Beg to live or live to beg?
Lionel Wijesiri
Every social problem that we encounter demands a solution, but a
practical solution can be arrived at only through an intelligent
understanding of the nature, extent and root causes of the problem.
![](z_p15-Beg.jpg)
Beggary has become a social problem |
The beggar question is no exception to this rule. While the beggar in
Sri Lanka has always been an object of charitable attention, the problem
as such has seldom been a subject of rigid scientific inquiry.
Of course, there have been a few local studies, (for example,
Professor Nandasena Ratnapala’s ‘The Beggar in Sri Lanka,’) but no
definite research has been conducted on the problem in its entirety and
proper perspective.
In 2006, Social Services Department of the Social Service and Social
Welfare Ministry conducted a research study titled, ‘Action Research on
Social Integration of Street People in Colombo City’.
The University of Sri Jayewardenepura and University of Colombo also
made a couple of research studies during the past few years.
Conservative figures indicate that from 55,000 beggars in Sri Lanka
in 1995, it has risen to 85,000 at present. A recent study done by a
research group of the Colombo University has revealed that 79 per cent
beggars in Sri Lanka are physically sound and most of them are free of
chronic diseases. Nearly half of them are against granting houses or
lands for them to settle in and nearly 84 per cent are against providing
them an employment while 90 per cent are against social benefits.
These are startling revelations and truly projects the behind-the
-screen picture of the problem.
It is obvious that, beggary has become a social problem of great
magnitude and grave concern in Sri Lanka. Begging is no longer limited
to a few stray beggars driven to seeking alms as a last resort. It has
become a profession for some, a way of life for others, and more
horrific still, a lucrative racket for unscrupulous and ruthless
operators, who have spawned a virtual ‘beggar mafia’, using destitute
and helpless as commodities.
Performers
Present beggars of Sri Lanka are much superior to their previous
generations. In simple words, we can say that they have brought
corporate professionalism in their jobs. In some of the big cities
turnover from the begging is millions of rupees every day and number of
big shotguns of the society are managing this business.
It is very easy to see these beggars performing various new and old
tricks for begging in buses, busy markets, and parks and around public
places.
Some of the beggars of Sri Lanka are so intelligent that they use all
kinds of the psychological and emotional tricks to make people feel
sympathetic towards them. It is said that an average beggar earns around
rupees 500 per day and some expert ‘professional’ even fetch a
four-figure income.
There is American word known as panhandle, which means ‘beg by
accosting people in the street and asking for money.’ There is also
“aggressive panhandling.” Its definition may vary. In the USA,
aggressive panhandling generally involves the solicitation of donations
in an intimidating or intrusive manner.
Examples may include, extending the head and both arms, or even the
hand, into a car window to solicit, approaching individuals from behind,
as they are exiting their vehicles, to solicit, refusing to take “No”
for an answer or following an individual, soliciting near Super markets,
Banks etc. It is quite obvious that what we find here in Sri Lanka most
of the time belongs to this aggressive panhandling.
Due to these reasons, in most of the advanced countries in the world
begging in public is restricted. For example, in many provinces in
Canada, the Safe Streets Act has been introduced to restrict specific
kinds of begging.
In 2001 this law survived a court challenge under the Canadian
Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The law was further upheld by the Court
of Appeal for Ontario in January 2007.
In many larger cities in the USA, panhandling has been banned.
In May 2010, police in the city of Boston started cracking down on
panhandling in the streets, and were conducting an educational outreach
to residents advising them not to give to panhandlers. In the UK,
begging is illegal under the Vagrancy Act. In Japan begging is illegal
under the Article 1, 22 of Minor Offense Law.
Impact on Tourism
Meanwhile, the Tourist agencies maintain that the increase in beggars
will have a negative impact on the tourist industry.
While the industry, at present, is on an upward trend, begging from
tourists has increased proportionately, with the increase in beggars,
which tourist experts say will have a negative impact on the growing
industry. Begging will also give rise to yet another deadly phenomenon -
the sexual abuse of children by tourists, which has an impact on child
prostitution in the country, Tourist agencies add.
They say that these children are ‘hired’ at a price and the ‘agents’
who are go-betweens of the parents and the foreigners, make huge
profits.
Solution
Beggary can be practically eliminated or at least controlled to a
great extent if there is will and determination to do so. The Government
must stop the farce and act to bring about real change on ground. The
important steps in these would be creating awareness among the public,
building the necessary infrastructure, and by appreciating the links
between poverty, unemployment, disabilities, destitution and beggary,
and devising suitable solutions.
Distinguish destitution from professional beggary
The present system makes no effort to distinguish destitution from
beggary. Quite a few of the beggars are old aged and physically
disabled.
Treating all beggars as criminals does not help. Only the lazy and
the professional may be subjected to Correctional sentences.
We should have full sympathy with people hit by bad circumstances but
zero tolerance to professional money-makers through begging.
The public and government have to think very seriously about methods
of providing relief to the abandoned (supportless) old aged citizens,
presently without any social security. The approach of the system should
be supportive and corrective. It should be sympathetic to the whole
issue of destitution and must alleviate the condition of citizens
slipped into destitution.
Raise/Widen the security net
There should be a social safety net to provide relief and
rehabilitation to sections of society or individuals struck by
misfortunes in their lives, calamities, handicaps, disabilities or
familial, social or economic trauma.
The government along with the civil society has to take comprehensive
steps to provide these strata the basic amenities and alternative life
support systems so that they can also be discouraged from begging and
thereby have their share in the development of the country.
Eliminate escape avenues
Offenders who have made begging a profession have to be punished by
making them work. Simply putting them behind bars is not going to make
an effect on them. Innovative ways like employing the inmates in
maintenance of gardens, roads, and upkeep of civic amenities.
Educate citizens
Steps must be taken to educate people not to help beggars in the
wrong direction by giving them alms. The authorities should organise
sensitising programmes for the citizens, police, and in schools and
issue messages through Hoardings, Newspapers, Internet, and other mass
media.
Most of us would not like to accept it, but the cause for the
pathetic situation of beggary lies on us. We, as citizens, have failed
in three ways : 1., in not holding the administration accountable for so
long a period; 2., in encouraging beggary by providing alms even while a
relief system is in force. 3., by failing to debate and push
establishment of a broader destitute relief and rehabilitation system
and Social Security mechanism.
It’s time we wake up from our slumber. |