Uttam,
There is always another view of everything.
Like terrorists killing hapless people may have a view to justify it.
I agree with the first part that there is and ought to be another view.
On the second part, the key word here is justify. When someone has to
justify, it doesn't mean that the action was just. It simply means that
many people would be convinced with some great justifications and guile. The
question is, was it really just. I don't know who, except the killers (in
the example you cite), would know the real answer.
As far as child labor is concerned, there are and can be numerous
justifications put forward to show that we really do have reasons why this
practice of child labor should continue.
As concerned citizens, it is incumbent upon them to make the general public
awareness about this sordid practice.
So far, most of the justifications that I have come across (for the
continued practice of child labor ) are short-term solutions to long-term,
perenial problems.
Its a darn shame that a poor family is forced put its children to work in
order to survive. It is understandable, but still a shame. This is where the
government, the NGOs, the Ambanis of the world, and good people need to step
in. Safety nets have to be initiated, and really, no child in present-day
India ought to ever have to work in order to survive.
--Ram da
On 10/31/07, uttam borthakur [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
There is always another view of everything. Like terrorists killing
hapless people may have a view to justify it. The view has to be tested
whether it is conducive to humanity or not. Only that view that is
favourable to the community as a whole has to be adopted for happiness in
real terms.
*Rajen Ajanta Barua [EMAIL PROTECTED]* wrote:
MKD wrote
Now in a country like India, if they (child) are not put to work, they
will either turn into urchins, vagabonds, beggars or drug addicts,
One may ask back the question, what is meant by 'a country like India', a
country with the richest man in the world?
Whichever way we see it, if a country even cannot afford without child
labour, and try to justify 'child labour' then there something wrong with
that country, in spite of (or may be because of) having the richest man in
the world.
Our duty is to analyse, what is wrong with us. Ram has rightly said and
which I support, A nation that refuses to acknowledge and redress its
moral and legal obligations toward it OWN children has to be both morally
and legally bankrupt.
Rajen Barua
- Original Message -
*From:* Ram Sarangapani [EMAIL PROTECTED]
*To:* A Mailing list for people interested in Assam from around the
worldassam@assamnet.org
*Sent:* Wednesday, October 31, 2007 9:03 AM
*Subject:* Re: [Assam] [NorthEastIndia] Mukesh Ambani - richest person in
theworld
Whether child labour is good or bad is an ethical issue. The position a
person takes in this respect would depend upon his values. That is a very
individual decision. But the question is: what is the generally accepted
view ? It may be correct or it may be wrong. Only efflux of time would
settle these types of isues.
Uttam/Manoj
IMHO, the issue of child labor has to be both a National issue as well as
a moral issue. Moreover, the strength of a democracy lies in a country's
ability to protect the weakest members (read citizens) of its society. And
children are really the most vulnerable. I have often heard arguments (that
Manoj has put forth) regarding child labor --- ie. that it has to be looked
at another way.
There was some report that the rescued children had no regret for
working in such factories. In an over populated country like India,
where every household has many mouths to feed from one income,
The sad reality is that child labor, which ever way one looks at it, it is
still bad. The poor people who have only one income obviously have to find a
different avenue (other than on their childrens' backs) to survive. Yes, the
these are hard choices (and I do understand Manoj :)), but in the end the
country as whole has to decide how exactly it wants to get out of this
viscious circle.
A nation that refuses to acknowledge and redress its moral and legal
obligations toward it OWN children has to be both morally and legally
bankrupt.
The least that India can do is to make sure to strictly enforce its child
labor laws, educate its adult population that child labor is simply put, bad
and unjust, and has to be eradicated.
-- Ram da
BTW: The day before yesterday, CNN had a special report on how some top
clothes designers (US) were using poor children in India to work long hours
etc.
children has to work. For example in Kashmir children are actually
apprentices who become master crafts person once they become old
hands. Now in a country like India, if they are not put to work, they
will either turn into urchins, vagabonds, beggars or drug addicts,
On 10/30/07, uttam
