody in India has the same rights and duties, but the practice is
different. Social backwardness, lack of access to food, education and health
care keeps them in bondage of the upper castes.
Nevertheless,
in the recent past the Dalit society has also thrown up powerful leaders,
like Dr. B.
R. Ambedkar. He was on of the most powerful
personalities to stand for the rights of Dalits.
Sources
used:
Finlay,
Hugh et al, India, Lonely Planet travel survival kit, January 1996,
page 48-50
Kotler,
Philip and Gary Armstrong,Principles of Marketing, Maslow's hierarchy
of needs, , New Delhi, 1997, page 156.
Why this
campaign?
The
campaign is part of the struggle to 'cast out caste'. The caste system
in India is the direct cause for the actual situation of the living situation
of Dalits in India. The campaign reminds once again of the untouchability,
which is still continuing today for about one fourth of the total Indian
population. Development, participation and human rights can become a reality
in India, only on the abolition of untouchability.
In continuation
of the struggles of leaders like, Ambedkar,
Mahatma Phule, Periyar and many others over the years, the campaign reiterates
that Dalit Rights are Human Rights. The campaign organises several
events right from December 10th 1998
until today.
Even today Dalits
are victims of being untouchable. It is the Indian expression of apartheid.
Despite the Constitutional guarantee of abolishment of untouchability,
Dalits are victims of many violations. Bonded labour, child labour, prostitution
and Devadasis (slave to god and men) come largely from Dalit communities.
Dalits live in separate colonies, far away from the caste Hindu localities.
They do not have access to public wells to draw water or to public eating-places.
Dalits have separate glasses for drinking tea or coffee at the village
restaurants. They can not enter Hindu temples. Inter-caste marriages are
forbidden both by religion and practice. Atrocities
against Dalits,
basically arise in the context of 'keeping Dalits' in their place within
the social hierarchy, mediated by caste and untouchability.
Untouchability
is the basis for atrocities and violence; denial of basic needs; land rights;
legal discrimination; infringement of civil liberties; inferior or less
than human status; de-humanising living and working conditions; impoverishment;
malnourishment; poor health conditions; high levels of illiteracy and continuing
social ostracism.
For the most
up to date articles,
which come through several media, click this link.
The campaign,
however, shows that the initiators
of it still have hope. Hope that Dalits in India have the capacity to transform
the pain and struggle into power. The efforts of the campaign are to establish
a lost humanity, dignity and security. Beside, to assert the aspirations
for self-governance with Dalit leadership will bring about the change in
power in economic, cultural and political positions.
The campaign
seeks solidarity from all sympathetic and sensitive citizens both from
Asian countries, where the system of caste continues to marginalise the
Dalits, as well as the international community. It addresses the governments
of the particular countries as well as the International Human Rights bodies
and the United Nations.
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