Fr Stan Swamy is no more: when he slipped into that eternal reward which he so richly deserved, a pall of gloom descended on the earth, he once walked upon. One could not help but be reminded of those immortal words on the death of Mahatma Gandhi, “the light has gone out of our lives and there is darkness everywhere!” The similarities between the death of Gandhi and Stan are painfully striking; both were murdered: Gandhi fell to the bullets of an assassin who had whole-hearted support from an institution that was against the idea of India; whereas 84-year-old Stan was a victim of a calculated cold-blooded institutionalised murder because he subscribed to and cherished the idea of an India in which the excluded and the exploited had their rightful place. When a great soul dies the crowds that loved him/her chant “Amar Rahe!" “Amar Rahe!” The plain truth is that Fr. Stan Swamy will live forever!

Fr Stan Swamy is no more: There is outrage everywhere; among the Adivasis  who live in the remote villages and the dense forests of the tribal heartland; among the other poor and marginalised he so readily served; among human rights defenders and other social activists across the spectrum; among his companions and comrades he journeyed with in that quest for a more humane and just society; among civil society groups, academics and other intellectuals; women and men from all walks of life; from India and abroad – there is but one common outpouring of anger of the way he was arrested, incarcerated and treated which ultimately led to his death. All of them believe that Fr. Stan Swamy will live forever!

Fr Stan Swamy is no more: There are editorials and op-eds; articles and cartoons celebrating his life of commitment to the poorest of the poor. Rich tributes have come in from every quarter. Social media has been full of Stan these days. Celebrated writer Arundhati Roy writes: “The slow murder of Father Stan Swamy is a microcosm of the not-so slow-murder of everything that allows us to call ourself a democracy. We are ruled by fiends. They have put a curse upon this land”. 

Harsh Mander, another well-known rights activist, in a tribute recollects an article which he wrote a few days earlier, “As I wrote in the Indian Express at that time of his arrest: ‘The true character of a state is perhaps best exposed by its choice of enemies. In its latest strike, the entire might of the state has converged on an 83-year-old Jesuit priest, who has devoted his life to struggling with the most oppressed among the Indian people, the Adivasis, against corporate and state power. The government leaves no doubt about who it despises and fears. And who it stands with.”  Plenty is being said and written for the simple fact that Fr. Stan Swamy will live forever.

Fr Stan Swamy is no more: His death seems to have united the major opposition parties. In a strongly worded letter to the President of India they write, “We are urging your immediate intervention as the President of India to direct ‘your government’ to act against those responsible for foisting false cases on him (Stan Swamy), his continued detention in jail and inhuman treatment. They must be held accountable. It is now incumbent that all those jailed in the Bhima Koregaon case and other detenues under politically motivated cases, misusing draconian laws like UAPA, sedition etc be released forthwith.” These political parties could not come together on several key issues which plague the nation.  It is so clear that they are together now because Fr. Stan Swamy will live forever.

Fr Stan Swamy is no more: The avalanche of tributes that have come in from the highest echelons of power globally. A statement from the United Nations said, “High Commissioner Michelle Bachelet and the UN’s independent experts have repeatedly raised the cases of Father Stan and 15 other human rights defenders associated with the same events with the government of India over the past three years, and urged their release from pre-trial detention; The high commissioner has also raised concerns over the use of the UAPA in relation to human rights defenders – a law Father Stan was challenging before Indian courts days before he died.” 

The US State Department, through its Office of International Religious Freedom, tweeted, “We are saddened by the death of Father Stan Swamy, a Jesuit priest & tribal rights activist, who died in Indian custody under charges of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act. We call on all governments to respect the vital role of human rights activists in healthy democracies”. These have obviously raised the hackles of those who illegally incarcerated Fr Stan who have gone overboard to spread canard against him. They were afraid of for what he stood. They tried to do away not realising that Fr. Stan Swamy will live forever.

Fr Stan Swamy is no more: The world has been celebrating the amazing work he has done on this earth. He was a known Adivasi rights activist working on various issues of the Adivasis: land, forest and labour rights; questioning 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; your work also involved opposition to the setting up of  ‘land banks’, which  you believed would free up land belonging to the community in favour of the corporate sector. 

Besides, he helped form a group called the ‘Persecuted Prisoners’ Solidarity Committee’ that sought  to do a study of the nature of undertrial prisoners (3,000 Adivasis illegally put in jail) and to have recourse to legal action, so that justice can be done. His work involved expressing dissent with several official policies and laws, which you were convinced of violative of the Constitution. The Adivasis and other excluded who have been consistently denied their legitimate rights saw in him a person who left no stone unturned, to champion their cause. They know now that the work will continue because Fr. Stan Swamy will live forever.

Fr Stan Swamy is no more: Today millions everywhere cannot help but think of his incredibly committed and simple life-style. His frugality was known to all. His material needs were few; his actual possessions were even less. The media had a field day, when some time ago the ‘authorities’ came to seize his possessions -- they could find and take away almost nothing! Fr Stan taught all the true meaning of ‘solidarity’ what it means to actually walk the talk; that to meaningfully empower the exploited and the excluded one has to be in solidarity with them in their struggles and to accompany them visibly and vocally, with prophetic courage for a more just and humane society. He did this unreservedly on this earth and continues to do so because Fr. Stan Swamy will live forever.

Fr Stan Swamy is no more: We once again listen to those profound words of Fr Stan just before his arrest on 8 October 2020, “What is happening to me is not something 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, students, leaders, they are all put into jail because they have expressed their dissent or raised questions about the ruling powers of India. We are part of the process. In a way I am happy to be part of this process. I am not a silent spectator, but part of the game, and ready to pay the price whatever be it”. Yes, in life Fr Stan was never a silent spectator and much more so today because Fr. Stan Swamy will live forever.

Fr Stan Swamy is no more: On May 212, he shared with the Bombay High Court the suffering he was put through in prison. He said, “I was brought here eight months ago. When I came to Taloja, my full system, my body was still very functional. But during these eight months, I have gone through a steady regression of all bodily functions. Eight months ago, I could have a bath by myself and also do some writing by myself. But these are disappearing one after another. Taloja jail brought me to a situation where I can neither write nor go for a walk by myself or even eat. I am not able to meet this demand. Eating has become a real difficulty; someone has to feed me with a spoon.” 

He also spoke about the dire conditions in Taloja jail that prompted prisoners to help each other in the face of acute economic deprivation. He was always touched by the help he received from his fellow prisoners. He perhaps had an intuition of his death – he wanted to be given regular bail and go back to Ranchi to be in the midst of his people. “I want to go to Ranchi to be with my friends…. Whatever happens to me I would like to be with my own.” If not, he said he would continue to be in Taloja jail. “I would rather die here very shortly if things go on as it is”. His death came true but Fr. Stan Swamy will live forever.

Fr Stan Swamy is no more: However, the powers that tried to put him away, to annihilate him have failed miserably in their nefarious design. They did not realise that doing away with him would spawn hundreds and thousands of ‘Stan Swamys’ everywhere. Since his death, there have been numerous programmes all over the world: rallies and demonstrations; candle light vigils and processions; prayer meetings and webinars. The underlying refrain everywhere is “I am Stan”. 

It is no longer the hashtag #StandWithStan that has gone way beyond. It is the clear and unequivocal demand for the immediate revocation of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA); the unconditional release of all the Bhima-Koregaon fifteen and all others illegally incarcerated under the draconian UAPA. There is a demand for prison reforms and better conditions for prisoners. All that Stan worked for and galvanised others is slowly gaining momentum till hopefully its fruition. The vision and mission of Fr Stan is being internalised because Fr. Stan Swamy will live forever!

Fr Stan Swamy is no more: He was a prophet; someone who epitomised compassion, courage, companionship and commitment. He did not yield from any of these. He was clear of the road he had to travel: we walked alone however difficult it, whatever the hostilities he faced. It was not easy. He held the hands of the downtrodden – who were his true sisters and brothers. For that he had to pay the price! He did so willingly and joyfully without counting the cost. As a prophet Fr. Stan Swamy will live forever.

Fr Stan Swamy is no more: He is a martyr – who gave his life for a greater good: for others!” Unless a grain of wheat dies, it will not bear fruit…” He sacrificed his life – so that others may have new life. Today he lives in each of these ‘the least, the lost and the last’ having shed his blood for them. His mission continues because Fr. Stan Swamy will live forever.

The well- known Lebanese writer Kahlil Gibran, in his immortal work ‘The Prophet’ writes, 
“Know, therefore, that from the greater silence I shall return. 
The mist that drifts away at dawn, leaving but dew in the fields, 
shall rise and gather into a cloud and then fall down in rain. 
And not unlike the mist have I been.    
 In the stillness of the night, I have walked in your streets,
 and my spirit has entered your houses, 
And your heart–beats were in my heart, 
and your breath was upon my face, and I knew you all. 
Aye, I knew your joy and your pain, 
and in your sleep your dreams were my dreams. 
And oftentimes I was among you a lake among the mountains. 
I mirrored the summits in you and the bending slopes, 
and even the passing flocks of your thoughts and your desires. 
And to my silence came the laughter of your children in streams. 

As if Stan was speaking to us today from the beyond! Yes, Fr Stan Swamy is no more: He is already regarded as Saint by those for whom he gave his life: blood, sweat, toil and tears.  the fact is Fr. Stan Swamy will live forever!

(The writer is a human rights, reconciliation and peace activist/writer. Contact: cedricprakash@gmail.com )