Bonded for life

By Hameed Diplai

Thari children, victims of poverty and the Peshgi system need to

be rehabilitated, but in order for that their families will also
require some form of economic assistance, writes Hameed Diplai.

We are guilty of many errors and many faults, but our worst crime
is abandoning the children, neglecting the fountain of life. Many
of the things we need, can wait. The child cannot. Right now is the
time his bones are being formed, his blood is being made and his
senses are being developed. To him we cannot answer
"Tomorrow". His name is "Today". - Gabriela Mistral

A Sindhi daily newspaper reported in the second week of December that "an anonymous
individual drew attention through an application sent to the district and sessions
judge/director of human rights in Tharparkar, that four young children were sexually
abused by a manager of a carpet manufacturing industry in Mithi."

The district and sessions judge/director human rights in Tharparkar took suo moto action
on this anonymous application which brought to light this child's sexual abuse. The
district and sessions judge was appointed as a civil judge, and the enquiry officer
confirmed the claims of the application.

The enquiry also found that physical torture and illegal labour also take place in the
carpet industry. The enquiry's report disclosed that the union council nazim of Diplo is
the owner of this carpet manufacturing industry.

After completion of the enquiry, the district and sessions judge, issued arrest warrants,
and the manager of the carpet manufacturing industry who was responsible for this
violation was arrested.

No further action has been taken. It appears no one is concerned enough to look into this
grave and frightful state of affairs. The vigilance committee is responsible for monitoring
child labour and providing legal support to children who are engaged in hazardous and
exploitative work.

In pursuance of the provision contained in Section 15 of the Bonded Labour System

Abolition Act, 1992, a vigilance committee for the district Tharparkar was formed by the
provincial government a few years back. The vigilance committees were headed by the
deputy commissioners with members from the community, civil society organizations,
judiciary, police and other government departments.

Since the devolution plan took place, the district level structure has changed and the
elected representatives who head these committees are now called nazims. Currently, the
department of community development is the secretariat of the vigilance committee, but
no funds have been allocated so far; thus the committee is inactive.

This is not merely a news item to be read and ignored, the lives of all these Thari children
is being destroyed - with no help in sight. It is estimated that over 4,000 children are
working in the carpet industry in the Thar Desert. These children are from some of the
poorest families who are continually in debt to carpet contractors who provide raw
materials and looms and buy the carpets. These children are exposed to long working
hours and hazardous working conditions.

Due to the precarious economic situation and the lack of local resources, household
poverty and the resultant vulnerability affect much of the population; therefore there is a
high dependency on moneylenders and other informal credit sources since they are the
only ones available for these families.

Most families take loans regularly and the terms of these loans are extremely
unfavourable. These families are constantly in debt as they are only able to pay the high
interest on their loans, and are not able to pay off the loan itself, which is why children
who comprise bonded labour remain employed by the carpet manufacturing industry (in
this case), for an indefinite and endless length of time.

These working children are denied education, exposed to health hazards, and have little
time for recreational opportunities. As the quality of education is of a low standard, there
is little incentive for families to send their children to school. In some cases, there is no
school or no teacher in the village, particularly for girls.

Most of the working children, especially in the carpet industry, are losing their childhood
and their innocence. Due to the hard work and lack of basic amenities like proper
nutrition, ventilation, light, cramped seating arrangements and the allergens emitted from
the material for weaving carpets, the children suffer from many diseases and ailments,
especially loss of sight and tuberculosis, for which no treatment is available.

The adult workers and supervisors in the carpet industry abuse the children and some are
sexually assaulted. These children also take to smoking and even become addicted to
narcotics. In search of earning a livelihood, they pay a heavy price in more ways than
one, they end up losing everything - their childhood, health, education, dreams,
aspirations, and laughter.

In most parts of the country, children are dependent upon their families, and their parents
enforce their will and wishes on them, but in Thar the situation is a bit different. Here
parents rely on their children to support the family and ensure its survival - leaving the
children with neither a choice nor a voice.

All this is also happening because children don't vote, they have no political power and
therefore their opinion carries little weight. If this calamity is not tackled carefully, it can
become a major reason for child mortality.
The children of Thar may have lost all hope and given up, but we cannot. These children
are equally entitled to their rights, the relevant authorities should make education, health
and other basic needs of these children a priority.

Thari children are withering away, their eyes reflect desperation and they ask only one
question: "Is there anyone who genuinely cares about us, and if they do, when will they
help?"

The Review
Daily Dawn
January 1, 2004