Soldier & Camel
in Republic Parade

A friend of mine recently came back from the Pilgrimage of Peace,2011, to India. During the journey he kept a diary of his experiences. We are in the process of putting his diary on www.nonviolentcow.org . He was in New Delhi the week the India celebrates its freedom and independence. The week ends with a celebration of the anniversary of the founding father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi, assassination.

One of the major events during the week is the Republic Parade. There is great security around the parade with no cameras allowed. My friend was surprised by the great show of military force in the parade. Gandhi is known for his active resistance to violence. He struggled for the power of creative nonviolence seems in direct contradiction to the emphasis put on the military in India.

This is part of the paradox of power. It is never neutral. It can go in the negative direction of force and control, represented by military force, or in the direction of compassion and concern, represented by the love-force of creative nonviolence.

The parade present military force from the camel days to modern technology of violence. India honors Gandhi but with one-third of its budget spent for the military does not follow his way. Gandhi said about Jesus what sadly now can be said about him: Gandhi said: “Everyone in the world knows that Jesus and His teachings were nonviolent except Christians.” Now we can say: Everyone in the world knows that Gandhi and his teachings were nonviolent except the Indian government.

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