#justice for abhaya

[desi-girll]

last night's Women Reclaim The Night: The Night Is Ours midnight protest march... turns out my father actually wasn't against me going out late, it was just that i made assumptions without asking. but anyways, me, mom, dad, and 8-10 of our neighbours went to the Garia More protest site. the turnout here was pretty great so imagine the turnout at the other, more popular sites.

anyways, we went with a candle each, and placed it in front of a poster, as the pic shows. i really hope Abhaya gets the justice she deserves and her soul rests in peace.

but people, let's not forget that the fight isn't over yet! the culprits, and by that i mean the real culprits haven't been punished yet, and are still under political protection. FORDA had called off the nationwide strike after meeting with Union Health Minister, and we all know what that means. everything is corrupted right now, and nothing can be trusted. but we as citizens should do our part in getting justice.

today, 15th Aug 2024, is the indian independence day. but do you think we're really independent yet? is independence only for men? are women supposed to stay at home, be blind to all the corruptions and illegal things happening, and just stay quiet? why is it still not safe for women to go out at night? why is it that we women have to suffer always, whether be it a nursery child or a doctor or an aged person? as Alakh Pandey said recently Girls can't go out late at night not because they are scared of other girls. Boys are what scares them. So the whole problem is not you, it's us (males). The fact that you all are not safe late at night because of us should be our (males) responsibility.

the day women can walk on the streets at any time of the day without being catcalled, stared at in creepy way, being raped, sexually assaulted, having acid thrown over their faces, be subjected to domestic violence, marital rape, tortured, murdered, etc etc etc, that will be the day india will become truly independent. but not before that. not today.

[aaal-iz-well]

BUT WHEN??

[raktimchakraborty-blog]

সুখী গৃহকোণ আর সমাজ ?

মানিয়ে নেওয়ার ক্ষমতা আমাদের ভালোই, তার জানান সমাজ বার বার দিচ্ছে, মানুষ অনেক বছর ধরে পরিশ্রম করে যোগ্যতা অর্জন করে, পরিশ্রম করে, করে রোজগার, সঞ্চিত অর্থগুলো শুধু অর্থ নয়, প্রত্যেকের জীবনের অনেকগুলো বছরের আত্মত্যাগের খতিয়ান

চলো এবার উল্টো দিক দেখি,পারিবারিক প্রেক্ষাপট আদৌ বিভাজিত নাকি?রোগ কি খুব ছড়িয়েছে নাকি উলটপুরাণ রয়েছে অস্তিত্বে,বোধগম্যতা হ্রাস পেয়েছে নাকি নাক উঁচুর প্রতি আস্থা, পূর্ণতা দিচ্ছে, উল্টো গল্প পড়ছে চাপা, অবলা কত আত্মত্যাগের গল্প,মানিয়ে গুছিয়ে চলছে বেশ ভালোই, তোয়াক্কা নেই সমাজে কে কি বললো,সমাজমাধ্যমে ওদেরও ভালো ছবি, অন্ধকার সুরক্ষিত,প্রকাশ্যে ওদের সাহস দেখাতে হয় না, মনে সব পরীক্ষিত, নিরাপত্তাহীনতা…

[theamoristwriter]

I'm a final year UG student of English Literature. Today, when I was reading "Draupadi" by Mahasweta Devi, I couldn't help but scream and cry; hysterically! From "Paanchaali" to "Dopdi" to "Nirbhaya" and to "Abhaya"... the names change, the story remains the same.

WE ARE NOT SAD ANYMORE. WE ARE ANGRY. WE DEMAND JUSTICE ✊🏻

[desi-girll]

it just gives me chills – the fact that hardly any more days left for Janmashtami... and maybe just maybe what you've written is going to come true this time... it gives me the courage to hope that this time he'll be here to help... to save us... to help us get justice... to protect us

Guys imagine...

It's 11:59 PM in the night of Sunday

The alleys are dark

Demons in human skin are laughing

Women are being raped

Protestors are doing candle marches

An old lady, very old, watches the TV with horro in her eyes and folds her palms, looks at the small Laddoo Gopal ki murti in her Pooja Home and says, "Ab to aao Girdhar Gopal, kabse aas lagaye hai." (atleast now come, Girdhar Gopal. We await you to to come {and annihilate evil}.)

Away from all this at a small house near a river, the loud cries of a woman rattled the whole house as she pushed at her stomach, the pain being unbearing as she cried out for help, the midwives helping her. Lightning started to crackle in the sky, heavy rain started pouring down with lightning and lightning, the river was in full swing.

With a final cry the pain subsided, her face drenched in sweat and tears as she felt herself fainting, when her eyes were snapped open as she felt something on her chest.

"You have birthed such a beautiful baby boy, look!" The midwife had cried out happily and she teared up, looking at the dark skinned small bundle of joy, who was crying, covered in a thick blanket.

Suddenly her eyes were dazzled by the effect of a bright light, and she closed her eyes in between. She slowly opened one eye and looked up, and was stunned. The huge silhouette of a man with four arms holding different things stood in front of her, as she looked wide eyed at the huge silhouette in front of her, and then slowly looked at the baby.

Suddenly it clicked her...

𝐘𝐚𝐝𝐚 𝐘𝐚𝐝𝐚 𝐡𝐢 𝐃𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐲𝐚, 𝐆𝐥𝐚𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐫𝐛𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢 𝐁𝐡𝐚𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐡..

𝐀𝐛𝐡𝐲𝐮𝐭𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐦-𝐚𝐝𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐲𝐚, 𝐭𝐚𝐝𝐚𝐚𝐭-𝐦𝐚𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐦 𝐬𝐫𝐢𝐣𝐚𝐦𝐲𝐚𝐡𝐚𝐦..!

𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐲 𝐒𝐚𝐚𝐝𝐡𝐮𝐧𝐚𝐦, 𝐕𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐲-𝐜𝐡𝐚 𝐃𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐤𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐦..

𝐃𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐚-𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐚𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐚𝐲, 𝐒𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐚𝐦𝐢 𝐘𝐮𝐠𝐞 𝐘𝐮𝐠𝐞...!

Inspired by this post of @she-rambled-but-they-were-true

@harinishivaa @mahi-wayy @yehsahihai @houseofbreadpakoda @blossommoonart @myvarya @zeherili-ankhein @warnermeadowsgirl @krsnaradhika @desigurlie @ramayantika @mrityuloknative @xxdritaxx @thegleamingmoon @sumiyxx @chaliyaaa @stxrrynxghts @sambaridli @sanskari-kanya @ulaganayagi @voidsteffy @krishna-sangini @nidhi-writes @janaknandini-singh999 @ramcharantitties @ririsasy @kaal-naagin @mounamelanoyi @thecrazyinktrovert @sada-siva-sanyaasi @chaanv

[ivesambrose]

Since you're from India, I am assuming that you've heard the Abhaya rape case, where a doctor was raped and murdered on duty at her workplace.

I find it weird that while Tumblr talks so much about social issues and justice, etc., I am yet to see any issues from India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, etc., gain momentum.

I don't think it makes any sense to send this ask to you. But, I just wanted to say this out loud to someone.

Anyway, love your posts. And sometimes your PACs are scary accurate. ❤️❤️

I know and you're right. I live in the city this took place in and it's utterly henious out there. So much that if you join any of the peaceful protests as a female you need to be extra careful out there too. There's a constant fear in your heart. I've seen Kolkata police threaten to take down accounts on Twitter just because people chose to speak up on this and against the CM of the state. This barely scartches the surface and the ever harrowing disgust every woman feels in this country and in our neighbouring countries as well. Thank you for sending me this ask actually. Thank you for speaking up!

And lastly, thank you I'm grateful that my messages provide guidance 🤍

[hyacinth-dancing-in-rain]

It's been a month since the horrifying incident at RG Kar. Today on the night of September 8, protests will be organized all over Kolkata, India, and the entire world. Many countries will be participating in the protest for Abhaya. Protest goes on from night till the dawn of 9th September.

A human chain(manab bondhon) has been formed for 14 kilometres along the main road from Jadavpur to Laketown and Sodpur to Shyambazar. People have marched with fire torches. Women are reclaiming the night once again and protests continue till morning.

Dance, songs, plays will continue throughout the night. People have stepped down on the streets with the national flag in their hands, the national anthem in their voices and patriotism in their heart demanding justice.

[hadit93]

This ask might be a little silly and kind of triggering. So, i apologise in advance and please feel free to ignore if I am crossing any boundaries.

I wanted to ask you for a tarot reading on a social issue. I am not sure if you have heard about the brutal gangrape and murder of an on-duty female doctor at Kolkata, India.

The entire country is protesting but the government is trying to shield the criminals and the state CM is imprisoning the protesters.

Can you perform a reading to check if "Abhaya" (that's what we are calling the martyr, it means fearless) will get justice or is this going to be just another futile protest?

I was unaware of this event and I am saddened things like this happen, I hate the depravity of humans.

The cards suggest a drawn-out process, justice will not be swift. There will be conflict between justice and the people guilty. It will not be an easy case to prove and there will be issues in bringing these people to justice.

The cards suggest that unfortunately those guilty will not get what is coming to them, there is suggestion that this event will inspire some change on a greater level, but ultimately the outcome for those guilty is the 8 of cups which indicates quite literally 'walking away' from something. In this case it would seem they are walking away from justice.

Sorry the news could not be better. I hope on this occasion I am wrong--which always remember, can be the case. Divination is not infallible.

[angelic-daiquiri]

The shit that happened in Kolkata, India is disgusting.

And yet people are still blaming the girl. I never understood why some men act like this, like they have the right to do anything they want just because they have a dick.

I just had to get this off my chest, justice for abhaya. Im so fucking tired of seeing the shit people do against women

[desi-girll]

মেয়েরা রাত দখল করো: THE NIGHT IS OURS

WOMEN RECLAIM THE NIGHT, JUSTICE FOR RG KAR VICTIM

let's do our part in protesting against the brutal rape and murder of RG Kar PGT doctor who was on a 36 hour shift on Friday, 9th August when she was resting alone in a room. please read the entire post even though it's long.

if you don't know what happened, the 31 year old woman had been gang raped (both before and after murder), and tortured to such an extent which cannot be explained. afterwards, the authorities and police first tried to cover it up by telling her parents it's a suicide but later it was revealed not to be so. it is a case of rape and homicide.

(i) speculations are that the girl had possibly become privy to some unlawful work going on at the hospital during night shifts, and hence to silence her, all this was done.

(ii) parents were refused to be allowed to see their daughter's body until after 3 hours of their arrival. they had to beg and plead for their basic rights.

(iii) what's more is that her body was burned by the police without taking the consent of her parents, possibly to erase evidences in case a second post mortem was to be done.

(iv) the girl's father has also reported to the high court, the fact that the DGP called him up and asked him not to take matters forward and just settle it amongst themselves.

(v) the person who has been arrested for this incident is speculatively just a scapegoat who has been paid to take the blame for something done by a larger group of people, probably under the protection of the syndicate ran in West Bengal by the government.

Post Mortem report of the victim (which again, was conducted by RG Kar doctors themselves, and we don't know if some details are intentionally being hidden or not

The postmortem report of the trainee doctor raped and murdered at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital revealed that she was throttled to death. Her thyroid cartilage was broken due to strangling and a deep wound was found in her private parts, the four-page report said. Sources said the murder and rape likely took place between 3 am and 5 am on August 9.

Injuries were found on her belly, lips, fingers, and left leg. Sources said the victim's nose and mouth were clamped, and her head was pushed against a wall to prevent her from screaming.

The scratch marks on the woman's face are believed to have been caused by the accused's fingernails, indicating that the victim desperately tried to fight back.

"The mouth and throat were constantly pressed to prevent screaming. The throat was strangled to suffocate. The thyroid cartilage broke due to strangling," the postmortem report said.

The report also mentioned that the woman was bleeding from both eyes, mouth and private parts. The report said the wounds in her private parts were caused by "perverted sexuality" and "genital torture". However, the reason for her eye wound has not been determined yet.

Source of the post mortem

so today (14th August, 2024) at 11:55 PM IST, there is going to be a midnight protest held across Kolkata. women protestors have planned to hold night long agitation across multiple spots in the city. the campaign titled 'Women, Reclaim The Night: The Night Is Ours' is aimed at seeking justice for the sexual assault and murder of the woman doctor. Men have also decided to join the protest in large numbers to show their solidarity with the cause.

The protest will take place simultaneously at the Jadavpur 8B Stand, Academy of Fine Arts, College Street, Sinthee More, Dunlop, Maldah English Bazaar, Siliguri (Darjeeling More).

i know it isn't possible for many of us to attend the protest but let's do our part virtually if not physically. share posts about the incident on your social media, with your friends, relatives. take part in the online campaign going on in social media. at 11:55 PM IST (14th August, 2024) tag your posts with #womenreclaimthenight and #thenightisours.

make this tag trending on all your socials. share this post to raise awareness. share all other posts related to this incident. with the tags i wrote above.

spread the word to your friends and relatives, do your part this way. indians and non indians, both alike. male, female, non binary, all genders, all alike. raise your voice before it's too late.

because the next victim could be you or any of your loved ones.

[news365timesindia]

[ad_1] GG News Bureau Kolkata, 22nd Oct. The father of the deceased woman doctor from RG Kar Medical College and Hospital has reached out to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, expressing immense mental pressure and a feeling of helplessness in the wake of their daughter’s tragic death. In a letter written on Tuesday, the bereaved father sought an appointment with Shah, hoping for guidance and support during this difficult time. “I am the father of Abhaya, and I am writing to respectfully request an appointment with you at your convenience… We have been going through tremendous mental pressure and feeling helpless now,” the letter stated. He emphasized the urgency of the situation, adding that both he and his wife wished to discuss their plight and receive Shah’s guidance in their quest for justice. Later, speaking to PTI, the mother of the deceased expressed her hope that the Union Home Minister would grant them a meeting. “I will tell him the mental agony we have been going through because our daughter is yet to get justice,” she said. The body of the on-duty woman doctor was found in a semi-nude state on August 9 in the seminar hall of RG Kar Hospital, leading to a widespread uproar among the medical fraternity. Junior doctors initiated a 42-day ‘cease-work’ strike across West Bengal, demanding justice for the victim, increased security in hospitals, and the recruitment of permanent women police officers. The Kolkata Police arrested one civic volunteer before the case was transferred to the CBI, following an order from the Calcutta High Court. Subsequently, the CBI arrested the former principal of RG Kar Medical College, Sandip Ghosh, and the now-suspended officer-in-charge of Tala Police Station, Abhijit Mondal. On October 5, junior medics began a hunger strike after the state government failed to meet their 24-hour deadline for fulfilling their demands. The hunger strike was called off on the 17th day after a meeting with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, where assurances were made to address the grievances. The medics also canceled their proposed statewide health sector shutdown, which was slated to begin on Tuesday for an indefinite period. The post RG Kar Victim’s Father Seeks Amit Shah’s Help for Justice and Support appeared first on Global Governance News- Asia's First Bilingual News portal for Global News and Updates. [ad_2] Source link

[news365times]

[ad_1] GG News Bureau Kolkata, 22nd Oct. The father of the deceased woman doctor from RG Kar Medical College and Hospital has reached out to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, expressing immense mental pressure and a feeling of helplessness in the wake of their daughter’s tragic death. In a letter written on Tuesday, the bereaved father sought an appointment with Shah, hoping for guidance and support during this difficult time. “I am the father of Abhaya, and I am writing to respectfully request an appointment with you at your convenience… We have been going through tremendous mental pressure and feeling helpless now,” the letter stated. He emphasized the urgency of the situation, adding that both he and his wife wished to discuss their plight and receive Shah’s guidance in their quest for justice. Later, speaking to PTI, the mother of the deceased expressed her hope that the Union Home Minister would grant them a meeting. “I will tell him the mental agony we have been going through because our daughter is yet to get justice,” she said. The body of the on-duty woman doctor was found in a semi-nude state on August 9 in the seminar hall of RG Kar Hospital, leading to a widespread uproar among the medical fraternity. Junior doctors initiated a 42-day ‘cease-work’ strike across West Bengal, demanding justice for the victim, increased security in hospitals, and the recruitment of permanent women police officers. The Kolkata Police arrested one civic volunteer before the case was transferred to the CBI, following an order from the Calcutta High Court. Subsequently, the CBI arrested the former principal of RG Kar Medical College, Sandip Ghosh, and the now-suspended officer-in-charge of Tala Police Station, Abhijit Mondal. On October 5, junior medics began a hunger strike after the state government failed to meet their 24-hour deadline for fulfilling their demands. The hunger strike was called off on the 17th day after a meeting with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, where assurances were made to address the grievances. The medics also canceled their proposed statewide health sector shutdown, which was slated to begin on Tuesday for an indefinite period. The post RG Kar Victim’s Father Seeks Amit Shah’s Help for Justice and Support appeared first on Global Governance News- Asia's First Bilingual News portal for Global News and Updates. [ad_2] Source link

[washwashgalaxy]

WE ALL WISH THAT ABHAYA GETS JUSTICE By Bijoy Bhakat

WE ALL WISH THAT ABHAYA GETS JUSTICEThe killing of Abhaya –While on dutyAnd  being a lady doctor ..In the government Medical College and HospitalIn Kolkata and in R G Kar ..Was  not only –Brutal and heinous But –Frightening and terrifying Chilling and horrifying..Also..That’s why –We all want And We all wish –That –Abhaya gets justice AndAll the perpetrators get punished..Without any further…

[writingwithcolor]

hi, I've been looking for an answer on this for a while and i couldn't find anything so i figured I'd ask here. I'm writing a visual novel about two teenagers running away and realizing they're in a different reality but the plot isn't too important to the question. one of the main character's name is Karma, and i didn't know if i should change her name or not. i know that the concept of karma is important in Hinduism and Buddhism (as well as other religions) and i think naming a character karma might be offensive and/or appropriative. do you have any insight on it?

Naming a character Karma

- Is the character written to be Hindu or Buddhist? 

- What kind of background does she have? 

I have seen Karma used as a name, but I personally wouldn’t use it because it feels odd to me. The usages I’ve seen have mostly been in Western spheres--think about what the name reflects on the character and their background.

Does her name have relevance to the narrative? If so, consider your usage, because that’s where it would probably get appropriative. Oftentimes the concept of karma is misinterpreted as poetic justice as opposed to the actions one takes affecting their future lives. If not, maybe consider other names. 

We have a South Asian naming guide if you’d like to use it. In short, think about why you chose the name and what it reflects on her character, and whether it’s really necessary or if you simply like the name. It’s up to you whether you continue with this name or not, given that we don’t have a background with which we can definitively work off of.

~ Abhaya

[apenitentialprayer]

So, a couple days ago saw the end to what was a nearly three decade long murder case in Kerala, India. In 1992, a young nun named Sister Abhaya (birthname: Beena Thomas) was found dead in a well in Kottayam. Though originally ruled a suicide, a priest and a nun quickly became suspects in a murder case, with the prosecutor’s theory being that they had killed her in order to cover up an affair that the two were having. In any event, both were convicted and sentenced to a life in prison on the 23rd of this December; the priest swears his innocence, while the nun (as of Wendesday) has not made any statements. In any event, maybe pray that justice has been performed, and that things will be rectified if it hasn’t. And please pray for the soul of Sister Abhaya, who was only 21 when she died.

[historymeetsliterature]

Freedom from fear - Aung San Suu Kyi - 1990

It is not power that corrupts but fear. Fear of losing power corrupts those who wield it and fear of the scourge of power corrupts those who are subject to it. Most Burmese are familiar with the four a-gati, the four kinds of corruption. Chanda-gati, corruption induced by desire, is deviation from the right path in pursuit of bribes or for the sake of those one loves. Dosa-gati is taking the wrong path to spite those against whom one bears ill will, and moga-gati is aberration due to ignorance. But perhaps the worst of the four is bhaya-gati, for not only does bhaya, fear, stifle and slowly destroy all sense of right and wrong, it so often lies at the root of the other three kinds of corruption. Just as chanda-gati, when not the result of sheer avarice, can be caused by fear of want or fear of losing the goodwill of those one loves, so fear of being surpassed, humiliated or injured in some way can provide the impetus for ill will. And it would be difficult to dispel ignorance unless there is freedom to pursue the truth unfettered by fear. With so close a relationship between fear and corruption it is little wonder that in any society where fear is rife corruption in all forms becomes deeply entrenched.

Public dissatisfaction with economic hardships has been seen as the chief cause of the movement for democracy in Burma, sparked off by the student demonstrations 1988. It is true that years of incoherent policies, inept official measures, burgeoning inflation and falling real income had turned the country into an economic shambles. But it was more than the difficulties of eking out a barely acceptable standard of living that had eroded the patience of a traditionally good-natured, quiescent people - it was also the humiliation of a way of life disfigured by corruption and fear.

The students were protesting not just against the death of their comrades but against the denial of their right to life by a totalitarian regime which deprived the present of meaningfulness and held out no hope for the future. And because the students' protests articulated the frustrations of the people at large, the demonstrations quickly grew into a nationwide movement. Some of its keenest supporters were businessmen who had developed the skills and the contacts necessary not only to survive but to prosper within the system. But their affluence offered them no genuine sense of security or fulfilment, and they could not but see that if they and their fellow citizens, regardless of economic status, were to achieve a worthwhile existence, an accountable administration was at least a necessary if not a sufficient condition. The people of Burma had wearied of a precarious state of passive apprehension where they were 'as water in the cupped hands' of the powers that be.

Emerald cool we may be_As water in cupped hands_But oh that we might be_As splinters of glass_In cupped hands.

Glass splinters, the smallest with its sharp, glinting power to defend itself against hands that try to crush, could be seen as a vivid symbol of the spark of courage that is an essential attribute of those who would free themselves from the grip of oppression. Bogyoke Aung San regarded himself as a revolutionary and searched tirelessly for answers to the problems that beset Burma during her times of trial. He exhorted the people to develop courage: 'Don't just depend on the courage and intrepidity of others. Each and every one of you must make sacrifices to become a hero possessed of courage and intrepidity. Then only shall we all be able to enjoy true freedom.'

The effort necessary to remain uncorrupted in an environment where fear is an integral part of everyday existence is not immediately apparent to those fortunate enough to live in states governed by the rule of law. Just laws do not merely prevent corruption by meting out impartial punishment to offenders. They also help to create a society in which people can fulfil the basic requirements necessary for the preservation of human dignity without recourse to corrupt practices. Where there are no such laws, the burden of upholding the principles of justice and common decency falls on the ordinary people. It is the cumulative effect on their sustained effort and steady endurance which will change a nation where reason and conscience are warped by fear into one where legal rules exist to promote man's desire for harmony and justice while restraining the less desirable destructive traits in his nature.

In an age when immense technological advances have created lethal weapons which could be, and are, used by the powefful and the unprincipled to dominate the weak and the helpless, there is a compelling need for a closer relationship between politics and ethics at both the national and international levels. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights of the United Nations proclaims that 'every individual and every organ of society' should strive to promote the basic rights and freedoms to which all human beings regardless of race, nationality or religion are entitled. But as long as there are governments whose authority is founded on coercion rather than on the mandate of the people, and interest groups which place short-term profits above long-term peace and prosperity, concerted international action to protect and promote human rights will remain at best a partially realized struggle. There willcontinue to be arenas of struggle where victims of oppression have to draw on their own inner resources to defend their inalienable rights as members of the human family.

The quintessential revolution is that of the spirit, born of an intellectual conviction of the need for change in those mental attitudes and values which shape the course of a nation's development. A revolution which aims merely at changing official policies and institutions with a view to an improvement in material conditions has little chance of genuine success. Without a revolution of the spirit, the forces which produced the iniquities of the old order would continue to be operative, posing a constant threat to the process of reform and regeneration. It is not enough merely to call for freedom, democracy and human rights. There has to be a united determination to persevere in the struggle, to make sacrifices in the name of enduring truths, to resist the corrupting influences ofdesire, ill will, ignorance and fear.

Saints, it has been said, are the sinners who go on trying. So free men are the oppressed who go on trying and who in the process make themselves fit to bear the responsibilities and to uphold the disciplines which will maintain a free society. Among the basic freedoms to which men aspire that their lives might be full and uncramped, freedom from fear stands out as both a means and an end. A people who would build a nation in which strong, democratic institutions are firmly established as a guarantee against state-induced power must first learn to liberate their own minds from apathy and fear.

Always one to practise what he preached, Aung San himself constantly demonstrated courage - not just the physical sort but the kind that enabled him to speak the truth, to stand by his word, to accept criticism, to admit his faults, to correct his mistakes, to respect the opposition, to parley with the enemy and to let people be the judge of his worthiness as a leader. It is for such moral courage that he will always be loved and respected in Burma - not merely as a warrior hero but as the inspiration and conscience of the nation. The words used by Jawaharlal Nehru to describe Mahatma Gandhi could well be applied to Aung San:

'The essence of his teaching was fearlessness and truth, and action allied to these, always keeping the welfare of the masses in view.'

Gandhi, that great apostle of non-violence, and Aung San, the founder of a national army, were very different personalities, but as there is an inevitable sameness about the challenges ofauthoritarian rule anywhere at any time, so there is a similarity in the intrinsic qualities of those who rise up to meet the challenge. Nehru, who considered the instillation of courage in the people of India one of Gandhi's greatest achievements, was a political modernist, but as he assessed the needs for a twentieth-century movement for independence, he found himself looking back to the philosophy of ancient India: 'The greatest gift for an individual or a nation . .. was abhaya, fearlessness, not merely bodily courage but absence of fear from the mind.'

Fearlessness may be a gift but perhaps more precious is the courage acquired through endeavour, courage that comes from cultivating the habit of refusing to let fear dictate one's actions, courage that could be described as 'grace under pressure' - grace which is renewed repeatedly in the face of harsh, unremitting pressure.

Within a system which denies the existence of basic human rights, fear tends to be the order of the day. Fear of imprisonment, fear of torture, fear ofdeath, fear oflosing friends, family, property or means of livelihood, fear of poverty, fear of isolation, fear of failure. A most insidious form of fear is that which masquerades as common sense or even wisdom, condemning as foolish, reckless, insignificant or futile the small, daily acts of courage which help to preserve man's self-respect and inherent human dignity. It is not easy for a people conditioned by fear under the iron rule of the principle that might is right to free themselves from the enervating miasma of fear. Yet even under the most crushing state machinery courage rises up again and again, for fear is not the natural state of civilized man.

The wellspring of courage and endurance in the face of unbridled power is generally a firm belief in the sanctity of ethical principles combined with a historical sense that despite all setbacks the condition of man is set on an ultimate course for both spiritual and material advancement. It is his capacity for self-improvement and self-redemption which most distinguishes man from the mere brute. At the root of human responsibility is the concept of peffection, the urge to achieve it, the intelligence to find a path towards it, and the will to follow that path if not to the end at least the distance needed to rise above individual limitations and environmental impediments. It is man's vision of a world fit for rational, civilized humanity which leads him to dare and to suffer to build societies free from want and fear. Concepts such as truth, justice and compassion cannot be dismissed as trite when these are often the only bulwarks which stand against ruthless power.