Years back, a friend began an article for a college-magazine, with the words: "Free, is all I want to be."
Every time human bondage, liberation et al, are topics of discussion (often passionate), these words invariably ring in my ears. Thus, the sudden dust-storm kicked up by Tibet too took me back momentarily to those yellowing pages of our "Zero".
Of course, from Dalai Lama and Hu Jintao to Bajirao Ghorpade and Vetrivel Munichami--everyone has a take on Tibet and its politics.
So do I.
A section of the world--of course, backed by Tibetans themselves--has gone ballistic about liberation of the plateau from the crippling control of a COMMUNIST China (emphasis very important). Tibetan culture getting plundered, indigenous populace being wantonly undermined and, not the least, the annexation/invasion of Tibet itself being on the tips of tongues of those immersed in the spirit of human liberation.
A section of my countrymen, the self-proclaimed torchbearers of human morality and ethics in politics ever since independence, are as usual out there in the battlefront. My media comrades are not far behind either.
Sure, China's for long been just the communist world's imperialist face. Tibet was indeed annexed, or, if you please, invaded. Many Tibetans do live lives of the worst case refugees across the world. And it is definitely a worthy cause to take up and fight for, not just by the Tibetans but also civil societies across the world.
But, certainly our desi crusaders of human rights would do right to start off with some "home-work".
A few small bits about India.
A) Over 1.4 million displaced from their ancestral land and deprived of traditional livelihoods in just four states in India in the drive for economic growth, according to Action Aid, the Indian Social Institute, and Laya. The states: Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Orissa, all rich in natural resources and with a large population of indigenous tribal people.
B) The Andhra Pradesh Irrigation II scheme claimed it would displace 63,000 people. When completed, it displaced 150,000 people. The Gujarat Medium Irrigation II scheme displaced 140,000 people instead of 63,600. The revised estimate of the number of people to be displaced by the Upper Krishna irrigation project in Karnataka is 240,000 against its initial claims of displacing only 20,000.
C) The Bombay High Court has ruled that some 1,000 acres in and around the Sanjay Gandhi National Park in Mumbai--the city's all-important urban lung--is forest land and all constructions in these areas are illegal.
This affects a mere five lakh people, who own flats in these areas or stay there on rent. Yet, instead of pursuing the demolition of these structures and returning fast depleting greenery to the already emaciated city, the govt has actually promised these folks that they will be bailed out some way or the other.
Wonder why the GENERAL GOOD OF THE SOCIETY principle is not being applied here. Oh I forgot, residents here are mostly well-to-do, politically powerful, middle class Mumbaikars.
The counter often comes swiftly: "Human bondage is and suffering is the same everywhere and Narmada and Tibet can go parallel."
Yeah, so how about a bit on the brutal rule of the Junta in Myanmar (thanks Cb!). Apart from the jaded Jawaharlal Nehru prize for international something something that Aung Sang Su Kyi was given years ago, the Indian state and, even better, activist Indians hardly have more than a word or two for them.
Which brings us to a few quintessential qualities of pro-liberation activism.
1. Repression in the non-free world or that part of the world where the free world has no special interest is ... repression indeed.
2. Those under friendly autocrats (often men of character a la Musharraf), ruthless monarchies of the Gulf is just maintenance of stability.
3. (For Indians, particularly the India Shining variety) Repression in China is bad. Our own folks rotting is just a passing phase. Before India turns into the land of milk and honey, there's got to be some sacrifice, right. So let these unwanted soles take up that unwanted role.
4. (Again for Indians, particularly the India Shining variety) Don't we want all those folks to return from the oil-rich medieval Islamic states?
Talking simply in terms of China, we Indians suffer from a deep victim-complex. The 1962 humiliation still runs in our blood and we are, despite all our lofty denials, waiting for a chance to avenge ourselves.
But to think of it, what have we done for our own northeastern states?
"Kya Aap Apne Hi Desh Mein Mehmaan Bankar Khush Rahoge?"
"Will You Feel Happy Being Considered A Guest In Your Own Country?" is a poignant yet telling query made by a northeasterner in the latest Shah Rukh Khan flick Chak De India.
Well, "guest" would be an unimaginable word for those women of Manipur who, after publicly stripping themselves some years ago, invited the defence forces to rape them. Thjyangam Manorama now remains just a ghost of another such guest.
Another friend of mine commented yesterday: "Many Tibetans in Tibet now perhaps lead better lives than those exiles living in India."
I countered: "Tibetans in India perhaps live better lives than the Tehri and Narmada evictees."