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Report on the Asia Social Forum in India


  The Asia Social Forum (ASF) was held this year in Hyderabad, India, from January 2nd to 7th. The theme of this year's Forum was "Another World is Possible" and the main objective was to oppose imperialistic globalization. The ASF was the first of its kind ever held in Asia. It was made possible as a result of the success of the World Social Forum twice convened in Brazil. The ASF deals with various issues in Asia, and holds discussions on international social and political issues.


15,000 people participated
  Approximately 800 organizations and individuals participated in this year's ASF. They came not only from India but also other countries. Initially about 7,000 participants were expected, but the number of participants turned out to be much greater than expected: there were as many as 15,000 registered participants, including 8,000 from outside of India. The only requirement to participate in this Forum is to be in opposition of imperialistic globalization and sectarian/religious violence. Also participants are expected to commit to democracy, world peace and pluralism. Besides discussions and debates, this year's Forum also organized various cultural programs, such as photo exhibitions featuring the daily life of Indian people, folk dance, and parades.

Daily workshops
The focus of this year's Forum was on the following six thematic areas:

  Peace and Security
  Debts, Development, Trade
  Nations and Citizens, Democracy, Social Exclusion
  Ecology, Culture, Knowledge
  Social Infrastructure, Planning, Cooperation
  Searching for Alternate Plans, People's Movements

  Over 250 conferences, seminars, and workshops were held daily and participants engaged in heated discussions on the above six areas. Details of the Forum were reported in its official newspaper "PRAJASAKTI".
At the Forum's opening ceremony featuring "Peace and Security" and three other workshops, I delivered my speech on my a-bomb experience and my appeal of "the spirit of Hiroshima".
In addition, I visited the nearby St. Ann's College for Women and a temple-type school, Hussieni Alam junior and senior high school, where I told the story of Sadako Sasaki and taught the students how to fold paper cranes. In nine different occasions, I told my atomic-bombing experience to around 2,750 students.

Questions regarding the dropping of A-bomb on Hiroshima, etc.
The three main questions I got from these students were:

1. The Japanese government has apologized to the U.S. on attacking Pearl Harbor during World War II. However, the United States has yet to apologize to Japan on the bombing of Hiroshima. How do you feel about this?
2. As Japanese, what would you think in the event of a US-led attack on North Korea?
3. There was an accident at a chemical plant in Bhopal, India, leaving many civilians dead. What do you think about this?

  Mr.Vinod Raina, Vice President, All India People's Science, one of the chief organizers of The Asia Social Forum, visited Hiroshima in October last year while attending the Asian Leadership Program jointly organized by the International House of Japan and the Japan Foundation Asia Center. In Hiroshima, Mr. Raina met some atomic-bomb survivors and listened to their experiences. He was so impressed by their stories that he invited the survivors to the Asian Social Forum so that they could tell their stories and promote the "spirit of Hiroshima", world peace and nuclear abolition. On the invitation of the executive committee of the Asian Social Forum and assisted by Niwano Peace Foundation http://www.npf.or.jp/, I, together with my interpreter, Ms. Unezaki, participated in the Forum in India.


Shocked by the gap between the rich and the poor
  India is a country with a population of 1 billion. The city of Hyderabad, which I visited this time, is in the mid-southern part of India. It is the 6th largest city with a population of 6 million. India is a democratic nation but is armed with nuclear weapons.
  The first shocking impression that I had of India was that, there was a big gap between the rich and the poor. People were lying on the roads at night outside luxury hotels, wrapping themselves in ragged blankets. I saw many old people begging from rich people in expensive cars. That was a heart-breaking scene which greatly saddened me.
  Indian people claim that they have no choice but to be armed with nuclear weapons as long as its neighboring countries have those weapons. Be that as it may, in my opinion, the country should first take measures in improving the quality of life of its people, and providing education to its children.

Japanese NGO, SHAPLANEER, supporting Southern Asian countries also participated in the Asia Social Forum. Just for reference, http://www.shaplaneer.org/

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