27.01.2004
FEATURE: 'I Must be Politically Involved,' A Young Lutheran Theologian's Resolve for Activism in Indigenous Peoples' Struggles
Indian Bishop Affirms: "What Affects One Church or Community, Affects All of Us"MUMBAI, India/GENEVA, 27 January 2004 (LWI) - Idan Topno was excited about the opportunity to participate in the Fourth World Social Forum (WSF) that took place in Mumbai, India January 16-21. The young theology student has, after all, always had a keen interest in her community and church's social concerns. She hoped that the WSF would be a forum to learn about the work and struggles of other indigenous communities like hers - the Adivasis (tribal people). Ninety percent of the 361,520 members of her church, the Gossner Evangelical Lutheran Church in Chotanagpur and Assam (GELC), are indigenous. So is Topno, attending a WSF for the first time.
The WSF under the theme, 'Another World Is Possible', turned out to be "the right forum for my people and church," Topno discovered, as she listened to a variety of speakers at several seminars related to indigenous peoples' issues. "In Mumbai I learnt that although different churches cannot unite because of their different historical structures, here they can come together and speak with one voice for the rights of the marginalized people in society." She was part of a nine-member WSF delegation from the United Evangelical Lutheran Church in India (UELCI), a body of ten Lutheran churches, nine of which are also members of the LWF.
But the one-week experience in Mumbai was also a moment of self-criticism for Topno, and, she hoped, for other UELCI representatives there. She realized that although the GELC and the other Lutheran churches are involved in the struggles of Adivasis (and other marginalized communities such as the Dalits) through development and education projects, they were not doing enough. "Our Lutheran churches need to make the indigenous people empowered to claim their political power. Yes, we have a lot of information about the rights and struggles of indigenous peoples and the Dalits, and I found more of it here. But we need to give this information to people at the grassroots," she said. Topno left the WSF with the resolve to be more actively engaged in the Adivasis' and Dalits' struggles, especially for their political empowerment. "Unless we Tribals and Dalits have the legal power, then we cannot effectively address the issues that confront us." The aspiring woman pastor summarized her future focus: "I must be politically involved henceforth."
For Sanchita Kisku, another young theology student, the WSF was a forum to express the equality of all people irrespective of gender, caste, religious, social, economic or political affiliation. Through the numerous public meetings and seminars, demonstrations, concerts, presentations of theatrical and literary works, film screenings, photo exhibitions and a host of other cultural activities by a wide variety of groups, she felt encouraged by one message: "At the WSF, there is no upper caste or Dalit, no powerful or powerless. All are equal."
Based on her experience, Kisku, a member of the Northern Evangelical Lutheran Church, has high hopes that 'another world is possible' and is convinced that her people, church and the UELCI have an important role to play in ensuring that there is justice for all marginalized persons. She gave the example of economic globalization and its negative effects on indigenous communities like hers. In the name of jobs creation, financial and better profits for "all," multinationals are allowed to acquire indigenous land for development, thereby depleting natural resources that cannot be recovered. The WSF, she said, provides a forum to rise up against the manipulation of governments and multinationals. But more than that, it affirms that churches must be a united force and speak with one voice for the powerless people.
Kisku and Topno were members of a nine-person UELCI delegation that teamed up with a group of staff persons from the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) Geneva secretariat, LWF field program officers as well as LWF Council representatives, to follow various issues that were discussed at the 2004 WSF. Many of the UELCI delegates that Lutheran World Information spoke with expressed appreciation for the further insight gained and new challenges presented on issues such as Dalits' and tribal peoples' rights, religious intolerance, violence against women, human sexuality, HIV/AIDS, sustainable development and the environment, water, privatization and globalization.
People's Migration Today Involves Trafficking of Women and Children for Sex
Bishop Lawrence G. Rao, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Madhya Pradesh, welcomed the many opportunities for networking that the WSF provides. It was the first time that he was attending such a huge meeting with such a wide cross section of civil society participation, and "more importantly, on an equal footing." He commended the affirmation of different cultures through the many artistic displays.
Equally important for the Madhya Pradesh bishop was establishing contacts with other networks that are working to denounce the exploitation of indigenous peoples in India and globally. But Rao also learned at the WSF that people's migration worldwide now includes the trafficking of women and children for the sex trade. The church, he noted, must speak out against such issues. In Mumbai, he listened to renowned world speakers and social activist groups criticizing the advantages that multinationals have over locals when foreign exploitation of natural resources is permitted for so-called development and employment for the locals. "Development is positive," he affirmed. But he learned that "indigenous people are not responsible for the destruction of nature and the environment. They safeguard it, as their lives depend on these God-given resources." Whether affected or unaffected by issues that confront others in the UELCI and wider community, "it is time to raise our voices for justice. What happens to one of us affects all of us," said Rao.
Participating in the WSF had challenged Rev. Augustine Jeyakumar, Executive Secretary of the LWF National Committee in India, about what he described as a compartmentalized approach to issues dealing with church and society. The UELCI, he noted, has nearly 40 projects aimed at improving the lives of marginalized people, and which to a great extend were relevant to the WSF agenda. "But we tend to think that we are only dealing with development while speaking out is the task of others. We can do so much more by raising our voices more."
The WSF is an open meeting place where groups and civil society movements that are actively opposed to neo-liberalism and a world dominated by dominant economic interests develop their thinking, debate ideas democratically, formulate proposals and share their experiences freely and network for effective action together. Its aim is not to come up with declarations or plans of action, says WSF organizing committee member Mr Vincent Manoharan. It facilitates debate on alternative means to build a globalized solidarity, which respects universal human rights and the rights of all men and women from all nations. The forum seeks to promote democratic international systems and institutions at the service of social justice, equality and the sovereignty of all people.
It was the first time that the WSF was held outside Brazil, where it was initiated in the city of Porto Alegre in 2001. Its establishment marked an opposition to the agenda of the World Economic Forum held in Davos, Switzerland since 1971 to promote and defend neo-liberal policies worldwide. In 2001, the WSF had 20,000 participants from 117 countries; 50,000 people from 123 countries attended in 2002; and 100,000 participants from 130 countries in 2003. This year's forum had over 73,000 registered participants and an additional 24,000 who were issued with daily passes, according to Manoharan. (1,266 words)
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