Thursday, January 26, 2012

Why did you educate me?

I am Soni Sori, writing this letter from jail.
My young daughter must be crying every night.
Remembering me before she falls asleep.
Tell her: "Mom will be back soon"
I know I won't be able to go back, I know this.
But she's a child, calm her down.
We have to have her blood transfused every year, my young daughter,
She won't have to bear this pain for many more days,
Without treatment, she will go quiet this year.

Tell my elder son and daughter not to believe anything the kids in school say
That their father and mother made mistakes and that's why they're in jail.

My old father's wasting leg will not be treated either now.
But I also have a complaint against my father,

Why did he not know,
That for an adivasi (tribal) girl to be educated,
Can put her in so much trouble?
Uneducated, I would have stayed quiet.
I would have taken it, been trodden down.
But by educating me, why did you prepare me
To speak and create difficult situations for the whole family.

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