UN expert: Contemporary forms of slavery exist in Sri Lanka

COLOMBO: A UN skilled says up to date types of slavery exist in Sri Lanka, with weak teams similar to kids, ladies, ethnic minorities and older individuals significantly affected.
Tomoyo Obokata, the U.N particular rapporteur on up to date types of slavery, mentioned Friday on the finish of a mission to Sri Lanka that he hopes to submit a report back to the UN Human Rights Council in September subsequent yr.
Obokata mentioned about 1 p.c of Sri Lankan kids are concerned in some kind of kid labor, most of it thought-about hazardous.
“Ladies and boys work within the home sector, in hospitality, cleansing within the normal service trade. Others are sexually exploited within the tourism sector,” he mentioned.
Youngster labor is especially extreme in areas populated by ethnic minority Tamils, similar to in tea and rubber plantation areas the place kids are compelled to drop out of faculty and assist their households, he mentioned.
The workplace of the UN Excessive Commissioner for Human Rights says up to date types of slavery embrace conventional slavery, compelled labor, debt bondage, serfdom, kids working in slavery or slavery-like circumstances, home servitude, sexual slavery and servile types of marriage.
“I witnessed that in Sri Lanka up to date types of slavery have an ethnic dimension,” Obokata mentioned. “Specifically, Malayaha Tamils, who had been introduced from India to work within the plantation sector 200 years in the past, proceed to face a number of types of discrimination based mostly
on their origin.”
He mentioned the plantation Tamils’ incapability to personal land has compelled them to reside in “line homes” constructed throughout colonial occasions.
“I used to be frankly very a lot distressed by the best way they’re residing. 5 to 10 individuals stuffed in tiny areas. No correct kitchen or rest room or bathe amenities, simply appalling circumstances. I’ve advisable to the federal government to do one thing about this as a result of frankly I used to be distraught myself,” Obokata mentioned.
Authorities officers weren’t instantly out there for remark.
Girls and ladies are disproportionately affected by up to date types of slavery, with females predominantly filling jobs in demanding sectors similar to plantation, garment trade and home labor, he mentioned.
Within the plantation sector, ladies should meet every day targets to earn the minimal every day wage, Obokata mentioned.
“Equally, more and more excessive targets within the garment sector put steady strain on the feminine staff. As a consequence, some even select to not go to the lavatory as a way to meet the targets,” he mentioned.
In some circumstances, similar to within the planation sector, older staff are compelled to frequently carry out bodily difficult work as a result of youthful individuals select to be employed exterior the sector. They haven’t any entry to sufficient well being care, social safety, or paid sick go away, he mentioned.