BUBBLES OF TRANSFORMATION

Shreeram Chaudhary

BUBBLES OF TRANSFORMATION

GENERAL BACKGROUND

Transformation is very dynamic process, when we start to talk about transformation we must address the structure of the society in not only in the local level but in the global level. I think the basic features of the just peace are love humanity, compassion and dignity which are the core of the human living. Therefore first and foremost important thing is self transformation. But it is most challengeable because giving preaching to others is too easier than reflect by own selves. 

The world is going to be very narrow. No individual, community or nation lives in isolation. We all live in society, nation and world with their political system, legal constitution, and economic policies, religion tradition and cultural lifestyle. For example study of political system in world revels to us tribal communities with their chief and council of leaders, monarchy and their royal structure governance, dictatorship and their autocratic rules, parliamentary democracy with their term based majority party or coalition party administration, the communist government and their totalitarian regimes and so on.

The same way when we examined the economic system in the world we find subsistence economics, feudal society, different forms of capitalism, socialism and mix economics. Behind every system and structure of the society there is an explicit and implicit ideology and philosophy of life and society.

Right from the birth human being live and grow in the context of different paradigms, perspectives and process of life. Therefore it is natural that the views and ways of life of the individuals and groups are influence to a great extent by the prevailing faith affirmation, philosophy, system, tradition and fashion of their times. Then again, personal family background may also influence us. For example an individual brought up in a wealthy business man’s house is more likely to oft for the capitalist economic system, while a person raised in a family with socialist inclination may be flower of Marxist economic system. So we affirm that no human being live an island life. Hence we need to ask ourselves: where are ideologies and systems leading us? Who and which are the forces that are regulating or impacting our ideologies and systems?

SOME LEARNING & REFLECTION

From our discussion and interaction and field visit, I learned all the problems which are breaking peace are created by human beings except the natural disasters. Unequal power, resources and dignity distribution are destroying the just peace in the society. The present world tradition is not accepting the diversity of religion, gender, faith, political interest, language nationalities, castes and belief systems. As a result every where in the world there are too many conflicts and unrest situation.

Although I grew marginalized and isolate society but it was very helpful and peaceful. That’s why , when I visited to different part of India, many-many times I shocked by the behave of inhumanity.

How can human kill to human? How can human burn to human?, When the ordinary people like me, is very difficulty to kill even chicken. But it is beater truth that many innocent people from Gujarat are killed by named of religion (Himdisim). Same way the tribal from the Andhra pardesh, Kerala , Gujarat and Maharastra are also most deprived, exploited, depressed and displaced by state program and policies and so called modernization and globalization. I felt their life is not worse than wild life because of development hysteria. So every where I found nil of conflict, some where it is open and some where it is hidden.

But I also found the hope of fire fly of the transformation. Eventhough, there is too difficulties to work in the on rest situation, some light minded activists and organization are working with the people in building trust, tolerance and have engaged in the process of the transformation by having big risk for just peace.

In my field visit I really impressed by some persons and organization. When we visit to Maharastra, I got chance to encounter with the office of Narvada Bachou Andolan. I had never seen kinds of office and staffs. Very simple but perfect. Staffs were also very much committed. If we relate them with NGOs, they have no sufficient facility. Even though, they are enjoying their vision, ission and strategy. They are working with the people respecting their worldview; challenge the development hysteria and transforming themselves as well as the community.

Same way, the Mozda collective from Gujarat is also inspired me. I really surprised by visiting two people Mr Michle and Ms Swati, who have been in the village since last 15 years. I think it is very good example of self transformation. They are just learning from and facilitating from them for transformation. Although they are from so called upper caste, they have changed their personal life and their own society and just fighting for just peace. When I returned to the resource person of SOP, I gained too many ways of transformation and theoretical aspects.

Among them I much clear abut structural analysis, the global power center and it’s impacts, understanding of poverty and pluralities. Same way I gained the ongoing aspects and process, the process of the transformation and some very simple but very powerful tools of transformation. Such as Drama organic agriculture, herbal gardening, pottery, paper making and Yoga etc.

I also got same satisfaction by knowing about different religious perspective for transformation. I was really poor knowledge in religion. But now I am quite interested to study to religion.

From all these experience, sometime I feel some uneasiness. How can I apply in my own context, at least I have sympathy to myself that we should think globally and act locally. It is possible for us. I am happy that, I have got more than two dozen of friend of the different part of the world. Definitely it is good way and symptom of the transformation.

After the training of the SOP, I am feeling empowered. I am seeing too many opportunities to work with people for transformation. I have already decided and started some social activities; I will apply my learning in those activities.

Now Nepal is in the situation of conjuncture. It is also additional possibilities. On the other hand, we participants from Nepal are four. Therefore I am thinking about triple angle. What can I do locally? What can we do as Nepalese team? And what can we do as regional basis?

I my individual case, we have more than hundreds groups of conflict victim, Dalit, Ethnic and poor people. I will apply the learning of SOP for just peace. We have our small tribal media center and publication, so I also apply the new ideas through these tools.

I don’t know much about SOP but what it did is quite good way for building peace. I just think its continuity. If SOP lives long, it can product too many peace activities as well as keep the process of just peace. I think SOP it self not only Ideological industry of peace but process of transformation.

In SOP we got opportunities to share our ideas and to learn from others. There were also some hidden and some open conflict but these are minor things because we participants have our own vast history in ourselves. These are quite helpful learning.

It is difficult to self evolution and self critique but I wand to share my self reflection which I got. My habit is quiet, may be it is given identity. Most of time I think about it and try to change it but I have still some hesitation.  But when I trust to some one, I can easily engage to him. My strength is to enjoy with the poor and marginalized people. I like more to act rather than just talking.

 FUTURE STEPS

My vision of future society which is based on just peace is: “A society where all people enjoy perusing their own dignity and sustainable-holistic development”

It is possible to build the culture and community of just peace, when we change our echo; self transform and trust the people. When we start to see the all human being are same and belief that they are subject and then our effort only use for just building culture and community of just peace. In this process people know themselves that who are they? Why are they so oppressed? Who is oppressor? What is system which product the unjust society?

I think Building culture and community of just peace begins from deep understanding and relation of humanity, love and dignity. I have had some significant transformation myself. First of all my world view changed and I changed my ideology and pre-listening. Definitely I am seeing same issues in different eyes. Another part is, I hearty accepted some alternative peace building process. I feel that I gained some analyzing power and same way the organizing power.

I am just seeing the two wings of power which are working in the community in the process of peace building.  The first group is religious group which never agree to change the existing situation. The power is political group which spared the beautiful future but when they get power, they use to forget the people.

Although there are some civil societies, NGOs and groups but most of them are suffered by same problem. I have already defined the working areas for transformation. Again now I am redefining that I will work with ethnic people, Dalits, Women and poorest of poor. I will work with them in the holistic approach and my focus area would be education and organizing to re establish their rights and also contribute for some governance Issues.

 I was very clear that the world is going to be contracted in day by day. That’s why the problems are also being complex. The similar issues may different in every country and it may effect in the county. Therefore when we think about regional cooperation, first of all we should define the common issues in the regional base. Such as regional issues poverties, religion diversity and ethnic diversity may be our common issues. Apply for this idea; we should introduce the regional strategy for transformation. Then we can work together. I think this is the better way for regional co-operation.