21 November 2016
The Rights of Children & Responsibilities of Leaders
I believe that the right of every child is the heritage developed by her/his parents and ancestors. Every child has a mother and a father. The mother develops the child internally and that to me is development of common faith/belief. Any external development needs to be on this foundation. As per the Daily Mirror report ‘What we want for every child’ about UNs role in this:
[The convention, which is the most widely ratified international human rights treaty, sets out a number of children’s rights including the right to life, to health, to education and to play, the right to family life, to be protected from violence, not to be discriminated against and to have their views heard.]
A right is a projection of need. Where there is a right there is an Equal & Opposite need. Any ‘right’ without a need is an expression of desire. It is easy to list the external forms based on the seen. The above article depicts, Poverty, War & Diseases as the challenges faced by a child. When remedies are ‘given’ on false diagnosis – the child suffers another disease and/or another child suffers more, relative the beneficiary. The basic right of every child is her/his heritage – from parents and the home community. If the parents survived threats such as poverty, diseases and war – then the child inherits those surviving forces. If the child’s environment is changed by outsiders – the child loses connection with the heritage and that is a crime.
Such discrepancies are prevented when remedies are based on belief and / or Common Principles. In the case of majority who are natives to a particular land – belief is the fundamental basis. The intellectual basis needs to be merit based and needs to be applied on Equal Footing and be transparent – so transparent that the child could question why s/he did not get what the other got? Democracy is largely about the latter. But how does a child access those facilities?
Yesterday I had firsthand experience of the local belief of the natives of this village of Thunaivi – most of whom are driven by their habits rather than intellectual discrimination. Most of the parents did not go beyond primary school. Their minds are the first ones taken over by those desiring war. War, based on need is a right. Relative to more remote areas – child-recruitment from this area which is considered a high risk zone, is virtually unknown. It may be due to investment in self-governance which led to the Vaddukoddai Resolution. So long as the line of inheritance is maintained – the children of this area would enjoy good quality of life.
On Friday, I was chief guest at the opening of a tailoring business. I then noticed a local guy who had borrowed money from us for self-employment taking on his motorbike, his two sons to school. I was reminded of how I took my three children of about that age – by bus, to drop off my son at D.S. Senanayake primary school and then walked with my two daughters to the other end of the road to St Bridget’s Convent and then caught the bus to work. After school – our son caught the bus back and the girls were picked up by my former boss Mr. Huzam Cader whose kids were also studying at St. Bridget’s Convent. Relatively speaking these parents and children have more comforts that my children and I had at the parallel stages. We had to maintain a higher living standard due to my heritage. By experiencing those difficulties without compromising on the standards, I developed higher heritage through my own efforts – relative to my parallels/equals at that time. If I did not carry that true heritage within me – I would be easily swayed by the apparent relativity through which I am currently seen as being more comfortably off than those parents and my children enjoying more than their children. Every child has the right to enjoy as per her/his heritage. No child has the right to someone else’s heritage. That to me, is what Sovereignty is all about.
From the point of locals – yesterday a 26 year old guy came to our temple where Priest Radha Aiyar and I were chatting. The young guy came and stood in front of Radha Aiyar and asked ‘who am I?’. At first Radha Aiyar said that he did not recognize the young guy. But the guy said ‘look into my eyes and say who I am’. Then Radha Aiyar said ‘you are Vairavar’. The young guy fell at Radha Aiyar’s feet and said ‘thank you god!’. He then stated that Vairavar had come to protect the innocent guy within. The conversation went on along that line and eventually the young guy went to pray in front of the altar. His relatives expressed their anxiety to Radha Aiyar who then recommended someone who could break the spell. After they left – Radha Aiyar explained to me that some magician had induced this spirit in this guy and explained that unless the person providing the remedy was strong – that person could get infected. Then Radha Aiyar pointed to two little pools of dark blood – at the spot where the young guy was standing. Radha Aiyar asked me to step away from it and I followed those instructions. When I thought about it – on my own – it was mental disorder due to individuals going into ‘hiding’ when they are faced by challenges. The stronger mind in that discipline can cure them. The locals give these disorders various names of spirits. The parallel that comes to mind is the mentally ill label allocated to me by the Australian Justice system going into hiding in the Mental Health system. But those in that system will not see any wrong in that system – the same way Buddhist politicians would not see any wrong in ‘Buddhism foremost’ provision in the Sri Lankan Constitution. They mark themselves right and live in their own world. If the 26 year old was suffering due to voodoo magic then the same label applies to the Sri Lankan politicians and the Australian Judicial system.
When our mind is weak, it can be taken-over by stronger minds. When those stronger minds are of common belief – it’s heritage based following. When the stronger mind is that of an outsider – it is evil even when it happens within the official system and even when it results in handouts – of money and religious status.
The mind rooted in one’s heritage – is orderly. On Saturday night when young ones refused to leave the temple at 8 p.m. I announced that I was going to call the Police. They left. But came again yesterday to ‘chat’ and make loud noises as if they were ‘free’. Calling the Police would have been an external measure and could lead to unjust excessive punishment. Yesterday I showed the young guys one of whom is a relative of the 26 year old under the influence of the escape route – the blood spots and said that they were at risk of infection. Soon they vanished! As Radha Aiyar said in the case of the 26 year old – you have to go along with them and ask them to discard the evil spirit. I just applied it in the case of the young ones who hide into their own self-allocated status of ownership by possession. Had I called the Police – the risk of excessive punishment was greater.
When our pain is stronger than pleasures and we accept it as our reality – the gap becomes our natural protective structure. That is heritage. Such past of mine is my heritage. To the extent I consider individuals to be my children and heirs – they naturally have access to this heritage. No child with such heritage would suffer from poverty, war or diseases. They may all happen at the physical level but the mind filled with heritage order does not recognize any of these as perils. To me developing and sharing that heritage is the core purpose of every leadership position.
"Mwanzo wa 2016 ""Haki za Watoto na Wajibu wa Viongozi"" - Haki za kila mtoto ni urithi uliotengenezwa na wazazi wake na mababu zake." Kila mtoto ana mama na baba. Mama huendeleza mtoto ndani na hiyo kwangu ni maendeleo ya imani ya kawaida. Maendeleo yoyote ya nje yanahitaji kuwa juu ya msingi huu. "Kama ilivyoelezwa katika ripoti ya ""What We Want for Every Child"" ya Daily Mirror, makubaliano hayo ni makubaliano ya kimataifa ya haki za binadamu ambayo yanatambulika kama ""mkataba wa haki za binadamu unaokubaliwa na wengi zaidi"" na ambayo yanatoa haki za watoto kama vile haki ya kuishi, afya, elimu na kucheza, haki ya maisha ya familia, haki ya kuokolewa dhidi ya vurugu, haki ya kutobaguliwa na haki ya kusikia maoni yao." Haki ni mwonekano wa uhitaji. Ambapo kuna haki kuna sawa na kinyume haja. "Haki" yoyote bila uhitaji ni usemi wa tamaa. Ni rahisi kuorodhesha aina za nje kulingana na yale yanayoonekana. Makala iliyo hapo juu inaonyesha, Umaskini, Vita na Magonjwa kama changamoto zinazokabiliwa na mtoto. Wakati tiba ni "kupewa" juu ya utambuzi wa uwongo <unk> mtoto anaugua ugonjwa mwingine na/au mtoto mwingine anaugua zaidi, jamaa mteja. Haki ya msingi ya kila mtoto ni urithi wake <unk> kutoka kwa wazazi na jamii ya nyumbani. Ikiwa wazazi waliokoka vitisho kama vile umaskini, magonjwa na vita <unk> basi mtoto hurithi nguvu hizo zilizosalia. Ikiwa mazingira ya mtoto yamebadilishwa na watu wa nje <unk> mtoto hupoteza uhusiano na urithi na hiyo ni uhalifu. Tofauti hizo huepukwa wakati tiba zinategemea imani na kanuni za kawaida. Katika kesi ya wengi ambao ni wenyeji wa nchi fulani <unk> imani ni msingi wa msingi. Msingi wa kiakili unahitaji kuwa msingi wa sifa na unahitaji kutumika kwa usawa na kuwa wazi - wazi sana kwamba mtoto anaweza kuuliza kwa nini s # yeye hakupata kile mwingine alipata? Demokrasia kwa kiasi kikubwa inahusu jambo la pili. Lakini mtoto anawezaje kupata vifaa hivyo? Jana nilikuwa na uzoefu wa kwanza wa imani ya mitaa ya wenyeji wa kijiji hiki cha Thunaivi <unk> wengi wao wanaendeshwa na tabia zao badala ya ubaguzi wa kiakili. Wazazi wengi hawakuendelea na shule ya msingi. Akili zao ndizo za kwanza kuteka nguvu na wale wanaotaka vita. Vita, kulingana na uhitaji ni haki. Ikilinganishwa na maeneo ya mbali zaidi <unk> kuajiri watoto kutoka eneo hili ambalo linachukuliwa kuwa eneo la hatari kubwa, ni karibu haijulikani. Inaweza kuwa kwa sababu ya uwekezaji katika utawala wa kibinafsi ambao ulisababisha Azimio la Vaddukoddai. Maadamu mstari wa urithi unadumishwa <unk> watoto wa eneo hili watafurahia ubora wa maisha. Ijumaa, nilikuwa mgeni mkuu katika ufunguzi wa biashara ya kushona. "Mwanamume mmoja wa eneo hilo, ambaye alikuwa amekopa pesa kutoka kwetu kwa ajili ya kazi ya kujiajiri, alisafiri kwa pikipiki na wanawe wawili kwenda shule.""" Nilikumbushwa jinsi nilivyopeleka watoto wangu watatu wenye umri kama huo - kwa basi, kumwachilia mwana wangu kwenye D.S. Senanayake shule ya msingi na kisha kutembea na binti zangu wawili kwa mwisho mwingine wa barabara ya St Bridget's Convent na kisha kukamata basi kufanya kazi. Baada ya shule <unk> mwana wetu alikamata basi nyuma na wasichana walikuwa kukusanywa na bosi wangu wa zamani Mheshimiwa Huzam Cader ambaye watoto walikuwa pia kusoma katika St. Bridget <unk>s Convent. Kwa ujumla, wazazi na watoto hawa wana starehe nyingi kuliko zile ambazo mimi na watoto wangu tulikuwa nazo katika hatua hizo. Ilibidi tuendelee kuwa na hali ya juu ya maisha kwa sababu ya urithi wangu. Kwa uzoefu wa matatizo hayo bila ya kuathiriwa na viwango, nilitengeneza urithi wa juu kupitia juhudi zangu mwenyewe <unk> ikilinganishwa na sambamba zangu / sawa wakati huo. Kama mimi si kubeba kwamba urithi wa kweli ndani yangu <unk> Ningekuwa kwa urahisi kutikiswa na uwiano dhahiri kupitia ambayo mimi kwa sasa ni kuonekana kama kuwa vizuri zaidi mbali kuliko wale wazazi na watoto wangu kufurahia zaidi kuliko watoto wao. Kila mtoto ana haki ya kufurahia kama urithi wake. Hakuna mtoto aliye na haki ya urithi wa mtu mwingine. Kwangu, hilo ndilo maana ya Utawala. "Mwanamume mmoja mwenye umri wa miaka 26 aliwasili kwenye hekalu la kanisa hilo jana, ambapo alikuwa akizungumza na Padri Radha Ayyar.""" Kijana huyo alikuja na kusimama mbele ya Radha Aiyar na kuuliza "Mimi ni nani?" Mwanzoni Radha Aiyar alisema kwamba hakumtambua yule kijana. Lakini mtu huyo alisema 'tazama machoni pangu na useme mimi ni nani'. Kisha Radha Aiyar akasema, "Wewe ni Vairavar". Kijana huyo alianguka miguuni pa Radha Aiyar na kusema <unk> asante Mungu! <unk>. Kisha akasema kwamba Vairavar alikuwa amekuja kumlinda mtu asiye na hatia aliye ndani. Mazungumzo yaliendelea kwa njia hiyo na hatimaye kijana huyo akaenda kusali mbele ya madhabahu. Watu wa ukoo wake walimwambia Radha Aiyar wasiwasi wao na yeye akampendekeza mtu ambaye angeweza kuvunja uchawi huo. Baada ya wao kuondoka <unk> Radha Aiyar alielezea kwangu kwamba baadhi ya mchawi alikuwa induced roho hii katika mtu huyu na alielezea kwamba isipokuwa mtu kutoa tiba ilikuwa na nguvu <unk> kwamba mtu anaweza kupata maambukizi. Kisha Radha Aiyar alionyesha vidimbwi viwili vidogo vya damu nyeusi <unk> mahali ambapo kijana huyo alikuwa amesimama. Radha Aiyar aliniomba niondoke na nikafuata maagizo hayo. Nilipofikiria juu yake <unk> kwa mwenyewe <unk> ilikuwa ugonjwa wa akili kutokana na watu kwenda katika <unk> kujificha <unk> wakati wao ni inakabiliwa na changamoto. Akili yenye nguvu zaidi katika nidhamu hiyo yaweza kuwaponya. Wenyeji wa eneo hilo huita matatizo hayo majina mbalimbali ya roho. "Kama mfano, ""mgonjwa wa akili"" ni jina la utani lililopewa na mfumo wa haki wa Australia, na kujificha katika mfumo wa afya ya akili." Lakini wale katika mfumo huo hawatapata kosa lolote katika mfumo huo - kwa njia ile ile wanasiasa Wabuddha hawatapata kosa lolote katika utoaji wa "Ubuddha wa kwanza" katika Katiba ya Sri Lanka. Wao hujitambulisha kuwa wenye haki na huishi katika ulimwengu wao wenyewe. "Kama yule kijana mwenye umri wa miaka 26 alikuwa akiteseka kutokana na uchawi wa ""voodoo,"" basi jina hilo linatumika kwa wanasiasa wa Sri Lanka na mfumo wa mahakama ya Australia." Wakati akili yetu ni dhaifu, inaweza kuchukuliwa-juu na akili nguvu. Wakati wale akili nguvu ni ya imani ya kawaida <unk> ni urithi msingi kufuatia. Wakati akili yenye nguvu ni ile ya mgeni <unk> ni uovu hata wakati hutokea ndani ya mfumo rasmi na hata wakati inatokea handouts <unk> ya fedha na hadhi ya kidini. Akili iliyo mizizi katika urithi wa mtu <unk> ni ya utaratibu. Jumamosi jioni, vijana walipokuwa wakikataa kuondoka hekaluni saa nane jioni, Nilitangaza kwamba ningepigia simu Polisi. Waliacha. Lakini alikuja tena jana kwa <unk>kuzungumza<unk> na kufanya kelele kubwa kama wao walikuwa <unk>free<unk>. Kupigia simu Polisi kungekuwa hatua ya nje na ingeweza kusababisha adhabu isiyo ya haki ya kupita kiasi. """Nilionyesha jana vijana hao, mmoja wao ni jamaa wa msichana wa miaka 26 aliyepatikana akiwa chini ya ushawishi wa njia ya kutoroka, madoa ya damu na kuwaambia kuwa walikuwa katika hatari ya kuambukizwa." Punde si punde walitoweka! "Radha Iyer alisema katika kesi ya kijana wa miaka 26 ""Lazima uende pamoja nao na kuwaomba kuondoa roho mbaya.""" "Nilitumia tu katika kesi ya vijana ambao hujificha katika hali yao ya kujitegemea ya umiliki kwa kumiliki. """ Kama ningekuwa nimewaita polisi <unk> hatari ya adhabu ya kupita kiasi ingekuwa kubwa zaidi. Wakati maumivu yetu ni nguvu kuliko raha na sisi kukubali ni kama ukweli wetu <unk> pengo inakuwa muundo wetu wa asili wa kinga. Hiyo ni urithi. Uso wangu wa zamani ni urithi wangu. Kwa kadiri ninavyowaona watu kuwa watoto wangu na warithi wangu - kwa kawaida wana upatikanaji wa urithi huu. Hakuna mtoto mwenye urithi kama huo ambaye angeteseka kutokana na umaskini, vita au magonjwa. Yote yanaweza kutokea katika kiwango cha kimwili, lakini akili iliyojaa utaratibu wa urithi haitambui yoyote ya haya kama hatari. Kwangu, kuendeleza na kushiriki urithi huo ni kusudi kuu la kila nafasi ya uongozi.