William Gomes, a Poet with Power

Our revolutionary poet is causing a stir in his native country of Bangladesh, where human rights are often nonexistent.

William Gomes is Salem-News.com's Human Rights Ambassador

(SALEM) - William Nicholas Gomes; a promising name, a poet, journalist and human rights activist. He is well known for his outspoken, impartial, uncompromising position on the issues of human rights violations. He is an ambassador of peace, who advocates democracy and rule of law, on issues worldwide.

I have had the chance to work with this moving individual; he is an assistant editor of Salem-News.com and the human rights ambassador for our news site. William has worked for world famous human rights organization Asian human rights commission (AHRC).

Recently his web site www.williamgomes.org has been blocked in Bangladesh by the fascist government. It is believed that the root cause is very recent poem “Anti State” and “Pen” which were written and published on the website by the revolutionary poet William Gomes.

William's only weapon is his pen and he penned two poems and that have shocked and challenged the current Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, and her fascist government.

The ruling government is well known for the corruption, extrajudicial killings, torture and growing number of disappearances country wide.

Anti State

William writes against the injustice in his poem, “Anti state”,
the revolutionary poet said,

“I am against the state, which runs on the bases of injustices,
I am against the state which comes out of killings”

The poet in these lines has cleared his position against any repressive government that is based on injustice. And he made his position and his deep desire for justice and peace.

“They are traders of hatred,
They sell hatred
They sell riots!”

In these lines the poet defines the state machinery which survives by creating hatred among the people and he calls them as “traders of hatred”. He has very successfully explained the complex situations that exist in Bangladesh in everyday life. He again presses the need of non-violence and peace and love.

William Gomes interviewing a mother whose son is acid survivor at Dhaka Medical College Hospital for News agency Asia News

“They sell ALLAH, RAM, BUDDHA, JESUS!”

In this line, the poet has very artfully clearified how the politicians use religions for political gain; he said that they sell religion. He stresses for the need of religious freedom.

“They have declared war on people
They have declared war on peace”

Here, the poet challenges the state mechanism of Bangladesh in very critical way, and defines the character of the state towards its people while saying that those who are in power have declared war on people, on peace.

It again glorifies the position and understanding of the society and people of Bangladesh and his desire for peace and his belonging to the people.

“I declared war on these criminals,
I declared war on their System
I declare that I am anti state
For sure, I am for the people!
I am people!”

In these lines the poet makes his revolutionary move, he says he has declared war on the criminals and their system. The poet declares himself anti-state, and defines himself as people and for people. The lines make very clear the fact that he is pro-people and he against the dysfunctional system. With his writing he declared war against injustice.

“I will burn their RED and GREEN flag,
I will burn the constitution of injustice
I will burn down the parliament
I will burn down all into ashes
I dream no red and green flag
No traders of injustice
But a place full of peaceful of people!”

In these lines, the poet states that if needed, he will burn the flag of Bangladesh; the constitution which allows and exists with ab anti-human rights position, and the parliament where the thugs are sitting and promoting injustice; making unjust law and promoting an unjust system.

He also stressed in his anger, that he will he burn them all into ashes and again he stresses peace saying

"-- I dream no red and green flag
No traders of injustice
But a place full of peaceful of people!”
“No mater, if need to change the name of Bangladesh
I declare, I will change it!
I will change for peace, for people
I declare, I am anti state!”

At the end the poet came into the pace of his revolutionary thinking; delivering his pro-people position and being more liberal. He said if needed he will change the name of Bangladesh and he will stand for peace and for people. And at the very end, he again confirmed his existence against the existing dysfunctional state system and calls himself "Anti state".

I find a very modern poetic pace in this poem and also appreciate the way it conveys a deep sense of understanding of poetry's application with relation to people, politics and the state system of Bangladesh.

He has seen the people struggle; in fact he knows the people’s suffering so keenly, because he himself has experienced the suffering.

As he is revolutionary he never walked the path of violence but took the pen and wrote poems against the state. This is what has transformed both William and his website into a target of the Bangladesh government.

View articles written by Bonnie King