Jai Bhim Network

Hi Mayur,

Let me introduce myself first. My name is Amrita (Indian, from Bihar) and I am currently a student at Central European University in Budapest. You must be wondering how instead of Tibor its me who is
replying to your mail. So, here is the story. I have been in touch with Tibor and his organisation since Christmas last year i.e. 2008. I came to know them through a common friend Swati and visited them to
celebrate Christmas. I took on a small assignment i.e. teach English to Roma women associated with the organization during the weekend. It is my first day on the teaching job and Tibor asked me to write to you sharing my experiences till now.

You must be aware that Tibor’s organization is working in the field of Roma education and has been actively incorporating teachings from Buddhism in the way they function. Apart from children they engage with women (both old and young) whom they see as their vital partners in bringing positive change.

I would begin my account with my first visit to Tibor which was full of pleasant surprises. I had no clue that so far away from home, hidden in a small village (Sajokaza) in north Hungary, I would find a
house with posters of Ambedkar and Buddha and so much to teach me on Dalit movement. I must confess that before this trip I had limited knowledge on Ambedkar. It was from here that I picked up a book on Ambedkar by Gail Omvedt and I am glad that I did so. Apart from being educational, the trip was a unique opportunity for me to interact with Roma community and celebrate Christmas with strangers who overwhelmed me with their warmth and hospitality. You might know that the ethnic
origin of the Roma is said to be South Asian. Though there are few similarities we can trace now between our lifestyles but its still fascinating to see how similar we are in looks.

During this trip I also made a visit to the Roma habitation. On first impression, an Indian might say that people here are better off compared to some of our villages, say in Bihar or Orissa. But, here in
a country which is part of the rich European Union, the conditions Roma live in, is nothing but a proof of the deliberate oversight of the government. If you read up on Hungarian politics, the current
government is known to follow text-book style neoliberal policies which have been highly detrimental to the poor. It is no surprise that the gypsy population is at the rock bottom of their priorities. Almost
all families in Sajokaza steal electricity and live under despicable conditions. I was told that there used to be industries around earlier but after their closure and due to limited opportunities in Budapest
or nearby cities the lives of gypsies now hangs by tenter hooks. We visited a family where the head of the family was to be sent to jail for stealing electricity for one year. It is shocking to see the
disproportionate nature of the punishment. Tibor’s organization has tried to bring the issue in larger public view using the local media. They want to create awareness about the deeper faults that lie in the village administration. However, we are still to see if the efforts bring the desired results.

As I mentioned before, it is my second visit to Sajokaza and I have a teaching job at hand. The village is a 3 and half hour ride by train from Budapest. Currently, it is snow-clad which is definitely a
pleasant sight for a person with tropical origins It is my first experience in teaching and am looking forward to it.

This will be all for now from my side. I hope that my account gave you some idea of life and people so far away from Nagpur but joined in a common struggle If you have any more questions you could copy your mails to (N/A data).

Best Regards,
Amrita

Hi Tibor

How are you sir.long days has gone u send me email i feel happy. i am working with infosys since one year,. how u life is going on, say hellow to janos. One thing is that I could not understand this language . kindly request please forword email in english laguage.,So it would be very much fine to understand me u r felling.

Metta
Mayur Pillewar
India.