Indian Womens peace Movement

February 5, 2003

As America braces for War, a sick war where many victims will be

children. This agin is copied from HPI. I would feel beter if the

movement was run by a women. I am always encouraged when women step

forward in India and anywhere else for that matter. The essense of

the mother is nurturing, just as in our individual sadhanas we are

nurtured by MAA.

4. A Peace Movement for India's Women

Source: The Hamilton Spectator

NEW DELHI, INDIA, January 21, 2003 : Hindu scriptures are full of

wonderful female role models, and there are thousands of Hindu temples

devoted to Goddesses throughout India. If society in India reflected

what Hinduism believes, women would have the upper hand in India.

However in India, as elsewhere, for women life hasn't always been easy.

Women are beginning to find their political voice for change, however.

Last February, the Center for Peace Studies at McMaster University

cosponsored a peace conference in India, helped start a peace movement

known as Vaishali Sabha (People's Assembly) and a peace organization

known as Women Shanti Sena (Women Peace Soldiers). Membership in the

Women Shanti Sena has grown to 3,000 and continues to expand says

Acharya Ramamurti, a prominent Gandhian, the man behind movement. The

basic idea of Women Shanti Sena is to seed India with 50,000 trained

women peacemakers by 2005. There are two kinds of peacemaking,

according to Ramamurti. "The usual kind is making peace after war. The

other kind is making peace so we can avoid war. Our effort in India is

of the second kind. Women Shanti Sena is teaching women how to get

involved in peaceful community-building. They consider themselves on

the road to peace through democracy and development."

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