Pol, Soc, Her: Clarification and Request (re: sammelan)

[AftabKazi Kazi <aftabkazib@YAHOO.COM>]

Leipzig, Germany
April 22, 1999
UNEDITED FIRST DRAFT

Piaaraa Saaeen,

The communications of Saaeen Thakur Alamchandani, Saaeen Madan Lal
Khatri, Saaeen Dr. Gul Agha, and Saaeen Shankar Lakhavani suffice to
make the following points;

1. I appreciate the concerns of all Saaeen Munhjaas, however, let it be
clear that I did not criticise the Sammelan notification but only
expressed a nuanced opinion. In addition to 'political socialization',
perhaps, I should have emphasized that despite the different religions,
none of the Sindhi Hindus that I have known would exclude any Sindhi
Muslim in their socials.  Most of them, seem to enjoy occasional
socialization with Sindhi Muslims and/or Sindh based Hindus for
cultural considerations, albeit according to their own differential
community perceptions. It is just the psychological fear and
insecurity arising out of unnecessary yet important but a mutually
tolerable identity difference.  When my membership request was denied
by the Washington Association, I was also told that I was welcome to
participate in most of their functions but formal membership has
restricted to their own community members. That explains the nature of
a similar but somewhat differential identity. But by any standard,
neither I was disliked by them nor it was an intentional discrimination
against my Muslim birth. Who would be constantly inviting me and
ex-wife at his house and outside dinner? Sundar will.  We must
understand the nature of our renewed sociocultural communual
relationships, and also the tolerable and untolerable aspects of
intracultural affairs with the eyes of realism.

2.  Before concluding judgements, we should also consider that even the
Sindhi Hindu community at large have their own internal cohesion
differences. Perceptual differences seem to persist among the Sindh
based, India based, Africa based, and other Asia/America based Hindus
are partly because (I repeat)of the inter and intracultural
socialization processes most communities are  accustomed to in
different societies and continents. And, the religious attitudes are
mixed.  Therefore, their insecurities must be appreciated (often few
enthusiastic community members have temporarily outcast the highly
respected senior members on such issues - no individual/ organizational
names).  However, Sindhis of all kind would continue to socialize with
their ethnocultural and linguistic bonds within the mutually acceptable
and tolerable framework until the end (whenever). However friends, we
must realize that old time associations  and physical separations half
a century old appear changed under the present circumstances. That,
culture is simply a dependent variable, subjected to constant
transitions either for the sociocultural rejuvenition (?) or further
fragmentation caused by the internal or extraneous factors.

3.  Perceptual differences between Sindh based Sindhis (both Hindus and
Muslims) and other Hindus also persist about Sindhi Punjabi
relationships. Both Sindhi based Sindhis and Sindhi Hindus perceive the
situation differently. This is what my friend Saaeen Shankar Lakhavani
very beautifully explained to me approximately ten years ago.  He said
that while the socioeconomic and politican differences keep Sindhi and
Punjabis in Pakistan rhetorically apart (socialization at differnt
level exist), Sindhi Hindus and Punjabis (Hindu and Sikh) in India seem
to like each other. Shankar's traditional Sindhi ethnocultural analogy
to explain this was fascinating when he said that "traditionally if a
Sindhi man could not find a Sindhi bride, his alternate choice
historically has been to have a Punjabi wife".  In a sentance, Shankar
explained a lot, indeed worth volumes. I am grateful to him and have
learned a lot from this simple folk anology which has guided me in
ethnoculturally oriented emotional situations.

Finally, in my view, I think that it would help if Sindhis of all
background become attentive to mutual sensitivities and insecurities.
This could be possible
by recognizing the transitional aspects that various Sindhi societies
have undergone in their diverse universes.  Good old sufi traditions of
sufi poetry (at the indivudual social level not for political roles)
and culture are powerful but selectively, and under the newly evolved
circumstances appear more or less as some records of an
idealist/utopian history.  I could still remember the pragmatism of
retired Sindhi judge Butani Sahib when he told the audiance during the
Chicago Sindhi Association silver jubilee metting that, Sindhis have
left many sacred places such as Sadhbelo, Uderolal, etc. in Sindh, but
Eshwar has now offered many more such Holylike places here in United
States to worship and meditate".   Another highly respectful
intellectual member of Chicago Sindhi community (originally from
Hyderabad Sindh) appeared reserved to participate in any conversation
related to his migration from Sindh.  He sadly said that "it is
history".  I felt pain for his agoney and learned a great deal from the
three words he spoke.

Briefly, it would help folks of all backgrounds to reacquaint
themselves according to the prevailing trends and permissible norms of
sociocultural realism on both sides.  Even if all Sindhi organizations
would accept each other just as they are -irrespective of
ethnoreligious creed, differences at some level would still persist.
The intracultural bonds among Sindhis could only (only because we also
have different multiple identities, i.e., political, social, cultural,
material, spritual, and more) florish by a realistic recognition of
communual differences under the culturally permissible prevalent limits
which these differences impose. In fact, such realization might be
helpful to revitalize the bonds of ethnocultural identity.  I take this
opportunity and clarify to relevant Sindhi Hindu and Muslim
organizations that my earlier comments were based on goodwill, and my
apology be accepted in advance if inadvertently misunderstood.
Nonetheless, I have this feeling that something very good will come out
of this open dialogue in terms of awareness about the state of
intracultural community affairs among Sindhis. This said, the subject
is closed for me from now on.
Thanking you.

aftab Kazi




























===
Aftab Kazi, Ph.D.
Fellow, Institut fur Politikwissenschaft
Leipzig Universitat (Germany), and
V.S. Central Asia-Causasus Institute
SAIS, Johns Hopkins University
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