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Trafficking in women in South East Asia
Sex slaves in brothels

by Zanita Careem
South Asia Dialogue on the Draft Convention on preventing and combating trafficking in women and children for prostitution.

The International Movement Against All Forms of Discrimination and Racism facilitated discussions amongst women's groups in South Asia who have been working on the issue of trafficking in Colombo from 11th to 12th.

The objective of this dialogue is to receive reports and information related to the present situation of trafficking in women and children in South Asia and to strengthen the work of the South Asian movements to respond to the initiative of the government based on their experiences. It is important that this Convention becomes meaningful to women who undergo extreme difficulties and violence. Most often Conventions are brought without proper supportive mechanisms for their implementation and monitoring. Further laws themselves are not adequate to address this problem.

Trafficking takes place in a socio-economic and political context which has deprived women economic means for livelihood, social security and dignity. The patriarchal culture and domination makes the woman a saleable commodity/a transactable property. The rationale behind trafficking is this ideology.

In South Asia marriage has become a contract where daughters are sent out of home because they become a responsibility for parents. Men who are traffickers offer marriage to young women from poor villages in Bangladesh and Nepal and take them across the borders illegally. These women are then taken to brothels and sites and become sex workers. They have no choice. They cannot refuse as they find themselves a property of the 'husband'. She is unaware that this 'husband' has several other 'wives' in the city. He collects money from all these women. They can't run away as losing the husband will make them illegal immigrants. During this meeting the stories of these survivors raised the larger issues of immigration laws, border control policies, etc. The Convention should give significant attention to the plight of women, citizenship concerns of the State and security of countries.

Trafficking in women and children is now a common problem. A recent survey on women trafficking revealed that over 10,000 desperate poor women from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal and India have been forced into brothels by unscrupulous women and men traffickers who work for organised trafficking groups, feign marriage to these poor girls and then live off the income earned by selling their bodies for sex. In South Asia where marriage is a contract, girls are sent out to free responsibility for parents.

Men who are the traffickers offer marriage to young women from poor villagers in Bangladesh and Nepal and across the borders illegally. Where these women are taken to brothels and sites to become sex workers. They have no choice. They cannot refuse and are unaware that this 'husband' has several wives in the city who collects money from all these women.

They can't escape as losing the husband will make them illegal immigrants. They fear the police because of the social stigma attached to it.

According to an estimate of the Human Rights Organisation in Pakistan, where most of the trafficked women are sold, there are about 1,500 Bengali women in jail and about 200,000 women and children involved in the slave trade. There are another about 200,000 women in Middle East countries.

In most cases it is the dowry problem that induces parents to fall prey to these unscrupulous men. The poor parents being unable to respond to dowry demands voluntarily hand over their daughters to the unknown groom even when he is proposing taking her to India.

In most cases the uncles, maternal or paternal persuade the parents of girls to give their daughters to these grooms.

The price for young girls is between TK 10,000 to TK 12,000. Sometimes beautiful and healthy girls are sold at a higher price.

Children are also brought and sold into prostitution. Besides giving hopes of marriage some brokers of the trafficking business become the prospective grooms for the girls in the villages in the presence of the family members.

Then they take the girls out of the border as their wives.

Later on, these same men come back to have other marriages in the same way. Children are also used for organ trade and for camel races in the Middle East.

Trafficking is not an isolated phenomenon. Most of the traffickers have close links with their counterparts, members of one common dirty ring who buy over border guards to get over legal tangles.

Because of the poverty in Asian countries employment in rich foreign countries is used as bait to seduce the poor women to look for greener pastures to fend for their family. Once these women job seekers leave their countries they become helpless victims in the hands of the manipulators who without any feeling for these poor women force them into prostitution and enrich themselves and live lives of leisure.

Border crossing is a costly affair and after paying the price mostly with money borrowed at high interest rates, the women and the younger ones are compelled to pay a still higher and more valuable price - their virginity, honour and self-respect. The irony of it all is that the Asian countries have very stringent criminal laws against the traffickers. Women rights are human rights.

How has the human rights of these women been protected.

According to Nimalka Fernando, President of International Movement Against All Forms of Discrimination and Racism the meeting in Colombo on South Asia dialogue on trafficking in women and children towards the adoption of the SAARC convention is expected to create more consciousness about the present situation of trafficking in women and children in South East Asia and strengthen the work of the South Asian movement to respond to the initiative of the government based on their experience.

Since the first SAARC summit certainly there is more consciousness at the highest level. The resistance against trafficking has developed in the national women's movement and links are being made among the women's groups resisting trafficking in women in South Asian countries.

Trafficking is illegal and is seen as a heinous crime.

Style
Flirtations and Romance

The catchword in this collection is simplicity and elegance, with a message of feminity. An ode to the lightness and feminism, a desire for freedom, this is what Sharmani of Silk Wrap has aimed at this season.


Pix by U N Perera		 Designed on contemporary lines her collection has a distinctive touch. The colour palette is simple, the mood is refined and sober. Note the gold french lace see through, it dramatise the mood.

Fluidity combined with structure transcends into shapes befitting the bodies. The silhouettes are supple, the cuts are clear. The allure of transparency is interwoven with the opaque. Sheer unadulterated sensuality has been kept in mind for the fabrics. Sensuality is the catchword in this year's styles says Sharmini. There is lightness with soft flowing chiffon geogettes and crepe, net and lace. These are the fashionable fabrics that are in vogue this year. This is the year of a new mood and more brazen sensuality for clothes this season says Sharmini. The pret- a-porter line is distinctive and moves away from print and pattern, completely chic, hep and wearable. Simplicity reigns and minimalisation rules.

 

 

Trick - in embroidery

Embroidery is going through a revolution - the transformation coming through 'The Trick', which will prevent all hassles giving a neat finish in the garment....

No more will you face problems of removing left out messy paper linings and hardness or stiffness in the embroidered area due to paper lining and sagging of embroidery due to excess weight.

Moreover any materials like chiffon, geogette, silk net laces etc. can be used pucking will also be prevented due to different levels of shrinkage in fabric and paper lining.

How to use...

1. Place the Trick Film side of the embroidered material on the heated plate of TFP-1320.
2. Close the lid and apply mild pressure.
3. Open the lid after 2-3 seconds & simply lift the embroidered material in a peeling motion.
4. You get completely clean & soft embroidery with all the Trick Film gone....

This Japanese machine can work wonders, especially for those engaged in mass production - a boom to exporters and buyers. It is the latest international concept in embroidery.

This new machine for embroidery-Trick Film' is available at Daisy's 3School lane Colombo 3

Forgotten Heritage
Symbolic Kalutara Bodhiya

by Gamini G. Punchihewa
On top of the mount overlooking Kalu ganga, the Portuguese built a fort in the 16th century A.D. The Portuguese destroyed the Gangatillake Vihara built by King Vikkam Pandya in the 11th century when they invaded Kalutara.

After Portuguese once took possession of the site of the mount where the Gangatillake vihara stood, decreed the area out of bounds to the public. Even the present Sacred Bodhiya below by the main road was declared as a prohibited area (thahanam pradesha).

Upasaka Sendanayake the crusader
The British in the early 19th century, transformed Kalutra into a rubber, coffee and cinnamon plantations area. With the construction of the rail-road bridges over Kalu ganga in 1877 by the British, the Kalutara Bodhiya by the main road came into limelight and motorists, devotees and others who passed it, paid homage.

A pious and dedicated Buddhist layman, Upasaka Sandanayake regularly cleared the shrub jungle around the Bodhiya. The public helped him and it became a popular place of worship.

The British Assistant Government Agent of the time, Mr. Brodhurst (an engineer himself) found the Bodhiya a real obstruction when constructing railroad bridge and ordered the tree to be axed.

Immediately Upasaka Mahatmaya Sendanayake planned a protest with posters against the cutting down of the Bodhiya.

When the 'D' day dawned for the cutting the Bodhiya. The Assistant Govt. Agent, Mr. Brodhurst arrived with his officials to the scene only to face an angry mob armed with clubs, kathties, mammoties. The Assistant Government Agent sought police aid from the Kalutara police station. The police warned them to disperse. But the protesters did not move and had to face charges of unlawful obstruction but the Bodhiya was saved from the axe.

High Fashion
Vibrant colours and contemporary designs

The most recent exhibition of paintings by S. H. Sarath drew a great deal of interest at the preview, held at the Gallery of the Lionel Wendt Theatre. As always there was the sure hand of the artist whose fluidity of line and strong neon colours surfaced in most of the work on display.


Nadika		 Midst all this colour my choice of the paintings on display, was of a solitary Buddhist monk with a basket of lotuses done in greys and beiges, with subdued colour from a series of pennents in the background and the lotus blossoms in the basket, in the foreground. Bringing colour, or more of it into the room was Nadika Gunasekera in a simple shaded nasturtium charmeuse saree and blouse. A chocker necklace in black and gold beads and black accessories completed the picture. Sarath's wife, who has a most unusual and pretty name, Cheka favoured the Kandyan saree. The black saree had an elaborate 'ihe' and borders on it in shades of pink and pale lime green, with hints of white. Fashion took a back seat in this roomful of vibrant colours and contemporary design.

Light of Japan
Another exhibition that was out of the ordinary titled "Light of Japan" was the work of Rohini Jayasekera. The paintings done in oils depicted the scenic beauty of Japan. Captured on canvas most of the scenes were breathtaking in its beauty and the artist excelled in the capturing of light. Light seeped through branches and trees to create light and shadow. With most of the pictures carrying lines from the Bible. The official opening was performed by the Minister of Industrial Development C. V. Gooneratne who was accompanied by his wife and his sister-in-law Kanthi Jacobbsen home on a holiday from Sweden. The slim as a reed Rohini, for the occasion, picked on a trouser suit in black. The midi length slim skirt, was teamed with a black tailored jacket worn over a white blouse, in smart contrast. A skin print in black and silver grey made Nilanthi Kodituwakku's outfit attracting attention. Luckshmi Lewis opted for a salwar kameez in white with a bib front embroidered in rust red. Rohini presently employed in Tokyo has held two previous exhibitions of her work, the first being at the age of seventeen.

Oriental charm
Unique furniture and artifacts of Rajasthan origin was displayed in the spacious beautiful white painted home, of one of the three young women, who joint forces to launch into an artistic line of business. They invited their friends and those who would appreciate the true beauty of the pieces on display to view the items. Good taste pervaded the rooms with the furniture enhanced by the use of fabulous sarees draped in studied carelessness, and flowers in brass ornaments. The three responsible for this feast for the eye were, Azira Yousouf-ali, Radhika Phillips and Leisha Captain. Oriental charm pervaded the sorroundings, but Radhika for the occasion relied on a simple black dress with cutaway armholes going into straps. A single strand of pearls and stud earrings was the personification of elegance.


Geetha		 Perhaps due to the fact that she was a designer in the past, glamour was all around when Chula Ariyaratne invited her friends to dinner at Sinhalese Sports Club. Also contributing to the glamour was a number of stars from various fields. Among them was Geetha Kumarasinghe in a slinky long evening gown of mushroom jersey spun with gold lurex. Over one shoulder she had metal grey stole of tissue with unobstructive embroidery on it. A gold necklace and gold handbag completed the alluring picture. The hostess Chula wore a saree of white georgette embroidered in a border and pallu in gold thread, sequins and beads. A scallop of eyelet embroidery edged the saree and she had the flesh toned back of her blouse also embroidered in the gold. Black was popular with many of the women.

Diana Perera used a high necked black sequinned top, which was hip length over a slim ankle length skirt. Gold drop earrings made her ornaments. A smart black trouser suit was the choice of Trilby Fernando to wear with a double rope necklace of pearls and jet beads. Shireen Brandoff home on holiday from New York, danced to music from the Gypsies in a skin print pair of pants and a tailored top in military style with inserts at the shoulders and gold rimmed buttons down the front of her black top. Roshi Shanta Kumar had given the neckline of her black dress a smart touch with three bands of white, which was also repeated at the wrists of her fitted sheer sleeved.

Pearl drops made her ornaments on the ears. A good time was had by all those present and dancing continued late into the night.

Designs from Bangalore

It is a gateway through which one can render a presentation of one's personality and style with the booming growth in the industry entering into the 21st century and above all the global awareness. Clothes are no more a bare necessity.

Dating back to history, dressing has been a contemporary art. Right from the beginning of civilization human beings strive to look good and smart and that is how the concept of cosmetics, jewellery and fashion designing started.

Pioneer in this industy is Parmana, itfeatures an unusual innovance crafted in exclusive collection both Indian and Western . Also capturing the earth's divinity is lagan (trousseau collection).

Tuned in pace with the international market Parmana has its clients from Europe, US to the Far East.

Be it the ethnic Indian outfits or the western collections ranging from classical cuts, suits, embroidered coats, party gowns to western casuals and lot more. The garments are constructed using state of the art technology, precisely designed and crafted for the global market.

Fashion from Parmana from Bangalore,
Barefoot,
Prenita Fashions presented by Senaka de Silva.

70's singing sensation in Colombo

At the Colombo 2000, Hotel Galadari A.E. Manoharan will sing today-Valentine's Day with Manilal Perera. He will perform again the 21st, 26th and 28th of February, backed by the music group 'Red Serendib'. He will have another performance in Colombo next month.

The moment you set eyes on him the feeling is that you've known him all your life. With a smile so warm Singer actor A. E. Manoharan greets you with the traditional Vanakkam. And from the word go there are no awkward silences that are inevitable when two people are meeting for the first time. So what is the multi-faceted Manoharn up to these days in Sri Lanka.

It's time to rewind the tape and look back Manoharan's musical history.

He will entertain all music lovers at the Colombo 2000 in the Galadari Hotel beginning February 14.

On that day Manoharan will keep everybody toe tapping with the lyrics of 'Suranganita Malu Genawa' the famous song which is fresh in everybody's mind even today. This was a hit song which was later released on cassette by the Sooriya label the first local non-stop music recording.

Today Manoharan has released CDs in Switzerland, India Canada and Sri Lanka. Manoharan firmly believes that good music means total commitment and dedication. Revealing a strong philosophical streak he claims, that everything lies in the hands of the God, in whom he has complete trust.

A devout Roman Catholic, he has composed a devotional song titled 'Madheve Saranam' in praise of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Acting and singing are Manoharan's passion. His first debut was in the film "Pasa Nilla". He has acted in 150 movies - Hindi, Tamil, Telegu and Kannadam.

"I am conversant in seven languages" says Manoharan with pride.

His name is popular in European capitals as well as in Asia. He sings in India at the famous hotel called 'the Breeze'.

"I want to break the monopoly of Western music. His exuberant bailas with its own rhythms and style in Sinhalese, English and Tamil have won the hearts of the audience. Manoharan has united the nation with his powerful rendering of Vada Bedaya Natha, a song that claims that music has no barriers.

"I reach the heart of the people with my music. His marvellous acting and singing prowess was best seen in some of the movies he sang for "Pilot Premnath".

During the course of the interview he was constantly humming a tune of course his vibrant voice needed no musical accompaniment.

"Of course his dynamic voice keeps the audience spellbound said General Manager of Galadari Hotel, Mahotti hearing his musical stints in India.

What makes Manoharan's music different?
He is alive to the pulse of the audience. It's a voice that 25 years after it first lit up still gives you a real high. "I believe music knows no boundaries. I've sung all over the world to people of all nationalities. I received the same love and appreciation."

Armed with a BA degree, Manoharan excelled in drama and music. Today he has created a niche in the music world.

Manoharan sees his ultimate goal as promoting Lankan music in the western world and is happy with the international acclaim that 'Surangani' has achieved. But for now he takes each day as it comes making more music more famous and his country proud.

A E Manoharan's music cuts across musical boundaries. It is not versatility but a measure of the range of his talent. He can satisfy the most exciting demands of an audience of connoisseurs with the repertoire of his songs in seven languages.

His reach doesn't stop there. He has taken the music of Sri Lanka especially the vibes of baila around the world as an embodiment of his country's greatness.

It is an enchanting voice - one that casts a hypnotic spell on listeners, says the General Manager of Galadari, Mr. Mohotti.

Into his abundant free flowing music he has absorbed the mighty streams of several traditions and techniques giving it an incomparable melodic richness, a dynamic flexibility, a well founded assurance and crystal clarity. And he has that indefinable gift in him which few possess and which alone transforms songs into memorable music.

Manoharan's unquestioned supremacy in the music field is neither an accident nor a fortuitous coincidence. Whole sets of gifts from God have been supported by prodigious effort.

Exceptionally musical from his childhood and gifted with a fine soprano voice, Manoharan's precocity was already evident when he was only ten years old.

His repertoire was enlarged with the addition of songs in more than seven languages - Telugu Hindi, Sinhalese, English, etc.

Manoharan's devotion to music can only be described by the Sanskrit term "tapsage" which connotes more than the common place word dedication. Over the years each piece introduced by him become the song of the season. He sets his own individual style. Always an eager student, even today at the pinnacle of his fames his curiosity about new compositions and new heights are insatiable.

What is the secret behind Manoharan's phenomenal success 'hard work', he quips.

The honours, the accolades he received were but a natural corollary to his rising stature in music.

With all these achievementus stupendous upendons by any standard Manoharan has a child-like simplicity and artlessness. A rapture appears to seize him when he sings devotionals, a glow lights up his face. For him life is art and art is life.

- Zanita

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