European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - February 21, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Magazine . Toi children breaking stones at a Quarry near Hughl Arabad South at new Delhi Are among $ million people working As bonded labourers in India. India s child slaves brutal Feudal system in world s largest democracy by Dilip Ganguly associated Pressw Ith their Small Nim Ala fingers. India s carpet kids can lie line knots the smaller be knot. He greater Iho Valus of an Indian carpet. The Indian supreme court Hoard thai argument last november As it ordered the release of 319ol the tens of thousands of he country s wretched child weavers they Aro bonded labourers virtual Staves in the infamous Carpel factories of Mirza Pur in Northern India which Sells is line carpels mostly in the United slates. The children Are Amo in an estimated 5 million people working As bonded labourers in India according 1o welfare and human rights groups. Bonded labourers like indentured servants Are working off debts m the brutal Feudal system thai persists in the world s largest democracy. They ate non beings exiles of civilization living a life worse than that of animals says chief Justice in Bhagwati. Children Are sold into bondage by impoverished parents to repay Loans perhaps for a Buffalo a Naughler s marriage Era tiny pot of land. The children sometimes pay with a Lile Timo of toil and even their blood. Bended labor is illegal in India but child labor is banned Only in certain hazardous jobs the Laws Are openly violated and stave keepers Seldom a a punished. In Mirza Pur s factories there arc 120,000children among the 600.000 weavers Many of the children Are bonded but the enact number is not known. The supreme court was told that some children As Young As 6 Are beaten branded tortured herded like Castlo fed Loul food or allowed to go hungry. They ate physically confined to wretched quarters and forced to work 12 to 16 hours a Day at 15.000 looms the court was told a court appointed commission Rotor cd that some children were tied and Slung on a tree. They won dropped repeal Day to the ground wrenching Fht in joints because they asked Tor toilets twelve year old Bhola Bhuiya showed coi irl investigators welts in his armpits bruises Over his body to was beaten with a Baton Over his right Eye when he relieved himself without permission. The All India carpet manufacturers association denies that any children Ore abused. It is True we need nimble Linges for line weaving says Ashfaque Wain president of me association. But the children Are nol slaves they arc employees of loom  their Zapeur Cape Industry one of India s biggest earns $114 million a year in Toi eign Exchange. Only Liny fingers can tie the 400 knots per Square Inch of a top Quality Mirza Pur carpet. The at i of weaving Wairt says Only can be Learned when you Are around 10." there Are Many Mirz spurs across India quarries match and fireworks factories cigarette plants Sale mines electric bulb works. India s child labor Force is officially placed a 175 million but unofficially and probably More accurately As High As 100 million there Are about 300 million children in India the number of bonded children is estimated at a million by Swami Agni Vesh a former professor turned hindu Monk. He has been harassed and has spent Throe years in ails for his crusade against bonded labor which has threatened powerful interests. Bonded labor was officially outlawed in 1976 and All debts were cancelled. But i exists and even nourishes in abjectly poor Rura areas controlled by ruthless landlords organized crime Bosses and politicians. Child labor however