Humane Rights

November 16, the last Sunday, was the "World Tolerance Day". In a world rife with hatred, communal violences, genocides and such crimes towards humanity the day strives to motivate us for peaceful coexistence, mutual trust and respect, and an open-minded acceptance for each other's lives. To save the diversity of human lives on the earth we need to be torelant of different ways of living practised by different communities and/or religions. In my city, Kolkata, people observed the day participating in activities keeping with the spirit of the day.

This was the last day of the three days long relay fast and prayer held at Metro Corridor from 9am on Friday, November 14, to show "solidarity with the victims of the Orissa violence", that is the recent Kandhamal crisis. The event was organized by the Christian community of West Bengal and the Inter Religious Forum, Kolkata, The Catholic Association of West Bengal (CAB) and Signis and under the aegis of the Catholic Religious of India (CRI) - West Bengal, and Catholic Bishops' Conference of India - West Bengal unit. Various Catholic organizations, NGOS and leaders of different religious communities joined in to voice their concerns against communal violence and to pray for communal harmony. On the last day a human chain was formed that spread from Metro Corridor to Park Street and after that a press conference was called where leaders of Catholic community spoke to the media persons in the presence of the religious leaders of other communities.



For those who want to know more about Kandhamal crisis here is a list of online resources. These are representative of different views running in the media, some of which may appear very biased.
1. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Kandhmal_crisis_A_mesh_of_conflicting_interests/articleshow/3585234.cms

2. http://orissamatters.com/2008/10/01/kandhamal-conflict/

3. http://www.isavelives.be/en/node/2184

4. http://www.rediff.com/news/2008/jan/08guest.htm

5. http://kafila.org/2008/10/09/freedom-of-conscience-and-attacks-on-christians/

6. http://christianwatchindia.wordpress.com/2008/09/14/facts-on-christian-tribal-clashes-in-kandhamal-orissa/

7. http://orissaburning.blogspot.com/2008/08/orissa-kandhamal-is-burning-again.html



In the morning on the same day hundreds of animal lovers walked in a silent procession to protest killing of a stray dog by burning it alive. This cruel incident took place at a neighbourhood at Chetla in Kolkata on 20th October this year. The procession started from Deshapriya park and ended at the place of the incident, where it could not remain silent when the protestors started crying foul against the perpetrators of the crime. Distinguished persons from various walks of life as well as common animal lovers, many of whom came to participate after reading a small notice in a local newspaper previous day, joined in the march organized by People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).