My look at life on the klongs

by Lesley Warner

An early morning phone call had my friend and I travelling through appalling traffic jams to Nonthaburi (Bangkok) at the weekend, as a member of the family had decided to move back to Buriram. I asked why such a sudden decision and found out that apparently a fight over one of the children had involved two ladies, a large stick of wood and the police, thus resulting in the decision to move by one of the families.

The house that stayed

You might well ask how that involved us; well apparently, if you move you take the house with you, as wood is expensive, so it’s all hands to help. Half a dozen members of the family had come down from Buriram with a lorry and by the time we got there I thought it was nearly over, but I was wrong. Every last piece of wood down to the last nail is removed.

As they removed the planks of wood that were the floor I was amazed at the amount of rubbish under the house, and I mean years of rubbish, like tin cans, plastic bottles, plastic bags, sweet wrappers, everything. I suppose it’s literally ‘out of sight out of mind’.

A place to cook, eat, sit and work - what more could you want?

Keeping well out of the way, I sat with the ladies and watched them prepare the Kao Sad. This is a Thai sweet traditionally prepared by ‘Issan’ ladies at the time of Ork Pan Saa, celebrated on 2nd November. At this time monks can leave the Wat (temple) if they no longer want to be a monk, regardless of how long their term has been. They give Kao Sad to the temple and to each other. To exchange this sweet is to offer good luck to neighbours and friends for the rest of the year.

Moving house

The coconut is grated while sitting on a low wooden stall, on the end is a small round saw that is used to remove the meat from the coconut shell. Then water is poured onto the coconut meat, mixed and squeezed out, the coconut meat is thrown away and the liquid that is left (looks like cows milk) is put on a flame to simmer for approximately 5 hours. The water and coconut mixture separates, keeping only the coconut mixture. They leave it to go cold and then add sugar and rice still in the husk. This is heated up again until the finished product ends up looking a bit like popcorn.

Are you sure you wouldn’t like to try some gin mak?

The family also have a small business at the house making resin Buddhas that they then take around to shops in Bangkok and sell. It’s well set up with a generator, all the moulds for different sizes, paint sprays and various other tools. Each person in the family appears to have their own role in the production of these Buddhas. They pour the resin into the moulds, clean when set, paint, stick on the clothes and gold adornments, and then take them to the shops to sell. They work at a very leisurely pace, but the work seems to get done.

Preparing the kao sad

As I watched the ladies working and listened to the men laughing and dismantling the house, I lay on the wooden terrace of the house overhanging the small klong. My friend’s mother and her sister were desperately trying to communicate with me but with a mouth full of gin mak and the Buriram dialect we were on a loser from the word go. In the end they gave up in fits of laughter and concentrated on watching me write my story with fascination.

The vendors were up and down the small klong selling their barbecued chickens and fruit and I was told occasionally there are boats with Farang tourists that come to observe this fascinating way of life. I thought how lucky I am; I actually get the chance to witness this very different culture from the inside.

Mahatma Gandhi in Durban and New York

by Dr. Ioan Voicu

The tragic events of 11 September 2001, when America was subjected to heinous acts of terrorism directed in fact against all civilized humankind, risk to marginalize the significance of the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance in Durban, South Africa. Yet all nations and individuals are interested in the final victory of the principles enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and first of all in the triumph of the right to live so brutally denied by terrorists everywhere.

The successful conclusion of the Durban Conference whose final declaration called slavery throughout history a “crime against humanity” is a testimony of the universal wish of nations to have their existence protected by law. It has been a United Nations Conference whose basic approach is characterized by the strong condemnation of all acts, methods and practices of terrorism as criminal and unjustifiable, wherever and by whomsoever committed.

For Indians the conference in Durban had a special sentimental and emotional value. The past has been very present in Durban. For Mahatma Gandhi and his quest and discovery of the Kingdom of Truth the journey from Durban to Pretoria proved to be one of the most creative experiences of his life. His noble fight against racism, colonialism, slavery and violence, for freedom and equality belongs to the eternal humanistic heritage of world civilization. This is an aspect specifically acknowledged by H. E. Kofi Annan, the United Nations Secretary-General, on August 31 in Durban. H.E. Omar Abdullah, Minister of State for External Affairs of India, very appropriately reminded all delegations that in the very city of Durban, Mahatma Gandhi launched the Satyagraha movement.

As chairman of the United Nations Commission for Social Development, I had the chance to attend in August 1978, in Geneva, the First World Conference to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination whose Secretary-General was a distinguished Indian diplomat, C. V. Narasimhan with whom I had excellent and memorable cooperation. We mentioned frequently Mahatma Gandhi in our conversations. He used to say that the fragile fabric of international cooperation had to be preserved against all odds. This is vitally needed today and the Gandhian advice is more topical than ever. To use the words of Mahatma Gandhi pronounced in Durban and included in his famous book, “An Autobiography or The Story of my experiments with truth,” signed on 26th November 1925, “I would only suggest to come to an understanding... The world community came indeed to an understanding in Durban to criminalize racism and slavery. It may come to an understanding to totally eradicate terrorism.”

As a representative of Romania, I participated over the years in the most complex negotiations organized under the auspices of the United Nations General Assembly on social, humanitarian, cultural and legal matters, including resolutions on measures to eliminate international terrorism. Based on my diplomatic and academic experience, I am fully convinced that the Durban World Conference will be considered by history as a real landmark in the collective efforts of the international community to eradicate the phantom of racism. Yet I am realistic enough to imagine correctly the magnitude of profound political difficulties which have faced all delegations. However, I have noticed that beyond the good and valid arguments advanced by all sides, the differences of approach and opinions on some specific points of the agenda have not led to a clear-cut and dangerous antagonism. Nobody should feel ostracized or isolated.

Indeed, with positive and tangible political will, robust negotiations guided by good faith and with the energetic involvement of all delegations concerned have facilitated, even at the last minute, and after the necessary prolongation of the conference itself, the identification of solutions enabled the conference to adopt by general agreement pragmatic strategies for combating racism.

It has been re-demonstrated that the only path to mutual understanding is through peaceful negotiations which demand courage and responsibility. These satisfactory results were finally made possible by the tacit respect paid by all delegations to an imperative prerequisite, namely the duty of solidarity. All delegations managed to illustrate in a truly Gandhian way a dynamic solidarity, as one human family, while considering the negative phenomenon of racism and slavery and trying to give shape by adequate documents to a humanistic vision for the 21st century.

Solidarity and tolerance have been proclaimed as universal values by the United Nations Millennium Declaration adopted by consensus on 8 September 2000 at the end of the largest UN Summit in the whole history of diplomacy. The Durban Conference has managed to infuse a more specific substance to those values. In this context, it should be acknowledged that Mahatma Gandhi had brought a unique contribution to the crystallization of the modern concept of solidarity and tolerance, as reflected in the Millennium Declaration and in the Durban Declaration.

The intellectual ground for the proclamation of universal values such as solidarity and tolerance was prepared by many events, the most prominent one being the UNCTAD hosted in Bangkok in February 2000, a manifestation correctly described as the most important gathering of the current century in the field of multilateral economic diplomacy. UNCTAD adopted by consensus the Bangkok Declaration, very cogently entitled Global Dialogue and Dynamic Engagement. That programmatic document stipulates, inter alia, that, “Solidarity and a strong sense of moral responsibility must be the guiding light of national and international policy. They are not only ethical imperatives, but also prerequisites for a prosperous, peaceful and secure world based on true partnership.”

This elementary truth is part of a political background which diplomats and academics have named in February 2000 as “the spirit of Bangkok”. This truth was practically relevant and had proved inspiring also for the very decisive stage of the Durban Conference. According to the conception of the Holy See, shared by many countries and expressed in Latin, we are invited to accept the maxim opus solidaritatis pax (Peace is the fruit of solidarity). This conception summarizes some actual views of Mahatma Gandhi and is integrally applicable in all activities, on all continents dedicated to combating racism.

A universal recognition of the unity of the entire human family, of the irreversible process of globalisation and of the deep interdependence of all peoples should gradually help crystallize a strong conviction that only authentic solidarity can effectively safeguard the inherent human dignity and the fundamental rights of individuals which are vital preconditions for building lasting peace.

If solidarity has been interpreted in Durban in the spirit of Mahatma Gandhi, that may strengthen the belief that responsible dialogue and serious negotiations can triumph over temporary discord and contradictions, as peoples of the world are in fact far more united by their common destiny than they are divided by their diverse identities. No exclusion or isolation should be proclaimed or envisaged at any level. Diversity is a value to be accepted and celebrated, not rejected or feared. Oriental and Western wisdom are in harmony in recognizing that there are no strangers on our planet, only friends who have not yet met.

The United Nations Durban Conference has proved instrumental in reconfirming the veracity of that wisdom. A failure could not be imagined. With all its imperfections, the United Nations remains the best hope for our future survival and progress. The results of the Durban Conference may not be perfect, they may be rightly criticized, but its humanistic message may strengthen our faith in the United Nations and its Charter as indispensable foundations of a more peaceful, prosperous and just world. Today, the United Nations, whose 56th session of the General Assembly is going on in New York, may grant humanity the boon of Ahimsa in mind, word and deed. Its first resolution is entitled Condemnation of terrorist attacks in the United States of America and was adopted by consensus. It expresses on behalf of 189 Member States its condolences and solidarity with the people and government of the United States of America in these sad and tragic circumstances. Mahatma Gandhi was one of the most prominent architects of solidarity in human history. Mahatma Gandhi was in Durban. His spirit may be also in New York as He is everywhere. Truth is omnipresent and will galvanise the whole world against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.

POST SCRIPTUM

IOAN VOICU. Doctor in political sciences (international law) of Geneva University (1968) ; doctor honoris causa in international law of Assumption University of Thailand (1998);member of the United Nations Administrative Tribunal (1987-1993); alternate representative of Romania to the United Nations Security Council (1990-1991);ambassador of Romania to the Kingdom of Thailand and permanent representative to international organizations based in Bangkok (1994-1999) ; visiting professor in Assumption University since February 2000

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