AmaKristu Nokuhlukaniswa Ngezigaba

NGUMLOBELI WE-PHAPHAMA! ENDIYA

UCABANGANI uma uzwa inkulumo ethi “isimiso sokuhlukaniswa ngezigaba”? Mhlawumbe ucabanga ngeNdiya nezigidi zabantu abangenazigaba—abakhishwe inyumbazane. Nakuba isimiso sokuhlukaniswa ngezigaba siyingxenye yenkolo yamaHindu, abagqugquzeli bezinguquko abangamaHindu baye balwela ukuqeda imiphumela yaso kwabesigaba esiphansi nakwabangenasigaba. Ucabangela lokhu, ubungathini uma uzwa ukuthi isimiso sokuhlukaniswa ngezigaba sikhona ngisho nasemasontweni athi angamaKristu?

Okungenzeka Kuwumsuka Wesimiso Sokuhlukaniswa Ngezigaba ENdiya

Ukuhlukaniswa kwabantu ngokwezigaba ezingokwenhlalo lapho abanye bezizwa bebakhulu kunabanye akuqali eNdiya. Kuwo wonke amazwekazi kuye kwaba khona ukubandlululana ngezigaba ngandlela-thile. Okuye kwenza isimiso sokuhlukaniswa ngezigaba saseNdiya sihluke ukuthi eminyakeni engaphezu kwengu-3000 edlule, inqubo yokwengamela ezenhlalo yaqala ukusetshenziswa enkolweni.

Nakuba umsuka wesimiso sokuhlukaniswa ngezigaba ungaziwa ngokuqondile, ezinye izikhulu zithi waqala empucukweni yasendulo ye-Indus Valley ezweni manje eliyiPakistan. Imivubukulo ibonisa ukuthi izakhamuzi zasendulo kamuva zanqotshwa izizwana zasenyakatho-ntshonalanga, kulokho okuvame ukubizwa ngokuthi “ukuthutha kwama-Aryan.” Encwadini yakhe ethi The Discovery of India, uJawaharlal Nehru ubiza lokhu ngokuthi “ukuqala kokuhlangana nokuxubana kwamasiko okukhulu,” okwavela kukho “izinhlanga zamaNdiya nesiko lamaNdiya eliyisisekelo.” Nokho, lokhu kuxubana, akuzange kwenze ukuba izinhlanga zilingane.

I-New Encyclopædia Britannica ithi: “AmaHindu achaza ukwanda kokuhlukaniswa ngezigaba (jātis, ngokwezwi nezwi okusho ‘ukuzalwa’) ngokuthi ukuhlukaniswa kwezigaba ezine, noma i-varna, ngenxa yokuganiselana (okungavunyelwe umthetho wamaHindu ongcwele). Nokho, izazi zezinkolelo-mbono zanamuhla, zivame ukugcizelela ukuthi ukuhlukaniswa ngezigaba kwabangelwa ukuhlukana kwemikhuba eyisiko yemikhaya, ukuhlukaniswa ngokohlanga nokuhlukaniswa ngemisebenzi eyenziwayo nefundelwe ngokukhethekile. Izazi eziningi zanamuhla zicabanga ukuthi isimiso se-varna sasimane nje siyinkolelo-mbono yokuxubana kwezenhlalo nezenkolo futhi zagcizelela ukuthi ukuhlukaniswa okuyinkimbinkimbi kakhulu komphakathi wamaHindu okucishe kufinyelele ezigabeni kanye nezigatshana ezingu-3000 cishe kwakuvele kukhona ngisho nasendulo.”

Kwaqhubeka isikhathi abantu abahlukanisiwe ngezigaba beganiselana, futhi ukubandlululana ngebala lesikhumba kwancipha. Imithetho eqinile ebusa ukuhlukaniswa ngezigaba yamiswa inkolo kamuva, yashiwo emibhalweni yesiVeda naseZimisweni (noma iMithetho) zikaManu, isihlakaniphi esingumHindu. AmaBrahman ayefundisa ukuthi abesigaba esiphezulu babezalwa behlanzekile, okubenza bahluke kwabesigaba esiphansi. Bafundisa amaSudra, noma abesigaba esiphansi, inkolelo yokuthi umsebenzi wabo ophansi wawuyisijeziso esivela kuNkulunkulu ngenxa yezenzo ezimbi ababezenza ekuphileni okungaphambili nokuthi uma bezama ukweqa imingcele yesigaba abakuso bazoxoshwa kuleso sigaba. Ukuganiselana, ukudla ndawonye, ukusebenzisa umthombo ofanayo wamanzi, noma ukungena ethempelini elilodwa kanye nomSudra kwakungenza umuntu wesigaba esiphakeme axoshwe kuleso sigaba.

Ukuhlukaniswa Ngezigaba Namuhla

Ngemva kokuthola uzibuse ngo-1947, uhulumeni waseNdiya wamisa umthetho-sisekelo owenza ukuba ukubandlululana ngokwezigaba kube icala elibomvu. Uqaphela ukuthi emakhulwini eminyaka amaHindu esigaba esiphansi ayencishwé amalungelo, uhulumeni wamisa umthetho wokuba abezigaba ezihleliwe nezizwe ezithile bakhethelwe futhi bagcinelwe izikhundla kuhulumeni nasezikhungweni zemfundo.a Igama elisetshenziselwa lezi zigaba zamaHindu elithi “Dalit,” elisho “ochotshoziwe, ocindezelwe.” Kodwa isihloko sephephandaba lamuva nje sasithi: “AmaKristu AngamaDalit Afuna Ukugcinelwa Izikhundla [zemisebenzi nezikhala emanyuvesi].” Kwenzeke kanjani lokhu?

Uhulumeni unikeza amaHindu esigaba esiphansi izinzuzo ezengeziwe ngoba aye aphathwa ngokungenabulungisa ngenxa yesimiso sokuhlukaniswa ngezigaba. Ngakho-ke kwakucatshangwa ukuthi izinkolo ezazingasisebenzisi lesi simiso sokuhlukaniswa kwezigaba azinakuzithola lezi zinzuzo. Nokho, amaKristu angamaDalit athi, ngenxa yokuthi ayeyisigaba esiphansi, noma esingcolile, eguqukele kwenye inkolo, nawo ayebhekana nobandlululo olungaveli kumaHindu kuphela kodwa ‘nakumaKristu ayekanye nawo.’ Ingabe lokhu kuyiqiniso?

Izithunywa Zevangeli ZeLobukholwa Nokuhlukaniswa Ngezigaba

AmaHindu amaningi ayeguqulwa izithunywa zevangeli zamaKatolika nezamaProthestani ezingamaPutukezi, amaFulentshi nezaseBrithani, phakathi nezikhathi zamakoloni. Abantu abavela kuzo zonke izigaba baba amaKristu okuzisholo, abanye abashumayeli bayenga amaBrahman, abanye bayenga abaNgcolile. Imfundiso nokuziphatha kwalezi zithunywa zevangeli kwaba naliphi ithonya enkolelweni egxilile yokuhlukaniswa ngezigaba?

Ephawula ngabaseBrithani eNdiya, umbhali uNirad Chaudhuri uthi emasontweni “abantu besonto lamaNdiya babengeke bahlangane nabaseYurophu. UbuKristu abuzange buwufihle umuzwa wokuphakama ngokohlanga okwakusekelwe kuwo umbuso waseBrithani eNdiya.” Ngo-1894, isithunywa sevangeli sibonisa isimo sengqondo esifanayo, sabikela i-Board of Foreign Missions yase-United States ukuthi ukuguqula abantu besigaba esiphansi “kwakuwukuqoqa imfucumfucu uyilethe eSontweni.”

Ngokusobala, umuzwa wokuphakama ngokohlanga ezithunyweni zevangeli zakuqala nokuxubana kwemicabango yamaBrahman nezimfundiso zesonto yikho okwabangela ukuba isimiso sokuhlukaniswa ngezigaba sisetshenziswe ingcaca ngabaningi abangamaKristu okuzisholo eNdiya.

Isimiso Sokuhlukaniswa Ngezigaba Emasontweni Namuhla

UMbhishobhi Omkhulu WamaKatolika uGeorge Zur, ngesikhathi ekhuluma kuyi-Catholic Bishops Conference yaseNdiya ngo-1991, wathi: “Akuwona wodwa amaHindu esigaba esiphakeme aphatha abesigaba esihleliwe abaguqukile njengabesigaba esiphansi kodwa namaKristu esigaba esiphakeme. . . . Babekelwa izindawo ezithile eceleni emasontweni nasemathuneni. Ukuganiselana kwabezigaba ezihlukene akwamukelwa. . . . Ukuhlukaniswa ngezigaba kwande kakhulu phakathi kwabefundisi.”

UMbhishobhi uM. Azariah, weSonto laseNingizimu yeNdiya, i-United Protestant Church, encwadini yakhe ethi The Un-Christian Side of the Indian Church wathi: “AmaKristu Ezigaba Ezihleliwe (angamaDalit) awabandlululwa futhi acindezelwe amaKristu akanye nawo emasontweni ahlukahlukene ngoba ephansi kodwa ngoba ezalelwe esigabeni esiphansi, ngisho noma eseyisizukulwane sesibili, sesithathu noma sesine esingamaKristu. AmaKristu esigaba esiphakeme angemaningi eSontweni abandlulula ezinye izigaba nezizukulwane zazo, ezishaya indiva izinkolelo nemikhuba yobuKristu.”

Ukucwaninga okwenziwa uhulumeni ngezinkinga zezigaba zamaNdiya zakudala, okwaziwa ngokuthi i-Mandal Commission, kwaveza ukuthi amaKristu okuzisholo eKerala ayehlukaniswe “ngamaqembu ahlukahlukene ezinhlanga kuye ngokwezigaba azalelwa kuzo. . . . Ngisho nangemva kokuguquka, abesigaba esiphansi babeqhubeka bephathwa njengamaHarijanb . . . Amalungu eSonto elilodwa aseSiriya nangamaPulaya ayewenza ngokuhlukana amasiko enkolo ewenzela ezindaweni ezihlukene.”

Umbiko wezindaba kuyi-Indian Express ngo-August 1996 washo lokhu ngamaKristu angamaDalit: “ETamil Nadu, bahlala ngokuhlukana nabesigaba esiphakeme. EKerala, bayizisebenzi ezingenazo izindawo zazo, ezisebenzela amaKristu aseSiriya nabanye besigaba esiphakeme abanezindawo. AmaKristu angamaDalit awalokothi adle ndawonye noma aganane nawaseSiriya. Ezikhathini eziningi amaDalit asonta emasontweni awo, abizwa ngokuthi ‘isonto lamaPulaya’ noma ‘isonto lamaParaya.’” Lawa amagama ezigaba eziphansi. Igama lesiNgisi lelithi “paraya” lithi “pariah.”

Izenzo Zokunganeliseki

Amaqembu amakholwa ashisekayo, njenge-FACE (i-Forum Against Christian Exploitation), afunela amaKristu angamaDalit amalungelo kuhulumeni. Okulwelwa kakhulu ukuthi laba abaguqukele ebuKristwini bathole usizo olungokwezimali. Nokho, abanye babekhathazwa impatho emasontweni. Encwadini eyayibhalelwe uPapa uJohn Paul II, abantu abangu-120 abayisayina bathi “baba amaKristu ukuze bakhululeke esimisweni sokuhlukaniswa ngezigaba” kodwa abavunyelwe ukungena esontweni lasedolobhaneni noma bahlanganyele ezinkonzweni. Babephoqelelwa ukuba bakhe izindlu eceleni komgwaqo omncane okungekho mKristu wesigaba esiphakeme—noma umpristi wesifunda—owake wabeka umcondo wakhe kuwo! Owesifazane ongumKatolika okhathazeke ngendlela efanayo wathi: “Kubaluleke ngempela kimina ukuba umfana wami afunde ekolishi elisezingeni eliphezulu. Kodwa kubaluleke nakakhulu ukuba akholwa nabo [amaKatolika] bambheke njengolingana nabo.”

Nakuba abanye bezama ukuthuthukisa isimo samaKristu angamaDalit, abaningi baphelelwa isineke. Izinhlangano ezinjenge-Vishwa Hindu Parishad (Inhlangano YeZwe YamaHindu) zizama ukubaphindisela emuva kumaHindu labo abaguquke baba amaKristu. I-Indian Express yabika ngomkhosi owawuhanjelwe abantu abangu-10 000, lapho imikhaya ‘yamaKristu’ anjalo engaphezu kuka-600 yaphindela ebuHindwini.

Indlela YobuKristu Beqiniso

Ukuba izithunywa zevangeli zezinhlangano zamasonto zazifundise izimfundiso zikaKristu ezisekelwe othandweni, ayengeke abe khona “amaKristu angamaBrahman,” “amaKristu angamaDalit” kanye ‘namaKristu angamaParaya.’ (Mathewu 22:37-40) Abengeke abe khona amasonto aseceleni amaDalit nokuhlukana lapho kudliwa. Iyiphi le mfundiso yeBhayibheli ekhululayo enqoba ukuhlukaniswa ngezigaba?

“Ngokuba uJehova uNkulunkulu wenu unguNkulunkulu wawonkulunkulu . . . , ongakhethi-buso bamuntu, nongamukeli-mvuzo.”—Duteronomi 10:17.

“Manje ngiyanikhuthaza, bafowethu, ngegama leNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu ukuba nonke nikhulume ngokuvumelana, nokuba kungabi nakuhlukana phakathi kwenu, kodwa ukuba nihlangane ngokufanele emqondweni ofanayo nasendleleni efanayo yokucabanga.”—1 Korinte 1:10.

“Bonke bayokwazi ngalokhu ukuthi ningabafundi bami, uma ninothando phakathi kwenu.”—Johane 13:35.

IBhayibheli lifundisa ukuthi uNkulunkulu wenza sonke isintu ngomuntu oyedwa. Libuye lisho nokuthi yonke inzalo yalowo muntu oyedwa kufanele ‘ifune uNkulunkulu imthole, nakuba engekude kulowo nalowo kithi.’—IzEnzo 17:26, 27.

Lapho ukuhlukana ngezigaba kuqala ukungena ebandleni lamaKristu lokuqala, umbhali uJakobe, ephefumulelwe, wakulahla ngokuqondile. Wathi: “Ninokuhlukana ngezigaba phakathi kwenu futhi senibe abahluleli abakhipha izinqumo ezimbi, akunjalo?” (Jakobe 2:1-4) Imfundiso yobuKristu beqiniso ayilwamukeli noma iluphi uhlobo lwesimiso sokuhlukaniswa ngezigaba.

Isidingo Sokucabanga KweZwe Elisha

Izigidi zoFakazi BakaJehova ziye zazimisela ukushintsha izinkolelo nokuziphatha kwazo kwesikhathi esidlule okufundwe ezinkolweni eziningi ezihlukahlukene. Izimfundiso zeBhayibheli ziye zasusa ezinhliziyweni nasezingqondweni zazo umuzwa wokuphakama noma wokungabi yilutho, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi wagxiliswa phakathi nesimiso samakoloni, sokuhlukaniswa ngezinhlanga, sobandlululo, noma sokuhlukaniswa ngezigaba. (Roma 12:1, 2) Bakuqonda ngokucacile lokho iBhayibheli elikubiza ngokuthi ‘umhlaba omusha, okuyohlala kuwo ukulunga.’ Yeka ithemba elikhazimulayo izigidi ezihluphekayo emhlabeni ezinalo!—2 Petru 3:13.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 25]

“UNkulunkulu akakhethi, kodwa ezizweni zonke umuntu omesabayo futhi asebenze ukulunga uyamukeleka kuye.”—IzEnzo 10:34, 35.

[Ibhokisi/Isithombe ekhasini 23]

Uzizwa Kanjani?

Yebo, uzizwa kanjani uma ukhishwa inyumbazane abantu abathi bangamaKristu? Omunye umKristu, okhokho bakhe ababeguqulwe besuka esigabeni esiphansi samaHindu esaziwa ngokuthi amaCheramar noma amaPulaya ulandisa isenzakalo esenzeka ezweni lakubo iKerala eminyakeni ethile edlule:

Ngamenyelwa emshadweni lapho izimenywa ezimbalwa ezazikhona zazingamalungu esonto. Lapho zingibona emcimbini, kwasuka isiphithiphithi, futhi lezo ezazisonta eSontweni Lobu-Orthodox LaseSiriya zathi ngeke zihlale emcimbini uma ngikhona, ngoba ngeke zidle nompulaya. Lapho ubaba kamakoti engavumelani nazo, zonke zawudikila umcimbi. Ngemva kokuba sezihambile, kwadliwa. Kodwa labo ababengoweta, benqaba ukususa engangidlela kukho nokuqoqa itafula engangidlela kulo.

[Isithombe]

Isibonelo sendlu yesonto laseNingizimu yeNdiya, lapho kuhlanganyela khona abesigaba esiphansi kuphela