(Dr. Aruna Arasuko, Madurai, TN)
A special feature on Japan published in the Hindu (Jul. 19, 1982) says that Indians feel happy about the progress of Japan. We South Indians think that before two decades the Japanese were short-statured people & the nation was a warmongering one. Intellectuals in India often refer to the social integration achieved in Japan during the “Meiji take-over” and the present industrial progress.
They advocate that we should emulate Japan’s social, economic and industrial developments. The hierarchical and feudal social order of Tokugava era consisting Daimyos (landlords), Samurais (warriors), farmers, traders, artisans and outcastes was demolished, and social integration was achieved by disestablishing the social parasites, ‘Samurais’. The traditional rights of Samurais to be the warriors by birth was given up, thereby making it possible for others to join the army. Hence the Meiji take over was considered to be the dawn of Japan which could be an eye opener for India also. We thought Japanese society was an integrated civilized society. Unfortunately, Japanese society is also suffering from traditional moorings with reference to the treatment of Buraku people of Japan. In spite of its all round progress, Japan has failed to make social progress. There is a lack of human values. The Japanese discriminate Buraku people in all walks of life. Burakus are by and large workers on lands. As an Indian delegate to the “Asian Minorities Conference” at Colombo in Dec. 1981, I was able to hear the untold miseries of Buraku people from the Buraku liberation organizations. The Burakumins presently numbering 2 to 3 million out of a total population of 113 million. It is the largest single minority group in Japan today, though not ethnically different from the rest of the Japanese. The Burakumins have been treated as an outcaste community segregated and discriminated socially, economically since hundreds of years. Burakumins were the victims of slavery and untouchability. At present Burakumins are the descendants of the outcaste communities ‘Eta’ and ‘Hinin’. Though legal provisions envisage “the titles of ‘Eta and Hinin’ shall be abolished and the people belonging to these classes shall be treated in the same manner both in occupation and social standing as the common people”, the deep seated prejudices of the Japanese people and government officials, and with them the discrimination, has continued unabated. Many incidents have been reported of Burakumin young men and women who fell in love with other Japanese people committed suicide when their identity became known to others. It is also learnt that private detectives, who are numerous in Japan, are used by big business to consult the lists of Burakumins when they select their staff. According to dependable reports Buraku people live in segregated areas throughout Japan. Isolated in specially designated areas, they are battling every day against the discrimination which denies them their right to live with freedom and dignity whenever they should choose to make their home. It is evident that Japan is suffering from a worst social illness. It is also a sorry state of affair that the land of Buddhism is also practising some sort of ‘casteism and untouchability’. We, the Untouchables of India support the Buraku liberation struggle.
