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About Keizertimes. (Salem, Or.) 1979-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 4, 2016)
NOVEMBER 4, 2016, KEIZERTIMES, PAGE A9 PEACE: ‘Only optimistic people can envision peace’ (Coutiuued from Page A1) “All the Muslims started back away and it became one big pile of people in the mid- dle,” Pritam said. “They were pulled off one at a time and killed.” Pritam and his brother were less than 10 yards away as the massacre unfolded. It is unknown how many were killed that day, or as part of the partitioning of India and Pakistan, but estimates range from a few hundred thousand to two million. More than 10 million people were displaced. Pritam went on to earn a doctorate in neuropsychology and eventually moved to the Pacifi c Northwest and opened his own practice. But, in De- cember 1992, the past came rushing up to meet him when he heard news of a 450-year- old mosque in India being destroyed after a political rally turned violent. Subsequent ri- oting claimed the lives of about 2,000 Hindus and Muslims. The following year, Pri- tam and other colleagues from around the world banded to- gether to form the Association for Communal Harmony in Asia (ACHA). For his work with ACHA, and his individual commit- ments to seeking peace, Pritam, now 81, was honored twice last month: fi rst, with a Pioneer Award from the local chapter of the NAACP, and then with a Peace Lecture Award by the Sa- In the days that followed, Muslims packed what they could carry on their backs and heads and made their way to a camp just outside of town to wait for their escorts to the train station. Pritam and an older brother followed some of their elders into the newly- vacated areas. “We found that people had left in the middle of meals. There was still bread being cooked on the stove or hot food on plates,” he said. When a police and mili- tary escort arrived to usher the Muslim refugees, he and his brother trailed other people from the village who decided to shadow the Muslim group. Not too far from Rupar, Pritam said, the police and mil- itary escort completely aban- doned their Muslim charges. At that point, Muslim women and children were abducted by Hindus and Sikhs, men were picked off from the group and killed. At a fork in the road, and with fears rising, the Muslims separated into two groups, one of them taking a paved road, the other heading off onto an- other path that led to a muddy fi eld. A large contingent of Hin- dus and Sikhs managed to sur- round the Muslim group in the fi eld and things took a grisly turn. “It’s uot that people dou’t like to have peace iu their world, but they are so iuvolved iu their lives ...” KEIZERTIMES/Eric A. Howald Dr. Pritam Rohila with his wife, Kuudau, at their home iu Keizer. The couple has made several peace aud goodwill trips to Iudia aud Pakistau iu pursuit of cultural harmouy. lem Peace Lecture Committee. One of Pritam’s primary roles after ACHA was formed was maintaining a newsletter with peace news from Asian countries. But, in 2004, he and his wife, Kundan, took on a more active role. They went on thier fi rst peace and good- will mission to Pakistan and India with a group of ACHA colleagues. They went again in 2008 on their own and traveled the Khyber Pass between Paki- stan and Afghanistan. “It was by the seat of our Ask Mr. Trash Q. Where do I take all this stuff? A. Your local garbage hauler is able to offer a special, one-time, delivery and collection of a 3 yd. garbage container for a fl at fee of just $90.30. (Additional dumps are only $64.05) The container can be scheduled anytime Monday through Friday, and you can keep it for up to a week! Call our offi ce today to schedule yours. (Please observe safety and disposal guidelines; 1000 lbs. max; no hazardous or State regulated waste - certain items may need to be handled separately. Call our offi ce for details.) ©1986 He also exercises frequently said. “You can change for the better on a smaller scale and on a treadmill, or simply by change mentally and emotion- making laps around the house. Kundan relies heavily on ally in your other interactions.” Kundan said it is a miscon- prayer and mantras, some ception to think that people in passed down through her fam- the Middle East pursue confl ict ily, and others picked up along her journey. out of sport or spite. Neither adheres to the ritu- “It’s not that people don’t like to have peace in their als of an organized religion, but world, but they are so involved Hinduism played a large role in Pritam’s beliefs in their lives, and Kundan’s they can’t fi g- Jainist founda- ure out how to tions are still make peace,” relatively intact. she said. “In “The foun- Pakistan and dation you India, they are grew up with, fi ghting just for the environ- their day-to- ment you grew day survival.” up in, stays in The ex- your mind all periences led your life. The Pritam to his seeds are there. own defi ni- tion of peace — Kuudau Rohila I pray for ev- eryone to have as “a dynamic peace and to be and multidi- satisfi ed with mensional way of relating within (personal what they have,” she said. Asked whether he had any peace) and between individuals (interpersonal peace), groups, advice for those looking to nations (international peace) pursue peace during a turbu- and with the environment lent time in time in the United (universal peace). It has to be States, Pritam doesn’t ponder characterized by compassion, an answer for long. “After a storm and the limbs empathy, respect for the rights of others, tolerance, justice and of the trees break or there is it has to lead to a benefi t for all some fl ooding, the water re- cedes and there is new growth. involved.” Attaining each rung of that I think the basic idea in Bud- peace ladder might seem over- dhism is that change is the or- whelming, but both Pritam and der of nature, like seasons, and Kundan emanate their own trying to make things last is a peaceful auras even though foolish thing to do,” he said. “I they both travel different paths don’t think we have to pull our teeth to make things happen. to the same destination. Pritam said it starts with op- There are natural opportunities and agents for healing. A crisis, timism. “Only optimistic people can even a volcano erupting, gives envision peace. If you are a pes- birth to new creative processes. simist, you’re not going to have It may not be the same, but something will be there.” any way to do that,” he said. Serving Keizer for Nearly 50 years! LOREN'S VA L L E Y SANITATION & RECYCLING SERVICE, INC. RECYCLING & DISPOSAL, INC. 503.393.2262 503.585.4300 Member spotlight CASA Court Appointed Special Advocates CASA (noun) – A common person with an uncommon commitment; a powerful voice in a child’s life; a volunteer citizen working to make sure children live in safe and per- manent homes. Through volunteers, CASA of Marion County, Inc. ad- vocates for abused and neglected children who have been removed from their homes, are in the custody of state foster care and need safe and permanent homes. Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteers are a caring and consistent adult presence for abused and Shaney Starr neglected children. For many abused and neglected chil- dren facing multiple challenges, a CASA volunteer may be the one constant adult presence in their lives. Advocates stay with each case until it is closed and the child is placed in a safe, permanent home. We don’t say it lightly, we say it with pride, when we announce CASA as a Keizer Chamber member. Shaney Starr, Executive Director with CASA is a step-mom of three and re- sides in Keizer. Mrs. Starr has a passion to serve the foster children of Marion County and give a voice to each child. She states, “Every child deserves an opportunity to thrive, and advocates for these children have a chance to be that constant in their lives.” Are you interested in making a difference? Mrs. Starr states volunteers take a 30-hour training program, then are sworn in by a judge as an advocate for a child. With an average 18-month commitment, CASA advocates could make a long-term difference in a child’s life. Marion County has over 500 children in foster care. There are currently only advocates for a third of the children in foster care in this county. CASA needs people like you. For more information, please contact Shaney Starr. CASA Shaney Starr, MS Executive Director 503-967-6420 www.casamarionor.org Now taking applications for fl oat entries for the 2016 Keizer Holiday Lights Parade, Saturday, Dec. 10 Email info@keizerchamber.com for a form. Sponsored by Bonaventure Senior Living 6075 Ulali Dr. N.E. Suite 102 | 503-393-9111 | keizerchamber.com Ad space donated by the Keizertimes pants. We knew that we wanted to promote peace and that was the basic idea,” Pritam said. “But we realized that work- ing with offi cials, or even peace groups, we were not getting too far. We would gather to- gether, eat a meal or drink tea and give speeches, and then we would disappear.” In 2011 and 2013, the cou- ple returned to the area again, but this time with a new plan. Pritam had heard about a couple offering peace camps for youth in areas where Jew- ish and Arab populations were struggling to coexist. He and Kundan set out to try it in their homeland. They offered several camps over the course of the two trips focusing on young adults ages 18 to 30. They spent time in non-religious meditation, pur- suing personal peace, and then worked through ways their stu- dents might extend that feeling to members of their family and neighbors. “I believe that the things we learn don’t disappear, we en- counter something that allows us to make sense of them later. The ideas stay there and they do infl uence our conduct lat- er if not immediately,” Pritam holiday bazaars • Get in the holiday spirit on Nov. 11 and 12 with the As- sistance League of Salem-Keizer’s Annual Holiday Open House The Historic Daue House Gift Shop at 1095 Saginaw Street S in Salem will have hundreds of gift choices including themed decorated trees, fresh-baked specialty pastry items and much more. Encore Furniture Store, 1198 Commercial Street S., will feature light refreshments, a giving tree and selected book sales. Shopping hours will be 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. • McNary High School will host its annual holiday bazaar Saturday, Nov. 12. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Proceeds benefi t Celtic clubs and activities.
