India and the Black Lives Matter Movement

The Black Lives Matter movement and India

India has been dealing with a rising number of COVID-19 cases and other geopolitical issues. As a nation that houses 1.3 billion people who are dealing with their problems involving discrimination based on caste and social strata and several others, several members of the Indian community have expressed solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. Many international PhD scholars residing in the United States are trying to contribute to the movement in different ways. The fact that several people are expressing solidarity is a great thing, except that the grave internal issues are still being ignored.

The Black Lives Matter movement has shown how several individuals from across the world can come together and speak against the systemic discrimination faced by black people. This movement, if successful, will go down the annals of political history as one of the most remarkable, cohesive civil rights movements launched in the 21^st century. The year 2020 has ushered a tremendous wave of uncertainty among all the people, and this movement triggers a sense of optimism in a setting where even the ‘audacity of hope’ seems far away. Perhaps, this movement could teach India something that it seems to have forgotten.

Several noteworthy protests were made following tragic incidents such as the suicide of Rohith Vermula, a brilliant individual who felt that he belonged somewhere among the stars. As the nation still grapples with the apparent suicide of another star, Sushant Singh Rajput, who was interested in understanding the outer space and read about quantum physics, issues about nepotism have come to the fore. Discrimination in several areas prevail in India and many dreamers like Vermula who wanted to become a “writer of science like Carl Sagan”, or even Rajput who was interested in sending many kids to NASA for workshops are no more among us.

As a nation that has been a cradle for knowledge and talent, it is deeply disturbing and disappointing that discrimination has been allowed to have a strong grip in Indian society till now. While there are several things that India can do better, it needs to try harder to give reasons to the truly gifted to thrive and not just survive. We cannot afford to lose another brilliant mind who would have helped India to soar higher. As the two stars rest somewhere where they always desired, I can only hope that we learn from the Black Lives Movement and contribute towards the elimination of discrimination on the basis of caste, social strata, gender, religion, and sexual orientation. Hoping is audacious, but I will go ahead and do that anyway.

 

Women and the Black Lives Matter Movement

Women and the Black Lives Matter movement

Women have been at the forefront of the Black Lives Matter movement, leading it fiercely from 2013. Alicia Garza has been a vocal activist against systemic racism and after the acquittal of George Zimmerman from the murder charges of Trayvon Martin, she turned to social media to express her angst. Supported by her friends, Patrisse Cullors and Opal Tometi, they launched the #BlackLivesMatter movement to spread information about the problems that the black people were unfairly subjected to. When they started the movement, it connected various people online so that they could take action offline. Following the death of George Floyd in 2020, the movement has gained new momentum and seems to be on track to bring forth some significant changes in American society.

Women are already battling gender discrimination in several spaces, be it their workplace or their own homes. This problem persists in political spaces as well where not only women but also members of the LGBTQ community are under-represented. As one of the proponents of the #BlackLivesMatter movement, Alicia wanted to close this gap and provide a platform for everyone to raise their voices. It was high time that women and members of the LGBTQ community had platforms where they could express dissent against systemic discrimination and abuse.

However, some protestors participating in the Black Lives Matter movement have been subjected to police brutality including Michael Brown, Eric Garner, and Freddie Gray, among others. Several women have also been exposed to police abuse. Black women including Rekia Boyd, Michelle Cusseaux, Tanisha Anderson, Shelly Frey, Yvette Smith, and Eleanor Bumpurs have suffered while protesting against racial inequality. But unlike their male counterparts, the female cases did not gather enough public outrage. This indicates how the gender of the demonstrator has an impact on the entire movement as a whole.

While the Black Lives Matter movement speaks of very relevant issues for the members of the entire black community, this movement would not have half its strength without the participation of women. The reason why women such as Alicia started this movement and are sustaining it is because they know that there are issues that women in specific are dealing with such as sexual abuse and sexual harassment. Despite knowing that they are putting themselves at risk by marching out, they know that it is a cause worth fighting for. Hopefully, their efforts will pay off and the much-needed reforms would be introduced in the United States of America.

I Can’t Take this No More!

Black Lives Matter!

Do you think that I am lying

When I say

“I can’t breathe?”

Do you think that I am lying

When I say

“It hurts, officer!”

Do you think that I am lying

When I say

“I can’t take this no more!”

 

How long before

It is safe for black people

To go about doing

The work that

They were doing

Without being judged

For the colour of their skin

Or being dragged by

Irresponsible police officers

 

I am tired of the promises

That were made to us

So many years ago

Martin Luther King died

So that we could have it better

Civil rights are no joke

I hope you get that

We have been denied justice

For far too long

 

It is time to break free

From the shackles now

I can’t take this no more.

I can’t take this no more!

Civil Rights and the Black Lives Matter Movement

Civil rights and the Black Lives Matter movement

The Black Lives Matter movement has taken centre-stage in the US, following the murder of George Floyd. The resurgence of this movement, following its inception in 2013, can bring about a significant change in American society if the demonstrators are persistent. Several movements in the past have reshaped the societal framework in the country, such as the Boston Tea Party, and now this movement has the potential to do the same in 2020, nearly 250 years later. This struggle will not be easy as most other struggles, and the demonstrators may get injured, hurt, or even killed. However, this new wave of protests is different from the ones that historians have studied thus far.

The demonstrators are out amidst the COVID-19 crisis, and as the people of the contemporary world who are dealing with issues comprising economic downfall, unemployment, rapid degradation of the environment, and climate change, they are challenging the prevailing conditions by combining these multiple factors. Further, they have the ability to reach out to a wider network of people through the use of social media, using various platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to inform about the movement and share information of the protests.  Similar to the #MeToo movement, the #BlackLivesMatter movement is gaining traction across all social media platforms. The Internet was created for the benefit of the people, and if this is not one of them, we don’t know what is.

Several landmark decisions of the Supreme Court including Brown v. Board of Education wherein racial segregation in public schools was held as unconstitutional, and Browder v. Gayle where a District Court held that the racial segregation on public buses was unconstitutional, have been pronounced against the backdrop of civil protests. However, change at a societal level is never easy, and often, comes at a massive cost. Martin Luther King, one of the most prominent global civil rights leaders of his time, was assassinated near his room in Memphis where he was supporting the black sanitation workers who were on strike asking for better pay and working conditions.

The Civil Rights Act, 1964, was a watershed moment for the members of the African American community. It prohibits discrimination in public accommodations, public facilities, public schools, and various others, on the basis of race. However, despite the passage of nearly 60 years, the instances of police brutality involving the black persons have only increased. While the distinction between the earlier movements and the current Black Lives Matter movement has to be considered, the essential aim is no different. No black person should suffer the same fate as George Floyd in the future. This movement will hopefully serve as a catalyst towards the creation of a more fair and just world for the members of the black community in the US.

The Resurgence of the Black Lives Matter Movement

The resurgence of the #BlackLivesMatter movement in the US

The US is dealing with the COVID-19 crisis along with several other countries, wherein the deadly virus has infected over 1,850,000 people and led to the deaths of more than 100,000. The rather not shocking news coming from the US is that a “disproportionate burden of illness and death” has been placed on the people of colour, including African Americans. This has been confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control, and a national study conducted by amfAR, an AIDS research group. Black people comprise only 22 percent of the US population, but the number of deaths owing to the coronavirus is nearly 60 percent of the total deaths in the country.

Amidst this time, a renewed Black Lives Matter movement has taken wings. It can be traced back to the Facebook post that informed the people of the man who killed the 17-year-old Trayvon Martin. Three black organizers, Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, and Opal Tometi laid the foundation of the Black Lives Matter movement following the acquittal of the accused, George Zimmerman. In 2020, in the wake of the George Floyd murder, the movement has gathered new strength. A prominent daily has reconstructed how one of the four police officers kept applying pressure on his neck despite hearing Floyd repeating these words, “I can’t breathe”.

The police officer who pressed his knee on Floyd’s neck even after he stopped moving, Derek Chauvin, has been charged with unintentional second-degree murder. The other three police officers, Tou Thao, Thomas Lane, and J. Alexander Kueng have been charged with abetting the murder. While there is ample video evidence of what happened between Floyd and the police-officers, legally speaking, there are certain things that are still not clear. For example, if the defence counsel argues that Floyd died of a pre-existing medical condition, and not the actions of the police officers and the jury are made to believe the same, they may get acquitted of their charges.

Thousands of people have taken to the streets to protest against the murder of George Floyd, speaking about the systemic racial discrimination that the black members of the American community are subjected to. Whatever be the outcome of the George Floyd trial, this movement should contribute towards making the American community more inclusive and truly diverse. This incident, like various other incidents where blacks were killed in police custody, exposes the deep-rooted problems in the law and order system. The Black Lives Matter movement should shed some much-needed light on the problems facing the black community that they are routinely exposed to only based on the colour of their skin.

The Envoy Shorts: Roundup of 2017

Focus Area – South America; Focus Country – Peru

India and Peru share cordial relations and with bilateral trade touching 1.5 billion USD (as per a recent Financial Express report), the economic ties between the two countries are bound to get stronger. The talks of a free trade agreement (FTA) are doing the rounds and the two nations are scheduled to meet in March 2018 for taking things forward on this area. The Latin American country is the world’s sixth largest producer of gold, second largest of sliver, and third largest of copper, tin, zinc and lead. With a high demand for gold in India, there have been some investments in Peru’s gold mines.

After the devastating floods which took a massive toll on Peru’s economy, Peru is aiming to revive the economic growth through increased trade and investment in various sectors. India, particularly, can invest in Peruvian infrastructure such as roads, highways, and airports. The positive economic outlook of Peru has boosted the overall economic confidence of the Latin American region. As Peru gears up for a more influential role in the region, India has much to offer and gain from a stronger political and economic relationship with the South American nation. Peru can also serve as a gateway to the Latin American market for the Indian investors and companies.

For an overview of The Envoy’s coverage of Indian affairs, please visit http://www.theenvoy.in/india/

The Envoy Shorts: Roundup of 2017

Focus Area – South America; Focus Country – Peru

Peru is considered to be one of the stable economies of Latin America, with an overall positive outlook. It is speculated by the financial community that it will be ahead of other South American countries such as Brazil and Argentina which face inflation and are struggling with the issue of unemployment. However, it is extremely dependent on mining exports and has a humongous infrastructure deficit of around 69 billion USD. Many civilians were targeted by the security forces when they were protesting against mining projects and large-scale infrastructural developments in the recent years. However, the number of people injured or killed as a result of this has reduced over 2016 and 2017.

The newly elected President, Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, aims to spend heavily on infrastructure and public health. He wants to ensure an increase in foreign direct investment (FDI) so that the country can match the boom observed during the mid-2000s. According to The Business Year, there is an estimated 10 billion USD in FDI stock in the mining sector currently, representing 13% of all FDI in the country. Peru is also aiming to boost trade ties with several countries and stimulate economic growth in the overall slow Latin America. Perhaps, it can serve as the flag-bearer of economic opportunities under the new leadership.

For an overview of The Envoy’s coverage of World Affairs, please visit http://www.theenvoy.in/world/

The Envoy Shorts: Roundup of 2017

Focus Area – South America; Focus Country – Venezuela

Jonathan Jakubowicz is famous as the writer and director of some very noteworthy films such as Secuestro Express which brought him instant international recognition in 2005. The film was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the British Independent Film Awards and was a New York Times “Critics’ Pick” as well. His latest venture, Hands of Stone, starring names such as Robert De Niro, Edgar Ramirez, Ana de Armas, Ellen Barkin, Ruben Blades, John Turturro and Usher, premiered as an Official Selection of the Cannes Film Festival 2016 and was released worldwide by The Weinstein Company.

His first novel, ‘Las Aventuras de Juan Planchard’ which was published in 2016, has captured the attention of the people of Venezuela, becoming an important text for the fifty thousand-odd community of Resistencia Venezuela hasta los tuétanos (resistance to the Maduro dictatorship). They read the book aloud every night on the encrypted frequency of the app Zello. This novel is touted to be the biggest best-seller of all time for a Venezuelan author. Through his first novel, Jakubowicz weaves a thrilling tale which combines action, adventure, suspense, drama and comedy while providing an insight into life at Venezuela. His book is relevant and given the current circumstances in the country, an essential read for anyone interested in the Venezuelan state of affairs.

For more about the Literary Corner, please visit http://www.theenvoy.in/Literary-Corner/

The Envoy Shorts: Roundup of 2017

Focus Area – South America; Focus Country – Peru

Mario Vargas Llosa is one of the most prominent writers from Latin America who also won the Nobel Prize in Literature in the year 2010. Llosa’s novels, essays and other writings have helped the readers understand the social and political landscape of Latin America during his time. His childhood shaped his opinions about life and he grew up to be one of the most vocal critics of the government when he was able to draw parallels between his authoritarian father and the dictatorial system. While his father sent him to Leoncio Prado Military Academy to stifle his literary ambitions, he not only rebelled against his father, but also ended up marrying his maternal uncle’s sister-in-law Julia Urquidi, who was eleven years older than him and divorced. He drew upon these experiences to write his novel, Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter (which was later adapted as a feature film in 1990).

In the latest novel, ‘The Neighbourhood’ (2018), Llosa explores the story of an influential industrialist, Enrique, who lives a colourful life. A series of salacious pictures end up putting him in the spot and after the mysterious murder of the editor of the magazine (which published his pictures), Rolando Garro, he becomes the prime suspect. While Llosa’s new book is nowhere close to the books which placed him the Nobel laureate league, it is an audacious book from an 81-year old writer.

For more about the Literary Corner, please visit http://www.theenvoy.in/Literary-Corner/

The Envoy Shorts: Roundup of 2017

Focus Area – South America; Focus Country – Peru

The pardon granted to former President President Alberto Fujimori was widely criticized by the international community. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) reported that according to some UN human rights experts, this presidential pardon was a “slap in the face” to victims of human rights abuses who had fought very hard for justice. Fujimori was serving a 25-year jail sentence for serious human rights violations including extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances and kidnapping. However, the current President, Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, decided to pardon him triggering widespread protests. While the pardon may go against Peru’s international human rights obligations, the blatant disregard for such serious human rights violations is a cause for concern.

The political influence exercised by individuals such as Fujimori puts the entire criminal justice delivery system in jeopardy. The administrators of justice, the courts, also have limited independent powers when it comes to addressing violations including extrajudicial killings, disappearances, and torture. Further, police abuse has been rampant over the course of the recent decade (2006-2016), killing more than 130 people in relation to protests, as per the Human Rights Watch. An active role of the international community is necessary with regard to ensuring justice to Peru’s victims.

For an overview of The Envoy’s coverage of human rights issues, please visit http://www.theenvoy.in/human-rights