A SAINT IN OUR TIME

 A SAINT IN OUR TIME

Fr Stanislaus Lourduswami SJ

1937-2021

        

          Swami was born on 26 April 1937 in Veragalur, Tiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu, India. He joined Jesuits in 30 May 1957. In the 1970s, he studied theology and received a masters degree in sociology in the Philippines. He ordained as Jesuit in 14 April 1970. where he encountered a series of protests and demonstrations against the administration. During his further studies, he made friends with Brazilian Catholic Archbishop Helder Camara. His work with poor people influenced him. His final vows had received in 22 April 1981.

    

         In Chaibasa, Swamy worked on PESA implementation and on displacement of tribal people due to mining, townships, industries, dams, among others. Later, the Church gave him land and Swamy moved to Ranchi and founded Bagaicha. It's a Jesuit social research and training centre. Swamy was a former director of the Jesuit-run Indian Social Institude, Bangalore from 1975 to 1986. He has questioned the non-implementation of the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution, which stipulates setting up of a Tribes Advisory Council with members solely of the Adivasi community for their protection, well-being and development in the state.

                                                                  

        

            Swamy was implicated in the 2018 Bhima Koregoan Violence , while he claimed that he was not in Pune during the said period, and he was accused of being a Maoist sympathiser. It was alleged that the Persecuted Prisoners Solidarity Committee (PPSC) founded by him and Sudha Baradwaj, "to fight for the release of around 3,000 men and women who have been labelled as Maoists and imprisoned", was a front for Maoist fundraising. The Jesuits have denied the allegation of Fr. Stan Swamy being a Maoist, by stating that it was against the ethos of the Jesuit order. He was arrested by the NIA (National Investigative Agency) on 8 October 2020, from Bagaicha, a Jesuit social action centre, and charge sheeted under the Unlawful Activites (Prevention) Act, 1967, (UAPA) under which bail can be denied.

Swami was awarded the Mukundan C. Menon award 2020 for human rights.

Swami died on 5 July 2021 ahead of his bail hearing in Bombay High court.

Words of Fr Stan.... 

                " I 'm happy to be part of this process because I'm not a silent spectator.

                    In the context of Jharkhand becoming a separate state, issues were there. The issues were especially displacement, land alienation because of mining, factories, townships, dams and people were not into confidence. Hardly, Only minimal compensation was being paid to them. So we took it as a challenge and say how young people take this as a life issue and fight it out. In this Process, some very helpful rulings or laws were passed by Indian Parliament. And, particularly PESA (Panchayats Extension to Scheduled Area) Act, which gives significant powers to the Gram Sabha, whatever happens in the village, for it to be consulted, and to get its consent. The other is the Land Acquisition Act, which for the first time recognizes the need to get the consent of the landowners and a fair compensation to them. So this kind of opens the ways for us. People stared to claim their rights. But as they claimed, they were just being thrown into jail. So in 2017, I gave a call to whoever I knew, not only in Jharkhand but in all the central tribal states of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha and Bengal. So we came together. We have informed a body called "Persecuted Prisoners Solidarity Committee" and through that we had planned to take up, first to do a study of the nature of undertrial prisoners in all these states, and then to have recourse to legal action so that justice can be done. In this process, I have filed a case against the Jharkhand state in Jharkhand High court on behalf of about 3,000 young adivasis who are languishing in the jail. It is this which became a bone of contention with the state and they wanted to put me out of the way. And one easy way was to implicate me in some serious cases. And this case, it so happened, the Bhima Koregaon, a place the I have never been to, in all my life, I was implicated there, I was raided twice. First, it was done by Pune Police, then it was forcibly taken over by NIA. They have done interrogation of me for about 15 hours in the month of July. They started to put before me certain extracts supposedly taken from my computer. Extracts where Maoists were communicating with each other. And in some extracts even my name was mentioned. So they said, "Where did he meet?" My first question was, "Who is the person writing?" "To whom was it written?" "On which date it is written?" "Is there a signature to what is written?" None of it was there. So I just denied and disowned every single extract that was put before me except one where Sudha Bharadwaj and myself, we were the co-conveners of this PPSC. We had issued a call to all human rights organizations all over the country explaining what PPSC is about and requesting them,  pleading them to come join hands so that it's a common effort. Finally, now they are even asking me to go to Bombay for further interrogation which I am refusing to go. Because, my age, I have certain ailments, there is the epidemic which is ravaging the country. And the Jharkhand government itself has given directors that elderly people may not travel or appear in public. On the other hand, I'm ready for further interrogation if NIA would want it, but through video conference. Let us hope that some human sense will prevail. What is happening to me is not unique, happening to me alone. It is a broader process that is taking place all over the country. We are all aware how prominent intellectuals, lawyers, writers, poets, activists, student leaders, they are all put into jail just because they have expressed their dissent or raised questions about the ruling powers of India. So we are part of the process. As such, in a way I'm happy to be part of this process because I'm not a silent spectator. But I'm part of it. Part of the game and ready to pay the price, whatever be it. "

SSVP  National President's Message.....

               "Rev.  Fr.  Stanislaus Lourdusami. S. J,  has given us a responsibility.  Here, he  never asked us to pray for his soul to rest in peace,  but has seeded himself and witnessed CHRIST. Father has dedicated his life for the underprivileged  and downtrodden,  giving them a sense of dignity and upliftment. 

                My dear Vincentians, let's evaluate ourselves, for the same mission which is given to us by our Lord,  whom we have promised to do so when we took pledge as a member of SSVP.  When we become sincere and dedicated Vincentians,  I am sure Rev. Fr. Stanislaus Lourdusami's soul will be  magnified in God's Kingdom. SHALL WE?"

Bro Jude Mangalraj

National President, India

Final words of Swami

Funeral of Fr Stan Swami....

FUNERAL MASS

- Madras Central Council

Society of St Vincent De Paul