More vibrations

A young man in 20’s came to us, after attempting to commit suicide. Couple of days after being on ventilator support and on the way to recovery, his story came out. Sobbing, he told us this story….

He is from the neighbouring country, and was educated till the 10^th standard. Not able to find work, he went off to Malaysia, having had paid 200,000/- NRs to a middle man for the job. The job which he was doing over the year was a 12 to 14 hours’ job, lifting heavy weights, 7 days a week with one day off every month. Physically and emotionally abused if he and his friends do not fulfil the owners’ expectations, being beaten up very frequently, and earning about 12 to 14 ,000/- per month. It came to a point that he could not go any further and he objected to this treatment. And he had to come back, but he went back to the job after paying a fine of 75,000/-. But after going back, he could not continue since the treatment worsened and he and his 3 friends came back. Having had used up 2,75,000/- NRs of his family’s money, he was consistently reminded by the villagers, why he was a failure, for not continuing in Malaysia and having blown up the money. And the outcome was this unsuccessful suicide attempt. He was worried, now that he has recovered, he will have another black mark in his life, and was dreading going back. Confused and unclear, we as a medical team had no idea what to advise him and we moved on to the next patient, casually assuring him that God is in control…. more like friends of Job!

We moved on ahead, and a few beds ahead we met this mid-forties man. He was unlike the previous one. He was euphoric and happy. He was brought in by some staff who saw him lying on the road unconscious. Once in the ER and later in the ward, as he came out of his drunken stupor, he was quite exuberant about what had happened. He said that he had been in the jail for three months and had got out a week prior to this. He was arrested for having Alcohol in his possession. We live in a dry state. I asked him, are you not afraid, after three months of jail stay, that you might be caught again. He was quite unconcerned. He said, - ‘no way, I will ever be found with alcohol in my pocket again. I will go across the border and drink and come. But will never carry alcohol in my hands.’ We tried probing him for possible giving up of the habit. But did not seem interested since he had free access across the border. We moved on to the next bed, not knowing what to say….what do you say to one who is not keen to move ahead….

The next day in the midst of OPD, a young boy was brought in. 10-year-old, who was brought in for medical check-up. And the boy was accompanied by a staff from our projects. The staff told us, this boy was “trafficked” many years back, and has been working in a Dhaba for the last few years! (few years – for a 10-year-old boy…?). He had been rescued by a NGO and was in the process of being handed over to police and exploring where he is from. I tried opening conversations with the boy, as I was examining him. He was quite composed and clear. I am fine, I have nothing to say. Attempt to cut across the confident, matter of fact attitudes and responses did not give much success. Being anaemic, I send him off for investigations. Wondering as he went out, was there something more I could have done…to get across to him…?

Yet another set of vibrations from ground. Vibrations from current day slavery. Slavery to international labour trafficking, to alcohol and such other addictions and to child trafficking, intersecting with a health care institution…. remember all were males….

Are these stray stories, occasional rumblings from the ground, or vibrations which is the tip of the iceberg….May be someone has a birds eyes view of these issues….

I just read this in a book - “In the suffering of the poor God was screaming at me, in fact all of us and our institutions and social systems that cause and perpetuate hunger poverty and inequality”….

Am I hearing those screams….? And if I hear, then what….?