Massive land reforms sought to end labour exploitation

[LahoreEstate]

KARACHI: A research report titled ‘Effectiveness of Interventions for the Release and Rehabilitation of Bonded Labourers in Pakistan’, released here on Sunday, has strongly recommended massive land reforms in the country to end labour exploitation practices such as bonded labour.

It says that despite a number of interventions on the part of judiciary, government, civil society and media, the problem of bondage is intact and an estimated 1.8 million people are still in the bonded share cropping practices across Pakistan in agriculture alone. Other sectors involving bonded labour include brick kilns, carpet weaving, mining, glass-bangles, tanneries, domestic work and beggary.

The research report conducted by a researcher Zulfiqar Shah has been published by Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (PILER). The report was launched at a ceremony held by PILER in collaboration with Karachi Press Club on Sunday. Renowned scholar from Amsterdam Prof Jan Breman was the chief guest on the occasion. Dr Breman also delivered a lecture on bonded labour issue in Pakistan on the occasion. The report has discussed in details the status of bonded labour in brick kiln, agriculture and carpet weaving sectors and also deliberated on status of legislation in Pakistan and interventions by different sections of the society to release the bonded labours.

Agriculture has been identified as the main location of debt bondage in Pakistan with concentration in lower districts of Sindh province. Bonded labour in agriculture is also prevalent in Punjab. A recent study confirms the prevalence of debt bondage at least in two districts, Hafizabad and Bahawalpur, in Punjab province. Similarly, in brick kilns, most of the workers are poor labourers, who find no other way but to find a job at a kiln at lower wages. They also take loans against the promised work before or after joining and could not clear the outstanding amounts due to their low wages.

The research has pointed out that international organisations consider bonded labour as a contemporary form of slavery that involves an estimated 20 million people all over the world. Bonded labour is outlawed in Pakistan’s constitution and the country has ratified many international conventions promising to bring this menace to an ultimate end, yet the practice persists. The issue of bonded labour cannot be seen in isolation: it is closely linked with the state of human rights and labour rights, especially of rural and agricultural workers, the report says.

The definition of bondage or bonded labour, in Pakistan, generally focuses on debt under which poor workers are coerced into a situation where they are compelled to work against their wishes not for some years but for generations and in many cases with restricted movements and limited or no freedom of choice.

The latest law in Pakistan, which declared compulsory work against credit as bonded labour, defines the term ‘bonded labour’ as: “Any labour or service rendered under the bonded labour system”.

Though different NGOs claim that about 30,000 bonded labourers have been released in the country during last one decade, the PILER research team has been able to account for only 8,530 people confirmed released by 2007.

According to the report of the total 8,530 bonded labourers released from brick kilns and other places, a majority (5,166) was released by the joint action of NGOs, judiciary and administration: the NGO helped or directly filed a petition in the courts of the law, and the judiciary had sent a bailiff to the location or asked the police to recover the bonded labourers.

Interestingly all these bonded labourers were released under habeas corpus petitions despite the fact that there is a special law, Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act 1992, which defines exacting forced labour as cognisable offence. According to the statistics, provided by the government to the National Assembly, only 23 cases were detected under Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act and the fine collected during this period was merely Rs 6,100.

This state of affairs reflects poor implementation of the law. Bonded Labour Fund, established in 2001 has not been utilized and more than Rs 100 million remained with the government unutilised at a time when released peasants were living in subhuman conditions in and around Hyderabad.

The research report has recommended that since all forms of bonded labour are prohibited under the national and international laws, so the government should strictly enforce all the laws and international conventions in all the sectors.

Special attention is required on implementation of Bonded Labour (system) Abolition Act 1992. Bonded Labour Fund, established in 2001, as part of the National Policy and Plan of Action remains unutilised. Special projects should be initiated to utilise those funds especially for the rehabilitation of freed bonded labourers.

It has also asked the government to announce a rehabilitation package for released bonded labourers which include cash money and alternate livelihood and a piece of land. ppi

http://dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?pag...009_pg12_8