"Ahimsa" by Arundhati Roy

Arundhati Roy explains in her essay “Ahimsa” that while many talk about war and terrorism, four activists in an area known as the ‘Tin Shed’, in Bhopal, in the state of Madhya Pradesh, central India, have undertaken a peaceful protest. Through a hunger strike, they are asking to have aland to settle down in after the decision of the government to evict them and about six thousand more people due to the construction of the Maan Dam. This would be possible as land is already available for this purpose. However, the authorities refuse to meet the demands of the protesters based on the fact that if these are met a precedent will be set for the hundreds of thousands of people who are going to be displaced by the future creation of other twenty-nine dams. Although the four activists are becoming physically weaker and weaker, the government does not even try to meet them. Consequently, their future seems to be uncertain and they will probably end up as a price of progress. Yet they are still determined to carry on showing their disapproval and objection. Notwithstanding those who are pro-development see them as a serious hindrance to progress, the NBA considers that the dams are outdated and that there is a far more sustainable way, either economically or environmentally, to manage water and generate electricity. Furthermore, the non-renegotiation of the Indus Water Treaty between India and Pakistan due to the nuclear tension between them and the violence which has been used by the police and the administration to force people to leave their homes make one think that the only effective way to address grievances is violence. As a matter of fact, the government showed disdain and mockery for the movement as it has other plans, such as making available lands for corporate agriculture, something that will lead to more displacements and impoverishment. For this reason, Roy states that the NBA activism has to be seen not only as a means to fight big dams, but also as a method of defending nonviolent resistance. The government should thenlisten to the people it represents then, and theconcerned citizens should show support to peaceful movements, as these are the only waysto fight terror and violence.