Everybody to cotton-fields!
The cotton harvest is both a source for revenue and agony. This being said that revenue only for some people and agony only for others, both do not know about each other. This is what happening in Tajikistan at present day. Local officials in the areas, where cotton is grown, force local people to go to the fields. Previously it was reported that students are forcefully made gather the cotton harvest, but now IWPR reports that all the markets and shops shut down and the shoppers are forced to work in the cotton fields. People are not able during the day time buy anything, simply because the shops and markets are closed.
Following a decision by a special committee called “Cotton-2007″ set up to manage the harvest in Khatlon region, which covers the south of the country, markets have been closed in the districts of Kumsangir, Kolkhozobad, Panj, Khuroson, Qabodiyon and Jami, and the traders sent out to the cotton fields to help the farmers.
The problem of cotton harvesting exists for many years. Each year we hear reports about the illegal use of labor, including the child labor but nothing is done to solve it. Probably the problem will exist till the cotton is grown.
on October 2nd, 2007 at 2:26 am
And if one refuses to pick cotton? Jail? Or worse?
on October 2nd, 2007 at 5:35 am
No you’ll not be put in jail, that is too cruel, but you’ll be fired if you work in the governmental agency, you’ll be prohibited to sell goods even after the cotton harvesting is over, you’ll be dismissed from a university etc. These kind of pressures are sometimes worse than a jail.
on October 4th, 2007 at 3:05 am
This shows that cotton is a political issue. The market is not free in the country. Also locally they say businessmen control the cotton, however if so they are political businessmen.
on November 11th, 2007 at 10:42 pm
It’s ok to go to jail but to go out from university or school it’s worse thing. I thing we shoul solve this problems, but President Imomali Rahmon said in last year in his speech, students and pupils will not to go to pick cotten but they stiill using students as a member of farmer to pick cotten, but this government don’n care about literacy of students. Economic devolopment can occur by investing PUBLIC and MERIT GooDS, government should know about it.
on November 15th, 2007 at 8:33 am
They use students and pupils in these campaings, because they are the most cheap force of labour… and moreover they don’t pay them usually.
jafar, of course it is ploitical issue, otherwise there were not be such pressures/punishments.