FIRST D.A.V. College Ba Reunion in Vancouver, 2015: A stroll down the memory lane in Canada

A group of D.A.V. College, Ba, Fiji students organised and met in Burnaby Canada in April, 2015. This small meeting developed into formation of country – branches with an international focus. The next Reunion is schedule for Auckland in 2017. A Historical 2015 DAV, Ba Reunion in Vancouver brought back old memories, and thoughts of those no longer around.

On a crispy and slightly chilly evening of 4 April, 2015 in Vancouver, as I walked into Royal Palace Banquet Hall in Edmonds Street Burnaby, I expectantly hoped to be met by a throbbing crowd of old mates from D.A.V. College, Ba, Fiji. After all it was the first overseas D.A.V Reunion.

The welcome banner at D.A.V. College Ba Reunion in Barnaby, Canada at Royal Palace Banquet Hall

However the excitement was short-lived, as there were strange faces, and I got relief when a few old D.A.V friends, who we already knew and had earlier met, greeted us. I was accompanied by my wife Shashi Kala, who also happened to be from DAV where I met her.

D.A.V College in Ba in 1970s was a very conservative school. It was so with equally conservative strict teachers who were imported from India, who ensured boy-girl relationship was frowned upon, and any relationship, even talking was seen suspiciously, and considered a sin, despite the religion teaching the virtues of love. This was to such an extent that, I think in 1972, even our compounds were divided into two sections which were sexually segregated, for a short-while. Despite these strict rules and nonsensical restrictions by “Mohabbat ke Dushman ‘ (Enemies of love), love affairs flourished, love-letters changed hands and there were at least there couples from the class of 1970s who were instituted in the Lovers Hall of Fame – but that later.

The Class of 1970s- a group-shot of students from 1970-1975

Now, to Royal Palace Banquet Hall in Burnaby – most were strange faces-people I hardly knew from DAV. And I met a few from D.A. V., but from the Suva school. The reason is that most, I would say over 80% were not from DAV, Ba as the organisers had coincided the event with Arya Samaj presentation night for Vancouver. And that is what really took over 80% of the time. All that I was able to sneak out was some half an hour.

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17 July, 2015

Justice System: A casualty at Crime Forum in Auckland

The murder of Henderson dairy owner Arun Kumar and subsequent court case raises many questions that need answers, but there are no takers. Nobody appears to be interested or prepared to take responsibility. The family feels as that they have been made the victims twice over, with the loss of the loved one, plus a questioning and wanting justice system.

When NZ’s questionable Justice System becomes a casualty at Crime Forum in Henderson, Auckland

Waitakere in general and Henderson in particular is a casualty of the utopia, Auckland Super-City, where we got ignored by the system. You would not read anything about this in any NZ media. An ethnic reporter from NZ Herald was given the script of a speech, but none ethnic events of the past forums saw the light of day. Thankfully, Hindi Freeview 36 channel, Apna TV covered this, while the other Indian cum Hindi media do not seem to be interested.

Anyway, why should they? It was only an ethnic Indian dairy owner who got killed. If it was a celebrated White Man or relative of some politician or Councillor, then there would have been a media frenzy to cover the aftermath of the event. But, sadly, for most media, it is a no-story. That is why, thank God for social media for filling in the vacuum. So here we go - how FIJI PUNDIT fills this news-emptiness in this neglected part of former Waitakere City - the wild - west that we call HENDERSON.

Waitakere Ethnic Board (WEB) Forum heard that justice indeed appears to be blind where the victims have to pay for the crimes they did not commit -twice, while the criminals go free.

Waitakere Ethnic Board (WEB) initially held a crime forum in Henderson on 3 July, 2014, subsequent to murder of dairy-owner, Arun Kumar, and a spate of other deaths and serious crime in Henderson. We heard major stakeholders, including Waipareira Trust, Minister of Social Development, politicians, community and the police. They promised that things would be done to address the issues. To gauge progress, WEB decided to revisit the crime issue a year after the event and this was held on 8 July, 2015 at Auckland Council Chambers in Henderson.

RAYMOND RAJ, PROUDLY FLYING FIJI FLAG IN A REMOTE CANADIAN TOWN

Fiji Flag Flying High in A remote Canadian Mountain Town – thanks to a proud son of Fiji

Thakur Ranjit Singh 

Wherever Indo-Fijians are settled around the world, they are exemplary migrants –hard workers and easily able to integrate with the local communities and add colour to cultural landscape of the country. They are recognized as a distinct breed of Indians, very different from those from India. While we are well versed and experienced in forming religious groupings, our district soccer clubs or national bodies, we also have a greater need to integrate with migrants from other communities. 

We are doing that well with multiracial organizations, Ethic Boards or other organizations embracing the world population of migrants in New Zealand, Australia, USA and Canada, among others. These people in the Indo-Fijian Diaspora do not only fly the flag of multiculturalism, but also of their respective countries. This is one such story for such an individual.

He is Raymond Raj (known in Fiji as Ramendra Singh) and left his home in Rarawai, Golflinks, Ba, Fiji some four decades ago. But that passion for Fiji still exists. And no, he is not settled in any bustling Canadian City, but is settled in a sleepy, little-known and remote small British Columbian aluminum town of KITIMAT, which is nearer to Alaskan border than Vancouver. Here is that human-interest story of that unsung hero- a proud Fijian Canadian-RAYMOND RAJ

The proud son of Fiji and a grandson of Girmitiya Bansi, RAYMOND RAJ, raising Fiji flag tens of thousands of kilometers from a small Fiji in huge Canada, in a flag-raising ceremony at Heritage Park in Kitimat, BC Canada, some 90 minutes flight north of Vancouver.

Indian Kiwis question our justice system - AGAIN!!

Arun Kumar, Sai Krishna Naidu, Navtej Singh and Hasmat Bhai Patel: What is common here? These are Indians or people of Indian origin who were killed by non-Indians and killers of all received very questionable sentences – what the White men say, slap over the wrist with a wet bus ticket. With deafening silence from the community, what is there to say there will not be repeat of this scenario - AGAIN!

Where is the Indian media? We cannot blame the mainstream media to show much interest in this, as it has not yet colored enough to include our people- it is still very White. With a deafening silence from our Indian community leaders and representatives, we indeed are a voiceless community. Heard anything from anybody by now? FIJI PUNDIT attempts to fill that vacuum.

ARUN KUMAR - He was murdered in his store by two youths who failed to receive due sentence for their crimes -thanks to a wanting justice system and less than competent prosecution, and a very competent defense.

Initially I penned this article some seven (7) years ago upon death of yet another shopkeeper, Sai Krishna Naidu in 2008, and questionable sentencing in Navtej Singh murder case where only one was convicted of murder, and other accomplices were treated as petty thieves. Recent murder, sentencing and diminished charges and one acquittal in case of Arun Kumar, prompts me to revisit what I raised in 2008. It appears nobody gives a two hoots about another Indian or ethnic death. It seems our community has no voice, as we haven’t heard anything from our media, representatives or community leaders until now –so many lapdogs, no watchdog.

Big murderers lurking as small kids: Another Indian murder- 7 years ago

Big murderers lurking as small kids: Another Indian murder- 7 years ago

Thakur Ranjit Singh

No, this is not about the killing of Arun Kumar in Henderson-it is about a similar Indian killing some 7 years ago: The murder of Sai Krishna Naidu in Clendon, Manurewa in 2008. Have things improved? Have the authorities learnt their lesson? I wonder where that murderer, 16 year old then, Tiare Towihi Nathan is – NOW. He would be a 23 old adult now, is he still mad or was that a fake?

The judge ruled that Nathan was criminally insane at the time he committed the offence", and accordingly found him not guilty of murder. He made an order that Nathan be detained in hospital as a special patient, saying he required care for a long time. It would be up to medical experts to decide when he would be freed.

I wonder whether our MP Kanwaljeet Bakshi can use the resources of his office to find out under Official Information Act – WHERE IS THIS MURDERER WHO WAS RULED INSANE IN 2008. Is he really insane, or enjoying life? How about the family of Sai Naidu - the only child of his parents. And how about the verdict of the latest murder of Arun Kumar of Henderson? This will be covered in a FIJI PUNDIT article later.

A blockbuster Hindi movie, appropriately titled "Andhaa Kanoon" which translates to a blind law and justice, which seems to prevail for Indian communities in Auckland., through murders and subsequent sentences

Is the justice system in NZ unfair to the ethnic non- Anglo Saxon families? If, say John Key’s or Andrew Little’s relatives would have been killed this way, would we still have had the lackadaisical attitude of prosecution? Would the justice system remain as questioning and wanting?

Let us go in flashback mode to 2008

A father’s dream of seeing his son graduate and a mother’s dream of dressing her only son as a groom was snuffed out cruelly on the early afternoon of Friday 25 January, 2008.

On that fateful day, Hari Raj Naidu and his wife left their Finlayson Superette in Clendon, Manukau, Auckland only for a short while in the care of their 22 year old son Saishwar Krishna Naidu, an electronic student attending Manukau Institute of Technology.   

 

Indeed, justice seems to have a blindfold, as a community feels short-changed by delivery of some of its rulings

At around 1.30 pm, in walked a shabbily dressed 16 year old Maori kid- , Tiare Towihi Nathan who directly walked inside the counter and attacked Sai Krishna repeatedly with a small knife without any provocation. Despite the efforts of the Ambulance staff he passed away on the scene. In the meantime, the assailant, who appeared not at all remorseful of his hideous and animalistic crime was caught, bashed and handed over to the police by some people who came over to help after the commotion.

When I visited the bereaved Hari Raj Naidu’s residence at his Pelargonium Terrace home in Manukau Heights in 2008, he was too distraught to talk while his wife was still reeling from the shock of losing her baby son. All Mr Naidu could relate was that the heaviest burden for any father is to give shoulder to the coffin box of his teenage son, when the nature intended the roles to be reversed. For Hindus, it is the son who is expected to light their parent’s pyre and perform their final rites. With a few strokes of a knife in the hands of an unruly youth, this right has been snatched from Naidu and his wife.

“In this country criminals and lawbreakers, with the help of so called human rights advocates gain more rights than us hard working law abiding citizens. We are at the receiving end of government’s handout mentality to bludgers who survive on taxpayer benefits and cause havoc in our communities.” said one neighbour.

Anger and disappointment was obvious on the faces of people who had gathered at Naidu’s home to console the family. One angry relative said that it was time for government to review its welfare system and stop fattening the criminal elements. One Indo Fijian migrant quipped that he came from troubled Fiji for security but Auckland was turning out to be worse than the worst streets of Suva.

The anger amongst Indian and Indo Fijian community is expected to materialise in some form of action. Community leaders have expressed concerns at the deteriorating law and order situation, failure of our welfare state and some legislation that unilaterally stripped parents from their parenting rights that appear to have contributed to increasing crime in youths and juveniles. Have religion and community support failed us? Why crime is rife around areas with huge churches and Marae?

But it was too late for Sai Naidu who obviously was a victim of poor parenting and upbringing of a juvenile thug that reflected on the society that we live in.

Sai Naidu was cremated at Manukau Memorial Gardens which saw one of the largest gatherings of mourners in the recent past. The hall, the foyer and the corridors were fully packed and people were some four deep around the hall.

 

Giyannedra Prasad, former Fiji Parliamentarian, a community leader and a classmate of the victims father, delivered a moving eulogy during the funeral service of Sai Krishna Naidu in January, 2008.

Giyannendra Prasad, Auckland lawyer, former Fiji Labour Member of Parliament and former Deputy Speaker, who himself was a victim of George Speight’s detention, delivered a moving eulogy. Prasad attended school with Naidu Senior in Fiji and expressed his utter sadness and dismay at situation of migrants who came to NZ in search of peace and law and order. He echoed the sentiments that people from Fiji moved over here with high hopes, but become victims of senseless, cruel and callous crimes that take away their dreams with sudden loss of their loved ones. He expressed the fear of Indian community Dairy owners who must be thinking, who is next. It appears the anger of the community has transformed into a sense of helplessness and frustration at the inability of the authorities to provide the security for which the migrants chose New Zealand as their new home.

I spoke to prominent Indian Community leaders who called for some form of concerted effort to address the problem of unbridled crime in Auckland. The Indian Community was prepared to take lead in this matter and was prepared to work in cooperation and consultation with the authorities to address the issue as a community problem.

Should this eventuate, it would appear that Sai Naidu’s death would not have been in vain and that is some consolation that Indo Fijian community and the fearful shop owners can have from this tragedy.

PROLOGUE: Indian community did meet some seven years ago, and as happens, unless some mover and shaker is a victim, nobody gives a damn. And same happened, while Indians continued getting killed.

E-mail: thakurji@xtra.co.nz

[About the Author: Thakur Ranjit Singh is a media commentator and community worker, using his blog site, FIJI PUNDIT, to raise issues which the mainstream and side stream media ignores or fails to highlight. This is one such instance]

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The Clevedon Shiv Statue: Non-Hindus need to appreciate the reasons behind idol-worship

The Clevedon Shiv Statue: Non-Hindus need to appreciate the reasons behind idol-worship

Thakur Ranjit Singh

The mainstream media in New Zealand still does not reflect the population make up in its newsrooms, hence still remains White. News on Hinduism makes it to media when they sell, hence it has to be in controversy, like this story in papers and TV. If good things are done, they rarely get mentioned.

Mainstream media in NZ hardly has any Indian or Hindus in their newsrooms - and Hinduism is the second largest religion in NZ. Hence Kiwis remain ignorant about their neighbors. They do not have any journalists who can inform about diversity, and on aspects of Hinduism they know so little about.

There are many reasons why a devout Hindu worships idols- it is the best way of communicating with his Gods and seeking their blessings. Religion is a matter of faith. The paths to God are many, and many are the ways one can reach him.

Hinduism not only preaches about peace and harmony among the societies in the world, but also propagates a truth that somehow the whole world has to live together like a family.

The advantage of being a part-time bus driver is that you get to see places free that other common mortals in Auckland rarely get an opportunity to see – and that, for free. Many places in Auckland, like Shakespeare Park, Parakai Pools, Waiwera Pools, Hunua Falls, Woodhill Forest, Ambury Regional Park, Waitakere Ranges, Narrow Neck Beach, Mellons Bay, Spookers, Bethells Beach, Muriwai Beach, Whagaparoa Railways, Goat Island-Omaha Marae, Paradise Ice Skating, Olive Farm-Bombay, to name a few, are places you get to visit and see free. And the advantage of driving Party Bus is that you get to see other extras. That, some other time. But now to a more divine story.

The nearest residence hidden and covered by vegetation, and the statue does not seem to be out of place on a lifestyle block where owners have acres and acres of land in a rural setting

Some two weeks ago, when I got a job to go to McNicol Rd, Clevedon, a bell started ringing – almost like a ghanti (bell) in a Shiv temple, as this had something to do with that. This is because, Clevedon, a rural settlement, with life-style blocks (lot of land) on the outskirts of Papakura has been in the news recently where a supposedly offensive large statue has been casting dark shadows on a neighbour’s property, and  was causing a bit of stir in this predominantly White rural community.

Lo and behold, when I searched the map, I found out that my school ball pick up point was some 15 minutes out away from Papakura town centre, on Papakura - Clevedon Rd. And ten minutes out of Papakura on the same route was junction of Creightons Road where that statue was. Hence armed with my amateur camera, I headed early for my job to this rural part of Auckland to make a visit to this house with the statue – another free trip.

Just about 200-300 metres from junction of Papakura –Clevedon Road, into Creightons Rd is this statue which has been in news for the wrong reasons- a complaint from a neighbour that it is imposing on them.

Ravi Chand -the Indo-Fijian dentist, and owner of the property where the statue is erected. He told NZ Herald that it has been a desire to have the statue of his loved deity at his residence, and it is all about faith. FIJI PUNDIT believes it is his right to have it at his place, as an expression of Hindu faith. And anybody who has faith in the deity and the statue are free to worship it.[NZ Herald photo]

According to NZ Herald, a neighbour, Bryce Watts, a Catholic, said the marble statue was "bizarre" and "offensive". However, I found nothing bizarre or offensive, as this was in a rural environment with lifestyle blocks of hectares of vacant sprawling land, with tall trees, farming and storage sheds. If you did not look out for it, you could drive past the property-owner, Ravin Chand’s house on Creightons Road. You could drive past without noticing this, as tall trees adequately hide and camouflage it and it does not feature as anything bizarre. Mr Watts’s boundary may be 10m away from Chand’s property, as reported by NZ Herald, but I did not notice any dwelling nearby that may have been affected by the statue.

I wonder, had Chand had been an Anglo-Saxon (European) instead of a brown Indo-Fijian who lived in Watts’s neighbourhood and erected King George the Sixth’s statue of that size, whether Watts would have STILL seen it as bizarre, or saluted it with respect? Watts has to realise that the demographic landscape of Auckland has changed and he needs to appreciate that he is no longer living in an All- White and All-Christian neighbourhood, hence he needs to embrace diversity. And with this change comes the actual change in landscape that happened in his neighbourhood.

Nobody can question Ravi Chand’s right to erect whatever he wants in his premises, and also the right of people who choose to worship the statue. While people of other faiths may class this as an act of a heathen, people need to appreciate the concept of idol worship, and take their head out of sand, and be informed and enlightened.

Idol worship is a simple way of expressing ones faith, love and devotion to God. Hindus do not worship idol in vain. It is just a symbol, a form with which the mind can be connected and concentrated upon. Idol or statue is a way to acknowledge the omnipresence (sarwa-vyapak-present everywhere), omniscience (sarwa-gyani –antar-yami-all knowledge) and omnipotence (sarwa-shaktimaan-all powerful) of God. If God is omnipresent, then everything in the universe, including the idol/statue one worships is filled with His energy and presence. Everything in the universe becomes equally sacred and worthy of worshipping. (No wonder Hindus in India name their lakes, rivers and mountains as Gods). More than anything, an idol aids in concentration. More than any abstract (mental, theoretical) concept, an image or a symbol (yantra) is the best aid to concentrate and control one’s mind and attention. By keeping the mind concentrated on a particular image, the mind can be stabilised.

Silhouette of the Statue against a setting sun on a wintry evening of June, 2015

There are many reasons why a devout Hindu worships idols. These reasons may not satisfy the intellectual curiosity of a well-educated scholar, but for a deeply religious Hindu, it is the best way of communicating with his Gods and seeking their blessings. Religion is a matter of faith. The paths to God are many, and many are the ways one can reach him.

Therefore, a Catholic neighbour of Ravi Chand may view the statue as something bizarre and imposing on him while Chand and other Hindus see it as a symbol of faith. While the neighbour’s religion may look down on Chand’s religion and belief, Hinduism believes in the motto of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, which means the world is a big family, and all religions are small creeks flowing into a big river which flows into the ocean. If Watts ever decides to erect some Christian religious symbol, he can be assured that his Hindu neighbor will not run down to media to cause a frenzy and a storm in a teacup. This is because our religion not only preaches about peace and harmony among the societies in the world, but also propagates a truth that somehow the whole world has to live together like a family. This is the reason why Hindus think that any power in the world, big or small cannot have its own way, disregarding others. This is because of the concept of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam – the world in one family.

Hope some in rural Clevedon in outskirts of Auckland (some 40km from CBD) can appreciate this.

E-mail: thakurji@xtra.co.nz

[About the Author: Thakur Ranjit Singh is blogger at blog sites FIJI PUNDIT and KIWI PUNDIT. He is scholar in Communications studies with honours from AUT. He is also a media commentator, and fills the vacuum in information that the mainstream and side stream media either fail to tell or are incapable of doing so. This article was one in that spirit. Unfortunately, you will never read this in the mainstream media, because NZ hardly has any Indian or Hindus in their newsrooms-and Hinduism is the second largest religion in NZ. Hence Kiwis remain ignorant about their neighbors]