Bidding goodbye to Jharkhand Adivasi activist Father Stan Swamy, the Jesuits in India hosted a condolence meet in honour of the 84-year-old personality on June 5, 2021.

“In his death we have lost a courageous, compassionate elder brother. He is an example of us Jesuits to become effective Jesuits,” said Jesuits of India Head Father Stany D’Souza remembering Fr. Swamy.

Many people during the event described Fr Stan as a person, who embraced simple life and worked tirelessly for poor people. Even when he was deprived of his basic rights in jail, Fr Stan continued to fight for the poor and saw Jharkhand Adivasis as his true family. This made his death at Holy Family Hospital, away from his Adivasi brethren, all the more hurtful for his supporters.

“His death will awaken the conscience of people and prompt them to work for marginalised people,” said Father D’Souza.

Many people like former Supreme Court Judge Madan Lokur expressed disappointment at the orders passed by courts, the manner in which authorities and courts handled his detention.

“He had to go to court for a straw sipper, I have seen the pulverisation of human rights over these years, and I am witnessing a downhill slide in the trampling of human rights. Things have gotten worse since the vilification of the Shaheen Bagh women. All we need is a little bit of humanity and kindness,” he said.

Similarly, journalist N. Ram condemned the authoritarian strengths that violate the rule of law and “are motivated by communalism.” He referred to human rights defender Sudha Bharadwaj who is languishing in Byculla jail for nearly three years, suffering worsening health.

“It’s a sad commentary and courts are not acting proactively. We are very disappointed by the higher performance of the judiciary,” said Ram.

He also condemned the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) for failing to uphold Father Stan’s basic human rights.

Building this further, human rights defender and journalist Teesta Setalvad called his death an institutional murder. She remembered how often Swamy sent articles describing the situation of Jharkhand Adivasis, for whom he filed PILs. Setalvad said that despite his arrest, Swamy was worried about other undertrial prisoners, including the Bhima Koregaon accused.

She urged courts to regularly monitor prisons and ensure timely legal aid. She also called his demise “death in custody”, as he was still an undertrial prisoner at the time. As such, she called for a judicial inquiry into this death.

“We have lost him in a tragic way. We owe it to him and others incarcerated that we leave vibrant campaigns to ensure prison rights and ask for the repeal of the UAPA law. Such laws that are unjust have no right here,” said Setalvad.

Many attendees asserted this demand including Centre for Study of Secularism Director Irfan Engineer. He called upon civil society organisations to demand the unconditional revoking of the UAPA, release of the Bhima Koregaon accused and others imprisoned under draconian laws. “We are a democracy and here freedom of speech is being curbed,” he said.

Further, vocalist and Ramon Magsaysay awardee TM Krishna talked about how no person was willing to arrange a Covid-19 test for the priest. He also talked about the lack of human empathy for ensuring basic needs and appealed for a collective social energy through public and judicial action to keep the movement alive. Krishna considered it “vulgar” that an 84-year-old man was allowed to die. He finally hoped Swamy’s death would be a “galvanising moment for all to ask for the repeal of UAPA and other preventive detention laws.”

Journalist and novelist Nayantara Sehgal said that as a writer in mourning, Father Stan was a man of God who taught the true meaning of religion, to love our neighbour. Sehgal said Swamy did not die but was killed because he worked for the poor, their forest and land rights.

Swamy’s lawyer Mihir Desai said the Jesuit father’s arrest was deliberate, wrongful, and malicious. “They arrested him and put him in jail without seeking custody. We should keep his memory alive, we must keep fighting,” he said.

World Organisation against Torture’s Gerald Staberock criticised the government for its inaction and demanded responsibility from the same.

“It is cruel to put someone in jail at this age. It’s inhumane treatment,” he said and also called for the release of all other human rights defenders who raised their voice against the government.

Further emphasizing State cruelty, International Federation for Human Rights member Alice Mogwe said the federation repeatedly asked the Government of India for his release since November 2020. She condemned the government for “shutting down every voice against it and this is concerning.”

Like Mogwe, United Nations Special Rapporteur Mary Lawlor also stated that she repeatedly raised Fr. Swamy’s case in front of authorities.

“These [UAPA] laws are used as an excuse to put people in prison for a very long time. The UN will soon publish a report on the inhuman practices of charging human rights defenders with jaildom. Those working on indigenous rights are those defenders at greater risk of being targeted. His jail is a stain on the reputation of Indian authorities and it will last forever,” said Lawlor.

Later, Fr Stan’s grand-daughter Sheeba remembered how he rarely visited his village Trichy because he considered the Jharkhand Adivasis his family.

“He was brave because he knew he was right and he knew his calling. Thank you to all who took care of him,” she said.

Other family members also spoke about Fr Stan’s commitment to Adivasis and his love for his claimed family. They condemned the manner in which he died that did not even allow his family to attend his last rites. Family member Lincy said Fr Stan found his calling and lived accordingly.

From the Jesuit community, Jamshedpur Jesuit province member Father Jerry Cutinh referred to Fr Stan’s poem that said, “Caged birds can still sing” and called him a brilliant mind. He added, “Before his arrest in Ranchi, he said, if working for the poor is sedition and a crime, I am ready to face the consequences. His spirit will live on.”

Others like former Archbishop of Canterbury, Mumbai Jesuit Province’s Father Arun D’souza, Father Jesuit provincial of Chennai province, Father Jebamalai Raja and Father Jeyaraj, on behalf of Father General and all Jesuits in Korea paid their respects to Swamy. Jose Maria, from Portugal and people from Turkey also attended the event. Father Danis, from Fr Stan’s hometown, said a few words in his memory. He thanked God for providing Father Stan to the entire world.

Academic experts like officials from the International Solidarity for Academic Freedom (InSAF) in India, Columbia University faculty, TISS professor Brinelle D’Souza, NCHRO Chairman Professor A Marth and even Meghalaya MP Vincent Pala expressed their condolences.

Related:

The institutional murder of Father Stan Swamy
Father Stan Swamy passes away waiting for bail
Impoverished Adivasis Hunted as Criminals
Capital Punishment without trial

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Syria continues to suffer and struggle. March 15^th marks the sixth anniversary of the bloody Syrian war. This afternoon (March 14^th), a bomb blast in the city of Homs killed one and injured several. On March 12^th, a double bombing near a popular Shiite shrine in Damascus killed over fifty and scores more were left injured. Since December, the eastern areas of Aleppo have been evacuated, but the bombings continue.

The Syrian war, over these six years, has resulted in the deaths of thousands and caused the largest displacement in human history. After experiencing widespread destruction and insecurity, there is a certain desperation and a sense of fatigue among the Syrian people. The general feeling is that most are ready to clutch at any straw, to fan any glimmer of hope. They yearn for peace, security and stability and want the bombarding and the air strikes to stop now.

The UNHCR (the UN Refugee Agency), in a statement for the sixth anniversary says: “While there are some hopes for peace, the needs and suffering of millions of Syrians continue unabated.” Filippo Grandi, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees adds, “Unless drastic measures are taken to shore up peace and security for Syria, the situation will worsen. Families have been torn apart, innocent civilians killed, houses destroyed, businesses and livelihoods shattered. It is a collective failure. Ultimately, Syria’s conflict isn’t about numbers – it’s about people”
 
Today an estimated 13.5 million Syrians need humanitarian assistance and children make up half of that number. Children have lost their childhood; nearly 3 million Syrian children under five have grown up knowing nothing but conflict… More than 6.3 million people are internally displaced within Syria. About 4.9 million others (the majority women and children) have fled to neighbouring countries in the Middle East, including Lebanon, Turkey, Jordan, Egypt and Iraq. These have put the host communities under huge strain as they shoulder the social, economic and political fallout. Hundreds of thousands have made perilous sea voyages seeking sanctuary; no one is sure how many may have died at sea.
 
The plain truth is that the suffering of the Syrian people who are refugees and internally displaced, continues with no end in sight. Harsh weather conditions and limited access to basic resources gravely affect displaced families and individuals. Making ends meet is a daily struggle for both the displaced within Syria and those who have fled the country and sought refuge elsewhere. Sizeable sections of them are living in extreme poverty, unable to secure food, water, or medical provisions. Key cities in Syria today have no water, electricity and gas or very little access to these essential commodities.

Delivering humanitarian aid to war-affected populations within Syria is still an urgent issue. There is also the ongoing concern that some neighbouring countries are unable to provide adequate assistance to meet the basic needs of refugees. This lack of assistance threatens the safety of vulnerable people and the stability and security of the region.

Nevertheless, there is hope! There are innumerable stories of resilience in war-torn Syria among the forcibly displaced and from among the Syrians who have sought refuge in other countries.

Majeda, a woman from Damascus who fled with her family in search of safety, still holds onto her dream of becoming a lawyer. Kassem is a young man who, in spite of losing a leg in a bomb blast in Syria, is studying in a school in Lebanon and one day wants to become an art teacher.

There is Randa who has escaped the horrors of war but is now writing a book for little children telling them why war is all wrong. There is Mohamed Qasim, who now lives in Jordan. He suffers from cancer, but with a ‘never-say-die’ spirit is determined to give his little children a better future.

The ‘big powers’ and the wide range of vested interests particularly the military-industrial complex continue to play havoc with lives and destinies of the Syrians. There are ‘peace talks’ which take place among the ‘big guys’; not too many however, place too much of hope on them.

Majeda, Kassem, Randa and Mohamed are simple, ordinary people. Each one of them has experienced the horrors of war in profoundly traumatic ways. They represent today, the spectrum of innumerable Syrians who have suffered immensely, but look towards a better future for themselves and for their children. They are some of the many, brave individuals who with their indomitable spirit, want to live a normal peaceful life and look to the future with hope.

The Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) of the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) Region has been working in the midst of the Syrians who are displaced. Despite the challenges, JRS has stayed the course in Syria during the six years of conflict, addressing and serving those in urgent need while advocating for and with Syrians, for life with dignity.

In Damascus and Homs, JRS operates education centres in parallel with child protection programs and psychosocial care for children and adults. In Aleppo, JRS teams provide those most vulnerable with emergency humanitarian assistance of food baskets and non-food items.

When medical facilities in Aleppo came under ferocious bombardments, JRS continued to provide health services. In Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Turkey, JRS works with hundreds of Syrian refugees, providing them with emergency assistance as well as ongoing educational and psychosocial support.

In spite of the darkness that this conflict casts over all Syrians, JRS staff and volunteers have also experienced many moments of hope. On March 15^th this year, JRS will launch a campaign (you can see a preview here to highlight the stories of Syrians living both inside and outside of the country.

The campaign will focus on the hope and resilience of the Syrians; of light overcoming darkness, Lola Moussa, who originally hails from the countryside near the city of Homs in Syria, sums up the struggles of the Syrian people meaningfully saying, “there is still suffering and much pain – but what keeps us going on is our courage to hope and our continued resilience.”

* (Fr Cedric Prakash sj is the Advocacy and Communication Officer of the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) of the MENA Region Contact:cedric.prakash@jrs.net;   www.jrsmena.org; twitter:@jrs_mena)
 

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