Bonded Labour - Modern Day Slavery (Jan 2007)
This documentary was completed and released on our site sometime Jan 2007, but I did not publish it in Youtube or other sites because I wanted to get the subtitles done, but I eventually lost the original file during a transition of HDD :( ... so, here it goes after three years ... (the interviews are subtitled) and those who interested to know more, do read the full report HERE.
Jan 2007
Bonded Labour - Modern Day Slavery
On an evening in August 2005, while some 200 estate workers were gathering for a Hindu festival at the small temple, one man had only one thing on his mind - escape.
It was the best opportunity for P Ramudu and his heavily pregnant wife A Kalaivany to make a dash for freedom, to escape the clutches of their ‘owner’ who has ‘forced’ them to work on the plantation.
The plan was simple. While everyone, including their ‘owner-cum-employer’, was busy praying, the young couple would sneak out on a walk towards a better life.
The following is their story - a story of bonded slavery in our midst.
This is our 50th Merdeka anniversary. The country is hoping to achieve a First World status is less than 13 years time. Our standards of life have improved. So has our quality of life.
But still, hidden away from the fast pace of comfort and modernisation, exist families who are still being traded between contractors as though they are chattels.
Watch this malaysiakini documentary - based on our special report - for a fuller picture of their plight.
by K Kabilan, Shufiyan Shukur and Indrani Kopal
(Malaysiakini)
Bonded labourers in our midst from Indrani Kopal on Vimeo.
Jan 2007
Bonded Labour - Modern Day Slavery
On an evening in August 2005, while some 200 estate workers were gathering for a Hindu festival at the small temple, one man had only one thing on his mind - escape.
It was the best opportunity for P Ramudu and his heavily pregnant wife A Kalaivany to make a dash for freedom, to escape the clutches of their ‘owner’ who has ‘forced’ them to work on the plantation.
The plan was simple. While everyone, including their ‘owner-cum-employer’, was busy praying, the young couple would sneak out on a walk towards a better life.
The following is their story - a story of bonded slavery in our midst.
This is our 50th Merdeka anniversary. The country is hoping to achieve a First World status is less than 13 years time. Our standards of life have improved. So has our quality of life.
But still, hidden away from the fast pace of comfort and modernisation, exist families who are still being traded between contractors as though they are chattels.
Watch this malaysiakini documentary - based on our special report - for a fuller picture of their plight.
by K Kabilan, Shufiyan Shukur and Indrani Kopal
(Malaysiakini)
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