Abdulah: May Divali's light dispel darkness of division

Political leader of the Movement of Social Justice (MSJ) David Abdulah, in his Divali greetings, said considerable hatred by some against “the other” has manifested in the rise of racism, xenophobia, and discrimination on the basis of gender, age, religion, and sexual orientation in TT.

This, he says, shows all is not well in our nation.

“As we all know, the lesson of Divali is that light triumphs over darkness; and good over evil. This message is of particular importance at this time in human history.”

He said the underlying condition for the growing divisiveness in society is the tremendous uncertainty in people’s lives the world over.

“Driving this uncertainty is the process of neo-liberal globalisation in which workers have little or no job security, millions are unemployed; poverty remains deeply entrenched even as those at the top of the wealth and income scale are doing better every day,” he said.

Abdulah said the forces of darkness and evil – populist forces that have preyed on the uncertainties and insecurities of people and placed in their consciousness that it is “the other” that is to blame for their condition.

"That other is invariably a person of colour, an immigrant, someone who has a different religious belief. Fear and suspicion and resentment then turns into hate."

Abdulah encouraged individual citizens and "our leaders whose words matter" to engage in serious introspection during Divali celebrations.

“Let us pray for enlightenment so that the darkness that is within us – the prejudice, the pain caused by previous hurts – can be dispelled.”