சமுதாயச் சிந்தனை

[sangom]

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Folks, internet is a wonderful thing, it connects people from many corners of the world, a world of information at your fingertips, whether it is Homer you want or a weblog by Nobody from Nowhere Land, it is all a G-search away. Even Kutty Japan can be searched -- yes there is a web portal called Kutty Japan where you can find all about Sivakasi, how wonderful the town is, why all the criticism about its major industry is all a myth, and order some firecrackers online to boot. Yes, this is a web portal run by what can only be called the Chamber of Commerce of Sivakasi.

The vast amount of information available in the web and the ready access to all of them comes with some caveats. To make proper sense of it all requires a modicum of a framework that will help us assess what to believe and by how much. Trying to surf the web without this framework is like trying to navigate the great oceans without a compass, or GPS these days.

Let me provide a couple of references, one from November 2007, and another from August 2009, pretty recent ones I think. The first on is from Indian Express.com, and the second one from Frontline. I think everyone will agree that these two are reputable sources as far as the media go, yet I cannot validate every last word in these articles. But one thing is certain, these two sources are less likely to be biased than the Kutti Japan portal run by the factory owners of Sivakasi.

Korean broadcaster shoots documentary on Sivakasi child labour

Danger zone

Cheers!

Dear Shri Nara,

I agree with your observations about the web and its pitfalls.
Coming to child labour, I find it is an impossible dream to eradicate this. To my limited intelligence it will be a disservice to the children if we stop buying the fire crackers and then imagine that it will stop child labour; the wages will go down further or these children will find themselves without any earning and will start starving. The government/s will only pay lip service to their rehabilitation.

 

[Raghy]

Sri.Sangom said -

Coming to child labour, I find it is an impossible dream to eradicate this. To my limited intelligence it will be a disservice to the children if we stop buying the fire crackers and then imagine that it will stop child labour; the wages will go down further or these children will find themselves without any earning and will start starving. The government/s will only pay lip service to their rehabilitation.

Sri.Sangom sir,

Greetings. In my opinion, the term 'child labour' is a fancy one. If a child, along with studying, manages to work too, how can that be objected? I don't really understand that concept. If a child is forced into such a labour, then, it is objectionable, of course.

I grew up in a village. Usualy summer vacation falls in the month of Chithirai, Vaikasi (சித்திரை, வைகாசி) months. Very busy period. The crop planted in the month of Maasi (January/February), depending upon what it is, would be getting ready for harvest from early May (we are lookking at ground nuts, sesame, maize, corn.....the last would be rice paddy, just in time for Aadi crop (ஆடி); we always find youngsters taking part in the labour force. There is always contribution from youngsters. Life for the city dwelling younsters and country dwelling youngsters is different. This applies to western countries too. Most youngsters in the farms and cattle stations share the workload.

When there is money to be made, children in their spare time will go for it. All these western countries campaigning against child labour do send their children to work in Mac Donalds, KFC, Starbucks and other places to work from the age of 14 yrs. Junior wages are much less than the adult wages in the western countries too.

Instead of pushing for ideas like eradication of child labour, these campaigners should be pushing for decent wages and safe working environments. Literacy rate of Tamil Nadu is not 100 percent; if Sivakasi children's literacy rate is less than state/national average, then one may raise a concern on that area. But it does not seem to be the case. It seems, literacy rate for Sivakasi children is actually higher than the state average.

Cheers!

 

[sangom]

Sri.Sangom said -



Sri.Sangom sir,

Greetings. In my opinion, the term 'child labour' is a fancy one. If a child, along with studying, manages to work too, how can that be objected? I don't really understand that concept. If a child is forced into such a labour, then, it is objectionable, of course.

Dear Shri Raghy,

I agree with you in principle. But in India the reality has one more dimension. There are middlemen (contractors) who supply child labour, sometimes away (even far away) from their parents and pocket the lion's share and give only a pittance to the children. Very often these middlemen are money lenders who get the debtors and their entire family obliged to serve them for life. (This practice has very ancient roots in hindu culture and I think in Tamil it is known as 'kottaDimai'.)

The campaigners will have to be really devoted to their cause if they want todo good to such children.

 

[kahanam]

Dear Shri PRS,
What you mean is "let us not be hypocrites". Hippocrates is the Father of Medicine!
I accept your viewpoint!

 

[Raji Ram]

Raghy Sir has posted (# 21) a very detailed reply to my two line question.

Thank you very much Sir, for the links given by you.

Warm regards,
Raji Ram