BONDED LABOR

Mai Zalloum

Hello, my name is Mai Zalloum. Today I ll be talking about the heartbreaking bonded labor that took place in India this April. I ll start off by defining bonded labor, then continue my presentation with the details that lie within this harsh event. I ll also mention the steps that the Indian government took in order to prevent this cruel organization from continuing this tragic act. Although bonded labor is probably the least known form of slavery, it is the most widely used method of enslaving people today. A bonded laborer is often trapped; working seven days a week in order to repay a loan. The value of his/her work is usually much greater than the original sum of the money borrowed. On the 27th of April, Indian officials were shocked when they found more than 500 people (including women and children) that were forced to work in brick kilns These laborers were living and working under a cruel and pitiless organization. They were beaten with rods, belts and subjected to other forms of abuse, the bonded laborers worked day after day with little or no hope of freedom and escape. Thankfully, the government of India was able to bring this organization to an end. They sent the laborers to schools, where they were given meals, police protection, medical care and counseling. They also received a certificate of freedom and a thousand rupees (that s around $25). A rescued laborer told officials that they were forced to work all the time with hardly any sleep. He states that they were abused and blackmailed on a daily basis. These helpless laborers had been jailed. The owner became their dictator. He was the one to decide when they ate, when they slept, and whether or not they were free to leave. In conclusion, we must keep in mind that although bonded labor is banned in India and many other countries around the world, the practice of paying back a loan with work, not money, still exists. These laborers were working more than 14 hours a day, being beaten and harassed. With absolutely no medical attention provided. This is simply heartless and inhuman. In all, we must bear in mind that one should never have to suffer for survival.