| Dream Come True meeting with Dr Binayak Sen |
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| Written by Kamayani Bali Mahabal | |||
| Thursday, 18 June 2009 19:04 | |||
 On May 29th Morning I left Mumbai for the fact finding mission to Dantewada for demolition of the Gandhi an Himanshu’s Vanvasi Chetna Ashram. I reached Raipur, but I could not keep my excitement to meet Dr Binayak Sen, the journey from airport to his home seemed like a century.As I reached his house in Raipur, I saw him standing outside his house in a khadi kurta and pyjama with an effervescent smile. I gave him a huge hug from more than 2,000 global members of the facebook group of Free Dr Binayak Sen Campaign. He was surprised and could not believe that I was wearing a free Dr Binayak Sen T shirt which was an out come of the facebook campaign. I also showed him the poems written by the facebook members, an online Binayak Calender 2009 in English, Portuguese, hindi, Urdu , Spanish Chilean. http://www.binayaksen.net/2009/01/binayak-sen-calenders/ “I cannot believe so many people beyond borders have supported me “he said with tears of joy in his eyes. Donning the T shirt he sat in front of me, which was like a dream come true. “ None of this belongs to me it belongs to all of you, because it is just the beginning Looking at he poems he said that I consider myself lucky to generate so much worldwide support for my case, but what about others ?? There are hundreds more languishing in jails who are in a similar situation who do not have even have legal aid let alone the support. There are thousands who are being displaced from their land and their access to natural resources across India. “ So I am under no illusion about the fundamental situation not changing in any way. “, he said sternly The campaign has to go further, We have to take the agenda for peace forward and distinguish it from the agenda for violence. We all are in the same boat and if we cant make the boat sail safely, then we all will sink in together When I asked him how he is being championed as the hero of naxalites, he very categorically said I am against all forms of violence whether it is perpetuated by the Maoists or by the State  I am against all forms of violence whether it is perpetuated by the Maoists or by the State
Talking about the prison conditions he said, usually everyone talks about corruption but that is not the main problem, the main issue, in the raipur prison where he spent two years.. "Hate the crime, not the criminal." This dictum of Mahatma Gandhi is displayed prominently at the entrance of raipur jail, alongwith a potratiat of the Father of Nation."The main problem in a prison is that an inmate whether a convict or an undertrial has no human dignity," If a prisoner was caught for even a minor offence by the chakkar adhikari doing the rounds in the wards along with the nambardar, a convict himself, he would be beaten mercilessly by 10 to 15 people with chappals, he has been witness to it. Elaborating on the healthcare in the prison he said to get treatment, medicines or injections at the jail hospital, a prisoner would have to grease the palms of a section of hospital staff and doctors, though possessing cash was against the prison rules. During his incarceration, Sen had come across many cases of poor villagers being falsely implicated in serious cases like murder by vindictive thanedars.His day in prison was like any other prisoner, he used read newspapers and books inside the prison. He was also allowed to keep radio with which he kept abreast of the latest news in the outside world. Expressing his deep concern about demolition of Vanvasi Chetna Ashram he said that he ahs known Himanshu for years now, and he is the only ray of hope for the tribals in the region as there is no one else who si working for rights of the tribals and landless. He is the Gandhi an who has been able to help to help the villagers resettle. If such peace initiatives are demolished by authorities, it is a clear indication from state that they believe in military engagement, and aim to just kill Naxalites and not go to root cause of naxalism and structural violence perpetrated on poor. When asked if he will continue his work, he said his health w s a priority and once he is back from Vellore then The PUCL and my personal voice continue to be raised against the Salwa Judum. We will work for political engagement instead of military engagement. Military engagement should be stopped and peace formula should be restored. People should not be killed and political problems should be sorted out through discussions and talks,he pointed out. On the issue of doctors and their involvement in human rights he said doctors have a very micro" view focusing on individual patients, whereas activists have a broader socio-political understanding of health.‘ I believe that my duty of care extends beyond the wards and consultation rooms and into the lives and homes of people “ Good healthcare cannot be divorced from the basic levels of social, economic and environmental support to which each human also has a right. I am not here to simply effect cures or manage disease , I am responsible also to enable and empower my patients the adivavsis to live as human beings, when they are being treated as mere pawns at the hands of the government and corporates to rake in their mooolah at the expense of their basic right to life.’ I shared with Dr Sen that how for the last two years I have sent complaints to World Medical Association to put pressure on Indian medical association to raise his issue of incarceration Dr Sen, just laughed, IMA will never do that, I have been talking against them, Expressing his surprise at the fact that Chhattisgarh Chapter of IMA had released a two lien statement eh said ‘ I am surprised “. In our country IMA will be at the forefront demanding rights of the doctors, but they have never come forward , gone on a strike for patients rights, for lack of medicines… Have they ? NO, it has always been related to the infrastructure of hostels, colleges of MBBS students. They believe that if the doctors of are empowered and happy they will be able to serve their patients better, but we all know that’s not the case, he gave a sarcastic smile. Good medical practice is, in itself, the embodiment of respect for human rights and should be recognised as such Dr Sen has been living and working in Chhattisgarh since 1981 and raised his voice when the state government launched the Salwa Judum movement, a state-sponsored initiative to set up private militias to fight Naxals, saying it led to massive human rights violations.He is also the Vice president of the People's Union for Civil Liberties. He ran a weekly clinic for the local tribals and was piloting a community-based health programme in the state. Rights groups, intellectuals and more than 2,000 doctors from all over the world have signed petitions demanding Dr Sin’s release. Rights groups, intellectuals and over 2,000 doctors from all over the world have signed petitions for his release, the clamour for which increased with Nobel laureates joining the campaign. Free Dr Binayak Sen is a landmark campaign as it has bought people together from various walks of life to voice their right to dissent, as a basic human right. This campaign will continue to raise its voice until and unless all the Prisoner of Conscience languishing in jails are given free and fair trail. For more information www.binayaksen.net you can also contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
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