posted by Kamala on Dec 9
Dearest Friends and Family,
This is going to be a more personal letter….I just want to share with you, if I can, a little of what its like here. Its very intense. On one hand, there is just an incredible, heart-opening, joyous feeling, that every single place on Earth is represented here. Not only by formal delegates, but even more so by informal ones. The place is literally vibrating…not like Kashi, but, with a positive hope….Everyone here is willing to meet everyone…there is a keen edge of intellectual energy as well as heart energy…of course there are the old fuddy-duddies, and unfortunately, most of them are on the negotiating teams of the Annex 1 countries….but the feeling of the equality of the great family of man is present, the feeling of caring for each and every precious human being, and the Earth, and this is perhaps why the UN is cherished in billions of human hearts.
When we arrive from the metro in the morning, there are quite a few groups stationed outside the Bella Center where the hive activity takes place…some are dancing, some singing, there are some Chinese TV people advocating Vegetarianism vociferously, there are some African drummers, putting out a good beat, there is a huge screen like a movie Theatre with various environmental messages going on….if the intensity of awareness effort that is going on here from the ngos etc., was going on in our schools, universities, villages, towns, the whole planet would be quickly informed….
These groups are not allowed in to the formal negotiations. As we go by them, the accost us with pleas to take their messages inside in some way, or home with us in the evening…Last night I talked to the Chinese TV people, and although they have not heard of Amma, they work with presenting spriritual masters…we exchanged pamphlets, and I gave them two of my precious supply of Amma’s speeches, which, I now feel was over generous…
Inside, after the security check, which has about 3 phases, there is a huge huge huge hall with hundreds of booths of different NGO’s and also some businesses, and even some universities…all advoating their view. I am accredited as a UN observer through the 350.org, which is an umbrella org that has accredited many groups, including AVAAZ, and Climate Justice Fast. I try to be of assistance in small ways through out the day and have been assisting at these booths. In fact, I am quite involved with the Climate Justice Fast. The ‘fossil of the Day’ award is given by Avaaz, you can probably hear its verdicts every night on the news….its a much anticipated daily even with huge press coverage….our Link had suggested they also put in a ‘Ray’ of the day, for the country which gave some ‘ray’ of hope, and tonight the first ‘ray’ award was given to Tuvalu, which is an ancient island nation, in the vicinity of Samoa…so, there is music, and good humour, rampant righteous outrage and enthusiasm in our niche of the booths…
The Climate Justice Fast is really the people’s heart beat here. You cannot imagine the internal moral strength of the people who are fasting. I will mention 4, although there are many more. Today is the 35th day. 35. for Two, Anna Keenan and Sara Svensson….You cannot imagine the strength of these two heroines. Then there is Daniel, who is on day 28. 28. Then Matthieu, who I think is now on day 18. 18. ONLY WATER.
Theirs is not an act of ‘individualism’, but of such humble selfless, that even their names are irrelevant to the cause, CLIMATE JUSTICE FAST. It means just what it sounds like….
The executive secretary of the UNFCC COP-15, Yvo de Boer, said, “The fact that they are doing this is symptomatic of a huge public frustration. I understand and respect it, but am asking them not to put their personal health at risk.”
The Lord is in close attendance upon these people who are brandishing the sword of ethics. Who Appeal to Her Court alone, O Mother of us ALL! In addition to these 4 there are 6 or 7 others here who have joined in some way- 1 on one meal a day, 1 - from an US interfaith group, 3 on no food, only water, one, a Gentleman from India, named Anand from GreenPeace, and another from Green Peace Turkey. Dr. Ofgor. He has connections to a Dr., a wonderful Turkish man, who has worked for Human Rights International supervising the hunger-strikes to death in prisons in Turkey. There have apparently been over a 1000 hunger-strikes in Turkish prisons, I don’t know whats going on there, doesn’t sound good. Of the ones he was watching 122 died. DIED. So, our careful, painstaking Lord, brought this Dr. To the Fasters, and he is having them take Vitamin B1 to prevent brain damage. He has also told us that when they come off the Fast, its very important that they not be given the glucose drip, the sugar in it can cause severe damage, especially for this length and extremity….they have said that they will stop on medical advise…so, its really great that we got a dr. That isn’t a wimpy, insurance, and sue-minded person, to advise us….who understands the moral imperatives that drive the Fasters, and their need to answer and serve those imperatives….
The booths overflow with all manner of free things, and just collecting it can take lots of time. I feel an obligation to collect it for institutions dear to our heart. We tried to get as much educational stuff as possible, and were actually allowed to mail 10kgs back to the Ashram for the University and AV…the materials are the top of the line, the cutting edge on what is going on in climate research, etc. All educational institutions should be informed of them.
Today, after spending some time to get them mailed, we decided that we will try to just give out our cards and ask them to please mail the items to us…they are eager to send their stuff out….So…there’s that going on…lots of free-ness, lots of people getting all the ‘goodies’….I just wish I could get enough of those world buttons for the kids in the ashram schools….its such a problem…our Amma family is sooooo huuuge…that we all learn to renounce. If we can’t all have it, well then, none of us will, and we are all OK with that. Its a philosophy that MUST be adopted world wide….
There are huge hall-ish areas with some of the dim Denmark light coming from ceiling windows…the day the COP started it was so foggy, one couldn’t see anything. Its been overcast the entire time we have been here, don’t know what portents it brings, but one lady from Sweden told me today its not normal, usually there are more sunny days. There is free internet access everywhere, with thousands of plug points. In this sense, the gathering is really high-tech, everyone has a lap-top, everyone is communicating, etc. You see people giving web-cam interviews, and yelling into their lap-tops…
Link is tremendously busy, we often do not see each other except in the mornings, briefly. He has meetings to attend, he has alot of media work as well. The IYCN team also does ‘actions’, with other youth delegations, a kind of loud protest, yells in unison, different things, AVAAZ has alot of unique things…the goal of it all is to cut through the nonsense, and keep the issues on the table. Today I heard one action of a group…I think if we could get more music into it, it would be more effective, By Grace, just found someone willing to help work with YOUNGO constituency to introduce more harmony into the yells, I think it will help alot, Kealan Gell….
Today, was a meeting for the island countries to addess their negotiations, and they were adamant, it was an intensely passionate meeting, with the Annex 1 group, including India, basically telling them, “sorry, we don’t care if you go under, its going to be business as usual, we’ve got to develop along the lines of selfish greed, we don’t care how many people get hurt, or how wrecked the Earth gets, there’s money it if for a few of us, and that’s all that matters, and we are the one’s who are voting, so , ha- ha and Ta- ta! (good bye).
There are many cafes, etc., food everywhere, but it is hugely expensive. I try to bring about 10 or so sandwiches for the IYCN’ers that I see. The Indian team is hungry. Most are veg, and can’t find many entrees… All the poor country’s kids are the same…we’ve got family to think about back home, we’ve got a horrible exchange rate, and we’ve scarfed up the money to get here from innumerable sources…Because we are all here late at night, its difficult to get groceries…so, although we are in the land of milk and bread, we aren’t getting much of it….nor time to eat it… someone just passed me a big bag of almonds. Can you imagine? So many almonds…I look at them and see them all divided up into tiny packets, 40 rs. each(or is it 55 now? Its was around 40 last time I looked in the ashram store) …as such, I just can’t eat very many…..
The plenary sessions are where the the huge negotiations take place, and unless your standing outside the door, there is a very limited seating, however, no problem, cause they have it on TV’s in another section.
The delegation rooms are in another whole wing, and the YOUNGO which is the Youth constituency has a room there, with office and meeting room. This is where the inherent slant of the UN makes itself felt. The Annex 1 countries have huge rooms, well staffed offices, several meeting areas. Canada alone has 5 rooms. Then, things scale down in ‘accomodation’ to the poor countires, some countries from islands and Africa don’t even have adequate space and have to hold their meetings in the cafe- internet halls…its the nature of the world…which Amma says is essential to understand….
There is a huge area of free computers to use, all netted up, with free printing….
I would go there, but…I feel a need to be close to the Climate Justice Fast people in case I can be of assistance…
There are big lounges near one of the plenary halls with huge cushiony chairs…and everywhere one looks there are meetings going on, press interviews, etc., etc. Its intense…there are also press rooms which are sound proofed a little for ‘meet the press’ meetings….
There are even free bike and free computer rentals for people…Link has of course, rented a bycycle, and of all things, today, a morning when we actually got to the station together, the train was not working and we had to take the bus, which didn’t take the bicycle…but, we met the Italian delegation to the Clima Forum.
The Clima Forum is another HUGE event going on in Copenhagen, Simultaneously to the COP-15, its the ‘People’s COP-15′. There is alot of tensions about this from the authorities. Amazingly, Denmark passed laws making a literal police state, allowing the police to arrest anyone, without any reason, and hold them without any explanation for 12 hours…so, there is considerable public outrage about this…last night the police broke into the bedrooms of over 200 people and arrested them on charges of planning ‘civil disobedience’ when they were actually given government permission to use a space for their activities today..so, its kinda a real HOT SPOT…
And, I’ve been asked to speak there tomorrow, along with the members of the Climate Justice Fast…I think I will talk on Ethics and the power of Love, which is what has drawn me to work with the Climate Justice Fast…
Please pray for our Fasters, who are veritably sustained by the power of Love, and nothing else.
Loving You,
Aunty Kamala