ACJP Accomplishments Page

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Accomplishments of Ambedkar Center for Justice and Pea= ce in=20 Internationalizing the Dalit Issue in the last 15 years :=20

Art= icle=20 published in Ottawa Citizen (Nov. 28=20 1996)

1 .=20 Mary Robinson Meeting and=20 Recommendations

Ms Mary Robinson - UN High Com= missioner=20 for Human Rights with Mr. Yogesh Varhade

during a special meeting on=20 3^rd May, 2000 at=20 Geneva

2004:

In March 2004 Founder-President Mr. Varhade was invit= ed to=20 give a talk on" Dalits and caste system" to Canadians who had participated= in=20 World Social Forum in Mumbai (Bombay), India . Toronto Social Forum has be= en=20 formed to continue the work of WSF in Mumbai and major Canadian NGOs are a= part=20 of this forum. CNN 13 minute Documentary "the Untouchables", released firs= t in=20 March 1999, was shown . It was an eye-opener for many Canadians.

In February 2004 ACJP was invited to participate in H= uman=20 Rights Consultations in OTTAWA,Canada.

Mr. Varhade had the opportunity to discuss with Forei= gn=20 Minister of Canada, Hon'ble Bill Graham, South Asia Director,

Policy Department Deputy Director and CIDA about Dali= t Issue.=20 Canada has agreed to study the matter further for her proactive=20 role.

ACJP also met with some of the MPs in Ottawa and in T= oronto=20 who support the mission.

2003:

In May 2003 ACJP was invited to participate in World = Bank=20 organised watchdog forum where many experts from Asia participated includi= ng=20

India. President Mr. Varhade had the opportunity to h= ighlight=20 the present condition of destitution, dehumanization, child labor, bonded = labor=20

suffered by more than quarter billion population of S= outh=20 Asia known as Dalits and how these International Financial Institutions ca= n help=20 to eradicate these ills of society and help India to be a stronger democra= cy.=20

2002:

In July-August 2002 a delegation of ACJP was invited = to=20 paticipate in United Nations Sub-Commission and Committee on Elimination o= f=20 Racial Discrimination (CERD), a UN Treaty Body's " Thematic Discussion on= =20 Descent based Discrimination".

In fact it was ACJP's pioneering work in CERD in 1996= during=20 India's Report Discussion that started a Debate in the United Nations on C= aste=20 System and its negative impact on India and South Asia.

This was responsible to highlight Dalit Issue in "Wor= ld=20 Conference Against Racism 2001 in Durban, South Africa".

The recommendations of CERD are on our website for th= e=20 information of the readers and we encourage them to study these far reachi= ng=20

recommendations.

ACJP Delegation had a special meeting with Madam Robi= nson,=20 High Commissioner for Human Rights along with Ven. Shurai=20 Sasai,India

on BodhGaya Issue and also participated in Working Gr= oup on=20 Indigenous Populations.

ACJP delegation with Ven. Shurai Sasai also traveled = to Paris=20 and had a meeting with UNESCO Director General Office regarding the proble= ms at=20 buddhist Holy place, BodhGaya Temple, where Lord Buddha was enlightened. I= t was=20 in June 2002 declared as a World Heritage site by UNESCO.

In December ACJP delegation had a meeting with Direct= or of=20 South Asia Division, Ottawa, Canada.

2001:

In Aug.-Sept. 2001 ACJP Delegation, under President M= r.=20 Varhade, consisting of (Global Chapters) Directors participated in WORLD=20 CONFERENCE AGAINST RACISM held in Durban, South Africa.

Descent-based Discrimination was a major issue at Dur= ban and=20 ACJP members were quite successful in lobbying at Durban with Swiss , Cana= da,=20 Norway, EU, Delegates.

Para 73 which deals with the "Descent-based Discrimin= ation"=20 was proposed by Swiss delegation and approved by Prepcom 3 Delegates in Ge= neva=20 to be included in the final draft was dropped at the last minute due to sh= ortage=20 of time for discussion. Readers are encouraged to go through ACJP Press Re= lease=20 of 2001 on this website.

In Feb.-March 2001 Mr. Varhade toured Gujarat Earthqu= ake area=20 with local Dalit leader, Mr. ValajiBhai Patel, and held meeting with Canad= a,=20 USA, Holland, Sweden Embassy Representatives for extending their help to D= alit=20 victims of Gujrat.

Convention on the R= ights of=20 Child

(a)=20 January : Participated in UN Comm= ittee=20 on Rights of the Child proceedings during State Party India=20 Report.=20 Distinguished Experts of the Committee accepted most of our recommendation= s to=20 be a part of the concluding=20 observations<= STRONG>.=20 Please refer also to Summary Records 589, 590 and 591 which discuss the question / a= nswers=20 between the committee experts and delegation of India on the Issue of Cast= e=20 System, practice of Untouchability, child labour, bonded labour, child=20 prostitution (Devadasi System),= =20 compulsory education etc.

b)=20 May : Participated in UN Prepcom = (World=20 Conference on Racism - WCR) in Geneva to highlight the destitution and=20 discrimination of 250 million Dalits and the need to discuss this racism i= n=20 World Conference on Racism to be held in South Africa in September=20 2001.

c) September : Was inv= ited to=20 chair the Human Rights Forum of the Dalit International Conference organiz= ed by=20 VODI (Voice of Dalits International), London, UK. The London declaration was drafted by ACJP and it was= accepted=20 unanimously.

d)=20 March : Lobbied at Secretary of S= tate,=20 USA (Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia - Mr. Inderfurth) office = for=20 forth coming visit of President Clinton to India and the need for implemen= tation=20 of constitutional provisions for the most marginalized sections-the Dalits= of=20 India. Also lobbied at the Senate and US Congress. Many distinguished sena= tors=20 and congressmen showed empathy towards this issue. (Correspondence)

e) Committee on Women'= s Rights=20 discussed the India Report and concluding=20 observations<= STRONG>=20 were released in the month of March and Press Release.

Yea= r 1999=20

(a)=20 June : Participated as NGO in UN= =20 Committee on Rights of the Child proceedings during State Party Report - I= ndia=20 and submitted the report on 110 million child labourers mostly from untouc= hables=20 and tribals, the impact of the caste system on the child labours and=20 perpetuation of the system.

(b)=20 June : Met World Health Organizat= ion=20 (WHO) representatives of Dr. Brundtland, Director-General of WHO and showe= d the=20 15 minutes documentary on "UNTOUCHABLES" released by CNN / CBS 60 minu= tes on=20 21st of March, 1999 to enlighten them on the survival of millions of=20 untouchables in most unhygienic conditions in India.

(c)=20 June : Also met the representativ= es of=20 the International Labour Organization (ILO) - South Asia Division and disc= ussed=20 the problems of child labor, bonded labour and child prostitution in=20 India.=20

(d) Canadian Foreign Minister,=20 Hon. Lloyd=20 Axworthy, had=20 finally taken the Dalit issue seriously after many representations through= the=20 M.P.'s of Canada and agreed to look in to it.

Yea= r=20 1998= =20

(a) Participated in UN= =20 Commission on Social Development (Eradication of Poverty) as NGO and lobbi= ed for=20 the attention of the commission members to address the marginalization and= =20 destitution of quarter billion population known as "DALITS" of=20 India.

(b) Hosted a = conference on Human Rights of Dalits<= FONT=20 face=3D"Arial Special G1" size=3D4>..Theme "Caste System, Practice= of=20 Untouchability and Role of United Nations and Civil Society" at Toronto, C= anada=20 in June 1998.

The distinguished expe= rt of the=20 Committee on Human Rights, Mr. Martin Scheinin of Finland delivered the key n= ote=20 address :

"Inter= national=20 organizations, international treaties and international procedures are imp= ortant=20 in drawing the attention of the international community to grievances and= =20 violations of human rights. Sometimes, international procedures can provid= e=20 access to justice for individuals and groups. More often, however, whateve= r=20 happens on the level of international organizations must be complemented b= y=20 action of civil society operators before it affects true life situations. = But=20 for the work of non-governmental organizations and other civil society=20 operators, the UN human rights machinery can be of tremendous help.=20 International human rights treaties eastablish the standard against which = a=20 government can be held accountable, both internationally and domestically.= =20 Procedures before international human rights treaty bodies may establish t= he law=20 by clarifying the application of the standards in a specific issue or indi= vidual=20 case. And complaints procedures or special rapporteurs can be important in= =20 protecting vulnerable persons or groups from further violations of their r= ights=20 simply by drawing attention to grievances."

Prof. = Sam=20 Lanfranco= ,=20 (Current) Chair of Department o= f=20 Economics, Univ. of York, Toronto, Canada and Member of Advisory Board of = ACJP,=20 said :

"D= evelopments=20 in the areas of information and communication technology (ICT) have create= d a=20 new electronic venue which is being used as a virtual workspace for indivi= duals,=20 groups and communities, and as a virtual electronic arena which extends th= e=20 scope and scale of various social processes. This virtual workspace and=20 electronic social process arena are becoming increasingly important for bo= th (a)=20 international solidarity campaigns with regard to the plight of Dalits, an= d (b)=20 the building of capacity for change at the grassroots level within the Dal= it=20 community.

Th= e short=20 presentation will sketch out how Dalit groups and their support and solida= rity=20 organizations are using email, electronic conferences and the resources of= =20 internal web sites to advance their cause and aid their struggle=20 ....."

Jane=20 Jacobs,=20 Distingushed author, Internationally well known Urban Historian and Adviso= ry=20 Board member of ACJP, said :

"H= ow serious=20 are the sufferings of these millions of women, children and men of South A= sia=20 due to caste system and practice of untouchability and ask the media to do= its=20 role to get the attention of the UN and Civil Society so that some day thi= s=20 tragedy may be a history. ....."

Yea= r=20 1997= =20

(a) <= U>July -=20 August : Participated in UN Committee on Human Rights= =20 (Civil and Political Rights) during the discussions of State Party Report -=20 India= . The=20 committee experts understood the plight of Dalits for the violations of th= eir=20 civil and political rights and accepted most of our recommendations which = were=20 highlighted in the concluding=20 observations<= STRONG> of=20 the Committee Report and the detailed discussions in the Summary Records=20 1603, 1604 and 1606.

(b) Prof. Glele-Ahanho= nzo,=20 Special Rapporteur on Racism, Racial Discrimination and Xenophobia was=20 briefed on the situation of=20 Dalits and need=20 for investigation by UN. He had asked the host country to facilitate his v= isit=20 to India.

Yea= r 1996=20

(a) Participated in th= e=20 proceedings of the UN Committee on Elimination of Racial Discrimination (C= ERD)=20 during the discussion of State Party Report -=20 India= . This was=20 the first time senior UN Treaty Body was discussing the discrimination of = 250=20 million untouchables and tribals due to caste system and practice of=20 untouchability. All the experts had shown a great compassion and empathy t= o=20 address this issue eventhough India denied that there was any racism. The= =20 discussions between Indian delegates and the committee experts are of grea= t=20 significance and the readers may find very important concluding observations=20 of th= e CERD and=20 the Summary Records 1161, 1162 and 1163. It is interesti= ng to note=20 that the experts had accepted all the recommendations of ACJP in their=20 concluding observations.

Yea= r 1995=20

(a) Participated in th= e World=20 Conference on Social Development (WSSD) at Copenhagen, Denmark, which was= =20 focused on eradication of poverty. WSSD Report= .

Article Published in t= he=20 National New Paper POLITIKEN (M= arch 7,=20 1995)= of=20 Denmark (English=20 Translation)

(b) Prof. Ana Maria Qu= iroz, the=20 board member from Chile, had participated in World Conference on Womens Ri= ghts=20 in Beijing, China in 1995 and she helped the Dalit Women's group to public= ize=20 the statement on the rights of Dalit women. (Report) and ACJP Press Release.

Yea= r=20 1994= =20

(a) Participated in UN= Working=20 Group on Indigenous People (WGIP) and proposed the creation of human right= s=20 monitoring system within the mandate of WGIP for all Indigenous Peoples of= the=20 world including Dalits and Tribals of India.

(b) Participated in Su= b=20 Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities an= d did=20 interventions during the debate on contemporary forms of=20 slavery.

(c) We visited India a= nd met the=20 foreign government delegates including Canada, USA, Holland, Norway, Germa= ny,=20 Sweden etc. and briefed them th= e=20 situation of Dalits.

(d) Hosted meetings wi= th Dalit=20 NGOs in major cities like Bombay, Nagpur, New Delhi, Bangalore, Madras etc= . in=20 India to network with them.

Yea= r=20 1993= =20

(a) Was invited to par= ticipate,=20 as a advisor and UN Representative of the Indigenous Peoples of India in U= NWGIP,=20 to celebrate the "Year of Indigenous People" held by the Indigenous People= s of=20 India Forum based in Bangalore.

(b) UN World Conferenc= e on Human=20 Rights - Vienna, Austria, June 1996.

(i) Separate Workshop = on Dalits=20 were accepted as a part of the NGO input for the first time in the Dalit a= nd UN=20 history due to extensive lobbing by ACJP. This focused the attention of th= e=20 world delegates participating in this event and many European countries sh= owed=20 solidarity with the Dalit Human Rights. Planery session of NGO had unanimo= usly=20 passed the Dalit declaration.

(ii) ACJP participated= in=20 Bangkok Prepcom UN Meeting in March and succeeded in lobbing a very import= ant=20 NGO declaration statement in favor of Dalits to eradicate the practice of= =20 Untouchability as a crime against humanity ....... .

(iii) Attended Canadia= n Human=20 Rights Conference in Ottawa arranged by Canadian Government for the prepar= ation=20 of Prepcom and asked the Canadian delegates to help us for dismantling thi= s=20 Apartheid of South Asia.

(iv) Attended UNESCO c= onference=20 at Montreal and made many interventions on the issue of Dalits highlightin= g=20 their plights.

Yea= r=20 1992= =20

(a) Was invited to par= ticipate=20 in the Dalit Solidarity Conference held at Nagpur, as a guest of WCC and t= o=20 educate the participants regarding the internationalization of Dalit issue= at=20 UN.

(b) Participated in Wo= rking=20 Group on Indigenous Population at Geneva and submitted documentation on=20 Indigenous background of Dalits as well as highlighted their human rights= =20 violations.

(c) Was invited to par= ticipate=20 in Dalit Conference organized by Swiss Church Aid Group at Basel, Switzerl= and in=20 June and submitted the Dalit perspective for the liberation of=20 Dalits.

Yea= r=20 1991= =20

(a) Participated in UN= Working=20 Group on Indigenous Population and did intervention to highlight the dalit= s and=20 tribals as largest indigenous group in the world. Many indigenous particip= ants=20 were surprised by the information since it was the first time this issue o= f=20 "dalits as indigenous people" was brought to their=20 attention.

(b) Hosted Dr. Ambedka= r Birth=20 Centenary Celebration with Human Rights Conference in Toronto, June 1991. = Hon.=20 Elijah Harper, the great leader of Indians in Canada was the key note=20 speaker.

(c) Also coordinated C= olumbia=20 University Human Rights Conference on the occassion of Dr. Ambedkar Birth= =20 Centenary. Ambassador Abid Hussain of India to USA was the chief guest. Hu= man=20 Rights Conference was attended by most of the American Scholars who have d= one=20 serious study and written extensively on Dalit. It was the biggest South A= sian=20 celebration in the history of Columbia University.

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Last revised: May 26, 2005.