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Dalit advocacy
India’s Dalit community are routinely bullied, discriminated against and ill-treated, they rarely get the same opportunities as other Indians. Government research suggests that of India 200million Dalits almost half are denied access to the clean water in their own villages; in a quarter of villages police openly admitted to preventing Dalits from entering the police station to report crimes; likewise, in a third of villages postmen refused to deliver mail to Dalit homes. For many Dalits there is only one hope- the memory and ideals of the late Dr Ambedkar.
Dr Ambedkar is the leader of the Dalit people; he was born into the ‘untouchable caste’ however he was able to benefit from an education because his father served in the British-Indian army. From a very early age he devoted his life to the advancement of Dalit rights. He rose to prominence and eventually played an important part in drafting the Indian constitution. Like all other notable human rights activists he had a vision of a “society free of discrimination, where all people can participate freely and fully in society”. Ambedkar would achieve this through non-violent direct action. Towards the end of his life Ambedkar converted to Buddhism because it offered the Dalit community a practical and spiritual alternative to the Hindu caste system. His legacy is so revered that his picture is now found next to the Buddha on millions of Buddhist shrines around India.
The Manuski centre is a memorial to Dr Ambedkar it seeks to promote the ideals he believed in. It is one of the few facilities that is run by Dalits for Dalits. The centre helps Dalit men and women to develop the confidence, attitudes and social responsibility to make a lasting difference.
Maunski run several projects which are funded by Karuna. The Manuski Advisory Centre equips Dalits with the support and materials to setup and run effective social projects. Instead of directly funding any projects, the centre offers advice, training and skills to Dalit project managers. Manuski have advised many different local Dalit-run community projects on matters such as setting up a project, charity law, foreign contributions regulations, as well as other administrative, logistical, legal and financial matters.
As a direct result of the advisory centre the Manuski Network was created, it links over 100 local, national and international organisations that are fighting for Dalit rights. The centre linkages up different organisations, opens up communication and makes it possible for organisations to working together more effectively. The network has enabled people to share their experience, increase confidence, achieve solidarity and provide more effective support to those who need it.
The Manuski Advocacy Centre works directly with those who have been victims of discrimination and atrocities. The project runs a web portal which works to publicise and fight injustices against Dalits. The ‘Stop Atrocities’ web portal helps Dalit victims to a) keep people informed of their rights, b) lodge complaints of atrocities and c) follow police investigations into various atrocities.
The Manuski Disaster Management Centre was setup in the wake of the 2001 Gujarat earthquake. It was discovered that members of the Dalit caste were given an unequal proportion of food, shelter or medicine in the wake of the disaster. Since then, Manuski trained workers have provided lifesaving relief work in all subsequent natural disasters including the Tsunami and the Mumbai floods.
Finally, the centre runs retreats, meditation classes and Dhamma teachings, giving Dalits a place to practice and learn about Buddhism, like Ambedkar did.