January/March 2005 No.134

RING THE BELLS

by Atty. Anita M. Chauhan

Atty. Anita Chauhan, the Regional Director of the Regional Office No. I of the Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines, visited Osaka in February 2005. She wrote a poem to express her impression and thoughts during her visit to a Buraku community in Osaka

There was a small town where justice once prevailed. People respected human rights and were kind to each other in the spirtit of true brotherhood. They built a belfry at the middle of the town plaza for use by anyone who was oppressed or whose rights were violated. Anyone can go to the belfry and ring the bell and all members of the community-young and old- would gather around him and listen to his story. Through this, the victims got redress of their grievances as the townspeople took action against the violator.As years went by,however, this tradition was slowly forgotten until the bells did not ring anymore. There were many victims of opression and injustice but no one had the courage to ring the bell.

Then one day, the townspeople heard the dingdong of the bells. Curious to know who was asking for justice, many of them went to the town plaza . To their surprise, they found no person. Instead, they saw a lean horse who was seemingly abandoned by the owner. Due to hunger the horse tried to eat the vines that started climbing and covering the ropes that pulled the bell.And the bell rang.

<This poem entitled "Ring the Bells" fits the Burakus who got the courage to air their grievances and successfully got the government to respond to their call for justice to end discrimination. But the bells must be always rung to keep the fire of fighting discrimination alive in the hearts of the people.>

RING THE BELLS

Ring the bells!
It's time to tell
Woes and tales of men in cells.

Ring the bells!
It's time to yell
Cut the bondage of the slaves!

Ring the bells!
It's time to march
Crash the evil with our might!

Ring the bells!
It's time to chant
quell the fear in all our hearts

Ring the bells!
It's time to fight
right is might,let us unite

Ring the bells!
It's time to pray
Praise be God for victory.