In a Foucauldian vein... There are many silences and many voices. Let us not think of one SILENECE . There could be many ways in which one could be silent in many discurisve situations.
Issues involving 'national integrity" has always defined the limits of human rights discourse in Kerala/ India. There is a subtel conflation of Indian with Hindu behind this. Just think of Maram Rasheeda, Maudani, Sirajunneesa.. On 5/2/08, ranju radha <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > silence could be for multiple reasons. however, My silence on the issue of > muslims shows/expose my ideological/political inclinations. I should accept > that. Some people who proclaim to "represent" ALL cant digest it. They would > like to see themselves as saviours of ALL. Silence becomes a "violent" > weapon for them. silences are romantisized under the guise of democracy. > though they have every right to remain silent, it exposes their ideological > inclinations. one should be sincere enough to accept it. > > > > > On 5/2/08, Bobby Kunhu <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > There have been some members here who have shown tendencies towards grand > > revolutions.... But that apart, when it comes to issues of caste - let me > > draw a parallel to feminism - silence most often regardless of the mens > rea > > needs to be constructed as violence for no other reason, but how embedded > it > > is within us. > > > > I am tempted to point out the anthropologist, Saul Zuratas in Mario > > Vargas Llosa's *Storyteller, *his attitudes and assumptions, despite > > which he cannot completely discard the epistemological baggage that made > him > > commit the first act of love viz. become a story teller amongst the > > Machiguengas. The book beautifully explores the relationship between the > > global, national and tribal societies and the themes of centre and > > periphery. Whats interesting is that the same Llosa (once a grand admirer > of > > Castro), became a neo-liberal candidate for presidency in 1990s (he argues > > his case fervently in *A fish in the water) *and now is reportedly > > supporting the extreme right. While it does not change the stature or > skills > > of Llosa as a writer, but his positions on the same indegineous > populations > > become problematic and violent by his silence, which also acts as a > complete > > denial of these communities. (I deliberately picked this story from latin > > america for distance sometimes provides clarity). The same way, silence on > > caste by people who claim some politics can be constructed as problematic. > > > > *Caveat: *I am not suggesting that everyone should respond to all issues, > > nor am I suggesting that everyone who remain silent are castiest - the > > silence could be for multiple reasons. I am just trying to think aloud on > > situations where silence could be violent > > > > > > On 01/05/2008, Afthab Ellath <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > > *nor did i imagine that he was referring the vacuumized representation > > > of marginalized people in history, which is clearly undebatable.* > > > > > > When we talk about this exclusion, it is not total... It is > > > selective... Gujarat riots was covered, in length... Nandigram was > > > covered... Even human rights violation in kashmir were covered > > > selectively... But when an issue puts the total system in danger, it is > > > excluded.... There is no conspiracy .. The exclusion happens without any > > > deliberate exercise of power... > > > > > > > > > On Thu, May 1, 2008 at 6:19 PM, salimtk <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > *I was mentioning about our cold response to this report... Did we > > > > take it as a serious matter? I worry, we didn't * > > > > > > > > above line is aftab's. > > > > when he said like OUR cold response and WE didnt take it serious, i > > > > cudnt imagine that he was referring to the historians, media people, > > > > intellectuals, cultural leaders etc. nor did i imagine that he was > > > > referring the vacuumized representation of marginalized people in > history, > > > > which is clearly undebatable. > > > > > > > > instead it reminded me of some who alleged the 'brahmanic' silence on > > > > the members of this group in regarding to certain 'dalit' related > mails. > > > > > > > > does this group hold any compulsion of mandatory responses to all the > > > > mails forwarded here? do we need to be 'hot' all the time? > > > > r v selective in being silent and in cutting mails on certain topics > > > > only? NO. what i felt is most of the members here respond impulsively > with > > > > no 'grand' revolutionary intentions. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > On Thu, May 1, 2008 at 2:38 PM, Bobby Kunhu <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > > wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > "Silence" is definitely a democratic right, but a right that has to > > > > > be exercised within the structural hegemony that constructs each one > of our > > > > > individual politics and places us within our respective identities > (to be > > > > > blunt - shows us our place as a dalit, adivasi, muslim, woman, gay, > > > > > transgendered, disabled etc.), be it within media, academia, high > culture or > > > > > just folklore. For instance, my school history text-books or general > > > > > discussions never included any account of the anti-brahmin movement > or > > > > > people like Jyothi Thass and this is the matriculation syllabus in a > > > > > linguistically and culturally proud state like Tamil Nadu. Neither > was the > > > > > history of Kashmir an issue. In this regard "silence" becomes > violence by > > > > > virtue of being an act of ommission - deliberate or otherwise. > > > > > In this group itself there has been outrage expressed by various > > > > > members, for instance on the issue of selective silence on the part > of > > > > > certain members with respect to Chengara - wouldn't that silence > tantamount > > > > > to violence? I believe the same silence to be violence respect to > caste and > > > > > issues like Kashmir or North East that do not reflect too well on > our > > > > > "national" or "patriotic" ethos > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > > > > > > > > > > > > On Thu, May 1, 2008 at 1:46 PM, ranju radha <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > > wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > when u writehistory of a region and remain silent on many aspects- > > > > > movemnts, historical figures, culture of particular socail grp.-- > and still > > > > > want to escape quoting democratic right to be "silent", such > politcal > > > > > mimicry is highly condemnable. the civil society's concerns are > clearly > > > > > reflctd on these "silences".. so dont treat 'silence' as an innocent > act... > > > > > one may not be blamed but exposed by silences .. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > On 5/1/08, Afthab Ellath <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > I was mentioning about our cold response to this report... Did > > > > > > > we take it as a serious matter? I worry, we didn't > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > On Thu, May 1, 2008 at 1:19 PM, salimtk <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > > > > > wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > afthab, > > > > > > > > u mean the report of mass grave at uri area in kashmir is > > > > > > > > wrong? or the civil society responses and actions to it? > > > > > > > > what is wrong if the reporting and the actions done in the > > > > > > > > name of indian democracy? > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > On 5/1/08, Afthab Ellath <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > This is quite odd... Why Kashmir is excluded from our > > > > > > > > > consciousness? I would like to believe that this report is > not true... But > > > > > > > > > if it is, this is done in the name of Indian democracy, that > we are > > > > > > > > > responsible for... > > > > > > > > > On Wed, Apr 30, 2008 at 10:46 AM, Anivar Aravind < > > > > > > > > > [EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > > > > > > > > > > From: *Khurram Parvez* <[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > > > > > > > <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ASSOCIATION OF PARENTS OF DISAPPEARED PERSONS > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ___________________________________________________________________________ > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > _Press Release_ > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > / /*/28^th April 2008/* > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > This is exactly one month after we released a report of a > > > > > > > > > > fact finding > > > > > > > > > > mission on nameless graves and mass graves in Uri area > > > > > > > > > > titled 'Facts > > > > > > > > > > Under Ground' which evoked response from the media, human > > > > > > > > > > rights groups, > > > > > > > > > > politicians and political formations of various hues, > > > > > > > > > > civil society and > > > > > > > > > > people at large. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > We want to utilize this occasion to > > > > > > > > > > appreciate, thank and > > > > > > > > > > criticize the concerned on their response; and to make > > > > > > > > > > requests and > > > > > > > > > > demands for fresh, comprehensive and sustained responses > > > > > > > > > > from the stake > > > > > > > > > > holders i.e. the local and international civil society and > > > > > > > > > > HR Groups, > > > > > > > > > > Political formations and resistance Groups, local and > > > > > > > > > > international > > > > > > > > > > media, lawyers' groups, international humanitarian > > > > > > > > > > agencies and people. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > First of all we appreciate the local print media for the > > > > > > > > > > coverage given > > > > > > > > > > to the report. We urge for a sustained campaign of follow > > > > > > > > > > up reporting > > > > > > > > > > to build a more compelling case for urgent international > > > > > > > > > > expert and > > > > > > > > > > humanitarian intervention in order to initiate credible > > > > > > > > > > measures to > > > > > > > > > > establish the identity of those buried in these graves and > > > > > > > > > > seek linkages > > > > > > > > > > with the thousands subjected to Enforced Disappearance by > > > > > > > > > > the state > > > > > > > > > > security agencies in Kashmir from 1989 till date. The > > > > > > > > > > families of the > > > > > > > > > > disappeared have neither the resources nor the expertise > > > > > > > > > > to carry out > > > > > > > > > > either the job of comprehensive reporting or the task of > > > > > > > > > > scientific > > > > > > > > > > exhumation and identification of those buried in these > > > > > > > > > > nameless graves > > > > > > > > > > and mass graves. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > We have received more reports of the existence of mass > > > > > > > > > > graves and > > > > > > > > > > nameless graves, some of which has already been reported > > > > > > > > > > by a section of > > > > > > > > > > the local press. We expect people and the media to be more > > > > > > > > > > proactive in > > > > > > > > > > reporting about the existence of such graves with all the > > > > > > > > > > available > > > > > > > > > > detail and local narratives about them. This will bring > > > > > > > > > > their existence > > > > > > > > > > into public knowledge and thereby help in safeguarding the > > > > > > > > > > grave sites > > > > > > > > > > from tampering. We request the people to take all steps > > > > > > > > > > necessary to > > > > > > > > > > safeguard these sites from any kind of interference till > > > > > > > > > > such time as we > > > > > > > > > > are able to garner the support and intervention of > > > > > > > > > > internationally > > > > > > > > > > credible expert and humanitarian bodies to undertake a > > > > > > > > > > thorough exercise > > > > > > > > > > of identifying these bodies. We believe some of those > > > > > > > > > > subjected to > > > > > > > > > > enforced disappearance are buried in these graves and the > > > > > > > > > > process of > > > > > > > > > > identification, that we are demanding, will provide some > > > > > > > > > > relief to the > > > > > > > > > > families whose kin have disappeared, will enable a decent > > > > > > > > > > burial of the > > > > > > > > > > victims and contribute to producing the necessary evidence > > > > > > > > > > against the > > > > > > > > > > perpetrators thus help in breaking the culture of impunity > > > > > > > > > > enjoyed by > > > > > > > > > > the state security agencies. It is the moral and > > > > > > > > > > humanitarian duty of > > > > > > > > > > the local people to do whatever is possible to safeguard > > > > > > > > > > these sites and > > > > > > > > > > the bounden duty of the local media persons to take extra > > > > > > > > > > pains to > > > > > > > > > > unearth these skeletons and ferret out the truth in all > > > > > > > > > > its ugly detail. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > We expect the local lawyer community to take up the issue > > > > > > > > > > in the > > > > > > > > > > relevant forums, file PIL and undertake a legal campaign > > > > > > > > > > to force the > > > > > > > > > > Government and its security agencies to come out with > > > > > > > > > > verifiable truth > > > > > > > > > > and fix responsibility for these crimes as it is the > > > > > > > > > > government and its > > > > > > > > > > security agencies who are the ultimate repositories of > > > > > > > > > > information about > > > > > > > > > > these graves and also about those disappeared > > > > > > > > > > involuntarily while in > > > > > > > > > > their custody. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > We impress upon the local political formations > > > > > > > > > > of all hues > > > > > > > > > > to encourage people to provide more information about > > > > > > > > > > these and other > > > > > > > > > > grave sites and to take necessary measures to safeguard > > > > > > > > > > these sites from > > > > > > > > > > tampering or interference considering them as an extremely > > > > > > > > > > sensitive and > > > > > > > > > > a sacred trust with them. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > We express our satisfaction at the issue of > > > > > > > > > > comprehensive > > > > > > > > > > statements by various humanitarian groups particularly the > > > > > > > > > > Amnesty > > > > > > > > > > International and the Asian Federation Against Involuntary > > > > > > > > > > Disappearances (AFAD) demanding that India should > > > > > > > > > > investigate all > > > > > > > > > > allegations of enforced disappearances in Jammu & Kashmir > > > > > > > > > > following > > > > > > > > > > reports of mass graves. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > We expect the international humanitarian > > > > > > > > > > bodies particularly > > > > > > > > > > the Amnesty International and AFAD to initiate steps > > > > > > > > > > toward > > > > > > > > > > implementation of their demands by lobbying with the > > > > > > > > > > relevant credible > > > > > > > > > > international bodies. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > We also urge the ICRC, which is operating in > > > > > > > > > > Kashmir to > > > > > > > > > > volunteer their expertise on this issue. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > We understand the callous attitude of the > > > > > > > > > > state security > > > > > > > > > > agencies in dismissing our findings as a result of their > > > > > > > > > > direct > > > > > > > > > > involvement in these crimes as is borne out by the various > > > > > > > > > > fake > > > > > > > > > > encounters and custodial killings documented and reported > > > > > > > > > > extensively. > > > > > > > > > > We believe that this callous and inhuman attitude of the > > > > > > > > > > security > > > > > > > > > > agencies springs from the culture of impunity produced as > > > > > > > > > > a result of > > > > > > > > > > the draconian laws operating in Jammu and Kashmir, which > > > > > > > > > > do not allow > > > > > > > > > > the families of the victims to pursue their cases > > > > > > > > > > productively. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > We believe that this report should be a cause > > > > > > > > > > of alarm for > > > > > > > > > > those with a human heart and a concrete basis for the > > > > > > > > > > international > > > > > > > > > > expert groups and humanitarian and human rights bodies for > > > > > > > > > > initiating an > > > > > > > > > > urgent action to probe the matter. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Spokesperson > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Ghulam Nabi Mir > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > -- Dileep R I thuravoor --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. 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