MAHILA SHANTI SENA: INDIAN WOMEN'S PEACE MOVEMENT

In the 1960's the Peace Movement was in full swing in the United States. Vietnam War was not a very popular war. Finally the young people protested and took stand against this senseless war. It became so unpopular that even the politicians knew they had to end it. Agent Orange was used in Vietnam and had been used to destroy the forests, so that the enemy could be easily seen. Vietnamese and Americans both died from the effects of this substance as well from the war itself. Yet it was the youth who challenged the elders to do better in this situation and finally the elders listened to them.

W0men have historically been opposed to war. Many women have lost children who fought in wars. They know first hand the grief of losing children in wars. In recent times a movement of peace has developed in India comprised of women called Mahila Shanti Sena. It is a women's peace corps. The famous activist, Acharya Ramamurti, who is in his nineties, is a vital part of this movement. He realized women are vital to the strength of the peace movement.

Many decades ago, in the 20th century, Gandhi appeared on the scene and became part of the Indian Independence Movement. He often praised women for being naturally more in tune with the task of peace. Gandhi said, "Non-violence is woman's inborn virtue. For ages together men have been trained in violence. To become non-violent they will have to generate womanly qualities in them. Since I have accepted non-violence, I am myself, becoming womanly day by day." He invited women to enlist and join the non-violent movement in support of Indian Independence. Thousands of women joined the movement in the 1930's and 1940's.

One of the women in the movement was Indian Congress leader Annie Besant, who was the second President of the Theosophical Society in India. She was the first person who advocated for Home Rule in India. Although she died in 1922, she contributed much to the direction of the movement even before the other women joined the movement. He also met HP Blavatsky, the co-founder of the Theosophical Society. She was also in support of the movement. These two great women became champions of the movement along with many others.

Some women did obtain leadership positions in India after Gandhi died. Some became diplomats, a Secretary General of the United Nations, governors, MP's and even prime ministers in India. However fewer women were in those roles later on after Indira Gandhi was assassinated near the Sikh temple.

Finally in 1992 an amendment to the Indian Constitution was added which provided for 30% of state district-level electoral seats be filled by women. Many women were elected to these positions who had no previous political experience and some could not even read.

Acharya Ramamurti led the organization Shramabharti for many of the past 40 years. It is a problem solving organization which focuses on literacy, agriculture, repair, health, housing and food. They provided training solutions to Bihar and Uttar Pradesh regions of India which solved local problems. In the last 25 years the organization has focused on women and children. He developed a women's peace corps and provided training for women in leadership, so they would succeed in their roles in the community. The name of the organization which focuses on this topic is Mahila Shanti Sena, which started in 2000 by his efforts and the efforts of Dr. Rama Singh, a Biology professor. It was a training camp and peace corps. Vaishali was the village connected with the Buddha and Mahavira, the founder of Jainism. It is also the area where Gandhi instituted his satyagrapha (truth force) movement. The meeting for this organization was called the Vaishali Sabha.

One of the areas of violence in 2002 was Gujarat where Hindus and Muslims were involved with communal violence. A conference was developed were the women were encouraged to share their stories, concerns, comments and questions on this concern and the future situation of their children. Some had gone through child marriages and did not want their daughters to suffer the same fate. There were concerns about the costs of education for their children. The women saw the need for solidarity with each other to solve these problems. In this place they agreed to "resolve our problems and differences through personal dialog and other peaceful means." Some of the problems discussed were: dowry, economic dependence, alcoholism in men, exploitation of money lenders and domestic violence. Conflict resolution techniques and village governance were also discussed. The women went back to their own villages and had discussions with other women in order to solve some of the problems. They developed micro loan systems, self-help groups and local training centers of various kinds. Acharya Ramamurti stated a thought-provoking statement: "Men have failed to bring a culture of peace, women are our hope for the future." Women will be the ones to lead us through the future in the consciousness of peace. We welcome enlightened men to join with us to bring about a better, more peaceful world.

JAI SHRI EMPOWERMENT! JAI SHRI PEACE! JAI SHRI MA!

Radhapriestess