Tag Archives: Roma

October 3, 2014 · 7:23 pm

Prima Primissima Award nomination for Derdak Tibor (Jai Bhim Network, Hungary), please Vote and Support

I am pleased to share with all of you the great news that Derdak Tibor, Director of Jai Bhim Network, has been nominated for Prima Primissima Award under Public Education and Education category. Prima Primissima Award is prestigious award in Hungary and it is a great moment for all of us who believe in the ideology of BabaSaheb Ambedkar and especially for those who have wholehearted supported Jai Bhim Network, Hungary and its activities all these years. It shows how dedicated Jai Bhim Network team in Hungary is for the cause of social equality.

The voting for the award is open and you can vote by sending a simple text message (sms) from your mobile.

Here is how to vote –

Type on your mobile – 13

And send it to +36707077000

Simple! Sms won’t charge you much. One can send/vote sms as many times as one wants but one sms per hour only, i.e. if you want to send again please send it after one hour only. Voting is open till December 4^th, 2014, so please vote as many times as you can.

It is a great opportunity for all of us to support and encourage the people behind Jai Bhim Network, Hungary so that they keep on spreading the ideology of BabaSaheb. Award money will go to Dr. Ambedkar school’s activities and recognition will help Jai Bhim Network to spread the message of BabaSaheb. Dr. Ambedkar High schools are Hungary’s largest educational institutions for Roma children. We can’t afford to turn our backs on such a successful initiative – to educated and give ‘Dalits of Europe’ a sense of pride. It is our duty to support and encourage Jai Bhim Network team so please vote and spread this message to your friends and groups.

Those who don’t know about Jai Bhim Network, here is brief about Jai Bhim Network and its activities –

Jai Bhim Network is group of people working in Hungary on the ideas of BabaSaheb Ambedkar and Lord Buddha. Since 2007, Jai Bhim Network has expanded its roots deep into the Hungarian society via opening many new Dr. Ambedkar High schools and Jai Bhim Network has purchased a new house (named White House) to teach Roma students and carry out various social functions. With the help The Corporate Body of the Buddha Education Foundation, Taipei (Taiwan) Jai Bhim Network has published a Buddhist Puja book – Telihold. Every year they celebrate BabaSaheb’s Birth anniversary and Dhamma Chakka Parivartan Din. Dr. Ambedkar High School is a kind of second chance schools, which offer the opportunity of obtaining an education in the poorest villages in Hungary, torn communities of living, especially for young Roma. With the help of Jai Bhim Network Romas are able to stand against the daily whips of village life and Network has given millions hopes to these unprivileged Romas through education and social integration program, all such measures were ignored by governments and many others. Jai Bhim Network is working and drawing inspiration from many other Buddhist religious bodies from different countries and especially Dalits of India.

In my recent visit (September, 2014) to Dr. Ambedkar High School, Sajokaza, I found that they have now amazing Buddhist Meditation Centre!

More about Jai Bhim Network, you can find at http://www.ambedkar.eu/ or http://www.jaibhim.hu/ or from my article in The Hindu newspaper at http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-sundaymagazine/article662028.ece

More information about the Prima Primissima Award at

http://hu.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prima_Primissima_d%C3%ADj (the link is in Hungarian but you can use google translator to convert it to English)

Please vote and spread the message.

3 Comments

Filed under Buddha, Buddhism, Dalit-Bahujans, Dr B R Ambedkar

Tagged as 22 Vows administered by Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, ambedkar, B R Ambedkar, Babasaheb, Bahujan Samaj Party, Bahujans, BR Ambedkar, Buddha, buddhism, buddhist, Caste, Caste Discrimination, Caste system in India, casteism, Dalit, Dalit Buddhist movement, dalit-bahujan, Dalits of Europe, Dhamma, Dhammapada, discrimination, Dr Ambedkar Books, Dr B R Ambedkar Photos, Dr B R Ambedkar Pictures, Dr. Ambedkar High schools, Hungary, Jai Bhim Network Hungary, Kanshi Ram, Karuna Trust, Prima Primissima Award, Roma, Untouchability, Untouchable

May 14, 2013 · 11:07 am

Movie Review – Just the Wind

Last day, I watched Hungarian movie named “Just the Wind” (Csak a szél). I’ve been waiting to watch this movie for long time and finally my friend from Hungary managed to get the movie for me. Just the Wind was Hungary’s nomination for 85^th Academy Awards.

You’ll easily get absorbed into the movie and will start having feeling of closeness to the characters. There will not be a single instance where you’ll try to blink! The movie is based on the Romani killings those took place in 2008 and 2009 in parts of Hungary.

Just the Wind portraits last day in the life of one Romani family, which consists of mother, two children, grandfather and father living in Canada, in a small Hungarian village, in which as the day breaks news spread quickly of the murder of another Romani family. Movie represents the anxiousness, desperation to survive and fears with which Romani people live. To escape death and fears, mother works at two different cleaning jobs so that she can save enough money to get out of the country and be with her husband living in Canada. Anna (Girl child) understands the necessity of attending the school and Rio (boy child) instead of going school just keep on roaming in forest and keep on enjoying video games at neighbours’ place.

Just the Wind – Wind of Racism

In the movie it is shown, the culprits of murders of neighbour Romani family are not found and even police is not showing much interest in finding the culprits, rather policemen make racist comments and tries to justify killings.

In one scene, when Anna is waiting for bus to go to school, just because of hatred towards Romani people, white bus driver is shown to drive a few extra meters because he did not stop the bus at the exact spot where she was waiting. There is also a scene when suspicious black car follows the Rio and he completely gets scared and stops and tries to hide behind the bushes. He brings out his frustration and anger a little later when he is in the deep forest, running alone, cutting himself an aisle through the undergrowth. It seems to be something like a shout of despair, an outcry against the overwhelming menace. It is also shown that for his family, Rio is preparing for secret bunker in forest in case things got worse.

In another scene, as mother is passing through the white people’s neighbourhood, she is stopped by some white goons and they tried to molest her. There are many hearts touching scene in the movie that tried to explain the day to day life struggle of Romani people.

With desperation and fear day ends and family is in bed, holding on dreams to survive and escape to Canada pretty soon. Just then there is some noise outside and mother says, it’s Just the Wind and with this comment one may think all ends well with the family but Rio wakes up and sees the perpetrators coming and he shouts loudly and runs. But all the members of the family are killed – just because they are Romani – just because of racism.

Wind of Racism just like Wind of Casteism is still blowing heavily and don’t know how many more lives will these two will take before stopping. Caste virus is not gone so is the race virus. The movie is inspired by real life racist attacks and is breathless escalation of events. One can easily relate the lives of Romani people and Dalits of India, almost same happens in India, Dalits suffer on day to day basis, Dalits’ dreams are shattered and not many care.

Movie raises many questions on the way we treat people from other race, other caste, look different or other religion. After watching the movie, I was lost into the thoughts of lives of Romani people; I was devastated with the suffering that Romani people undergo because of racism. All this made me cry. I’ve been at Sajokaza (Hungary) in year 2009 and worked with Jai Bhim Network, organization that works for Romani people. So, I could relate many things in movie what I had experienced at Sajokaza. It’s nicely directed movie and is must watch for people who believe in equality and humanity.

You can watch the movie from this link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfWFEtemRNk

1 Comment

Filed under Buddhism, Caste Discrimination, Dalit-Bahujans, Documentary, Dr B R Ambedkar, Equal Rights

Tagged as 22 Vows administered by Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, B R Ambedkar, Caste Discrimination, Csak a szél, Dalit Buddhist movement, dalits, Dr Ambedkar Books, Dr B R Ambedkar Photos, Dr B R Ambedkar Pictures, drama, Gypsies, Hindu Caste System, india, Jai Bhim Network, Just the Wind, oscars, racist attacks, Roma, Romani, untouchables, violence against women, Wind of Casteism, Wind of Racism

September 9, 2011 · 1:12 am

Church Law and the Future of Jai Bhim Network in Hungary

It’s almost been two years to my visit (23^rd Sept to 20^th Oct 2009) to the Sajókaza (Hungary) and since then I’ve been in constant contact with my friends – Anikó Szegedi, Derdák Tibor, Kalanyos Laszlo and Katlin Bodori – from Hungary. This article is in continuation to my previous articles – Babasaheb Ambedkar and ‘the Dalits of Europe’, Reclaiming Human Dignity: The Protest and Gypsy Stereotypes, Celebrating Dhamma Chakka Parivartan Diwas in Hungary, and Ambedkar in Hungary – which I wrote while staying at Sajókaza.

Few Updates from the Jai Bhim Network, Hungary

Since 2009, Jai Bhim Network has expanded its roots deep into the Hungarian society via opening new schools at Alsózsolca (about 60 students), Mágocs and Sáta (elementary school about 20km from Sajókaza) and Jai Bhim Network has purchased a new house (named White House) to teach Roma students and carry out various social functions. With the help of Bharat Wankhede (the guy who accompanied me on the visit) and The Corporate Body of the Buddha Education Foundation, Taipei (Taiwan) Jai Bhim Network has published a Buddhist Puja book – Telihold. Kubu (the guy I mentioned few times in my earlier articles) will graduate in Physics in few years. Benu (the guy whose speech on Roma rights at Heroes Square (Budapest) was simply amazing.) has joined job at Budapest and he is continuing his activities with Jai Bhim Network from Budapest. Katlin Bodori left for completing her master’s degree. Many new teachers are hired and few completed their tenure successfully – enriching Roma students’ lives and their own lives with wonderful experiences.

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