You cannot bring revolution thru Facebook

I have noticed a few things about Facebook activism. There are very few updates on the site on weekends. So most people, it seems, use their office computer to practise this ‘activism’. An angry Facebook voice will never translate into meaningful action.

Along with these part-time activists, there is a new breed of ‘online activists’. I also notice that comments on one’s Facebook status or news posts are not given much attention—‘debates’ never go beyond the first comment.

I know from personal experience now, only too well, that the internet can at best supplement action on the ground, it cannot take its place. The internet can also give the impression that thousands of people are committed to a certain cause. There are pages with titles like ‘One Million to Stop Operation Green Hunt’ on Facebook. But where are those million people? The same few people update those pages all day, and ‘like’ the posts between themselves.

These people may empathise with an issue in all honesty, but they rarely ever act on their convictions. Recently, in March, there was quite an uproar after cases of arson, murder and rape were reported in Dantewada. A demonstration was planned in Delhi outside Chhattisgarh House, and going by the response on the internet, I thought there would be vociferous protests against the atrocities. But again, to my utter dismay, there were just about 20 odd people who turned up.

After the recent revolution in Egypt, people have started looking at the internet with great hope. It may have some hidden force that I am unaware of, but it is not my medium for activism that aims to achieve anything. Activists can use the internet as a platform, but if people begin to mistake an internet rant for real activism, then it’s a disservice to the cause.

Ironically, my activism today is restricted to posting updates on the internet, and that leaves me unhappy. I am restless and I want to get on the road again. But will any of those who offer online solidarity care to join me? Since returning to Dantewada would only lead to my arrest on false charges, perhaps my only way to stay connected with my work and people across the country is via Facebook.

My mind, however, is busy conjuring real ideas and plans. Offline. It’s what offers me hope.  Real hope.

Himanshu Kumar with Priyanka Borpujari in Open. Here

The speech by Asmaa Mahfouz which triggered the Egyptian Revolution

Asmaa Mahfouz is the one who started it all.
She recorded a vlog on January 18th and posted it in the net. It sparked everything. Tahrir Square became most known place in the entire world. She had shared it on her Facebook, and it had gone viral. It was so powerful and so popular, that it drove Egyptians by the thousands into Tahrir Square, and drove the Egyptian government to block Facebook . I’ll shut up now and let Asma talk. It is just four minutes.


Transcripts of the speech :

Four Egyptians have set themselves on fire to protest humiliation and hunger and poverty and degradation they had to live with for 30 years. Four Egyptians have set themselves on fire thinking maybe we can have a revolution like Tunisia, maybe we can have freedom, justice, honor and human dignity. 

Today, one of these four has died, and I saw people commenting and saying, “May God forgive him. He committed a sin and killed himself for nothing.”

People, have some shame.

I posted that I, a girl, am going down to Tahrir Square, and I will stand alone. And I’ll hold up a banner. Perhaps people will show some honor. I even wrote my number so maybe people will come down with me. 

No one came except three guys—three guys and three armored cars of riot police. And tens of hired thugs and officers came to terrorize us. They shoved us roughly away from the people. But as soon as we were alone with them, they started to talk to us. They said, “Enough! These guys who burned themselves were psychopaths.” 

Of course, on all national media, whoever dies in protest is a psychopath. If they were psychopaths, why did they burn themselves at the parliament building?

I’m making this video to give you one simple message: we want to go down to Tahrir Square on January 25th. If we still have honor and want to live in dignity on this land, we have to go down on January 25th. We’ll go down and demand our rights, our fundamental human rights.

I won't even talk about my political rights. We just want our human rights and nothing else. 

This entire Government is corrupt - acorrupt President and a corrupt security force!

The self-immolators were not afraid of death. But they were afraid of the security forces!

Can you imagine that? Are you like that?  Are you going to kill yourselves too? Or are you completely clueless?

Iam going down on January 25th and from now till then, I am going to distribute fliers  in the streets.

I will not set myself on fire! If the security forces want to set me on fire let them come and do it!

If you think yourself a man, come with me on January 25th

Whoever says  women shouldn't go to protest because they will get beaten

Let him have some honor and manhood and come with me on January 25th

Whoever says it is not worth it because there will be only a handful of people, I want to tell him, you ar the reason behind this.

And you are a traitor, just like the President or any security cop who beats us in the streets

Your presence with us will make a difference, a BIG difference

Talk to your neighbours, your colleagues, friends and family and tell them to come

They don't have to come to Tahrir Square, just go down anywhere and say it, that we are free humanbeings

Sitting at home and just following us on news or Facebook leads to our humiliation

Leads to my own humiliation!

If you have honor and dignity as a man, come. Come and protect me and other girls in the protest.

If you stay at home, then you deserve all that is being done to you. And you will be guilty before the nation and your people. And you will be responsible for what happens to us on the street while you sit at home.

Go down to the street, sen SMS's, post it on the net, make people aware. You know your own social circle, your building, your family, your friends. Tell them to com with us.

Bring 5 people, or 10 people if each of us manages to bring 5 or 10 to Tahrir Square and talk to people and tell them, THIS IS ENOUGH!!

Instead of setting ourselves on fire, let us do something positive. It will make a difference, a BIG difference!

Never say there is no hope! Hope disappears only when you say there is no hope! So long you come down with us, there will be hope.

Don't be afraid of the Government, Fear none but God!

God says that He ''will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves" (Quran 13 : 11)

Don't think you can be safe anymore! None of us are!

Come down with us, and demand your rights, my rights, your family's rights

Iam going down on January 25th and I will say "NO" to corruption. "NO" to this regime!

For More Here and Here. and Here