Recent researchers have revealed that the term “beggars” in Sri Lanka can no longer be interpreted as begging. It has been shown that the “beggars” in Sri Lanka have now expanded into a hugely profitable business. This has been revealed in research conducted by the Department of Social Sciences of Sri Jayawardanapura University. Explaining the facts in this regard, Professor Mayura Samarakoon points out that the begging industry has become a strong business that can earn more than 4000 rupees in an hour. This research has been carried out with beggars in several areas, including Colombo and Kataragama, and it is extraordinary that steps have been taken to use various strategies.
Begging is more complex than getting a visa
Some say, “If I can’t do something, I will beg for live.” It is a strong practice in Sri Lankan society. But in today’s Sri Lanka, entering the beggar industry is a challenging task. A visa must be obtained to enter a country, which will be easier than entering the begging field.
As Professor Mayura Samarakoon points out, the beggars in Sri Lanka are a group of workers in an institution. They perform an institutional duty. For that, they are entitled to a salary or other privilege. They don’t get all the money they earn from begging daily; they can get three meals a day or cooking facilities as a part of the money they earn.
“Nowadays, beggars in Sri Lanka are a group of salaried employees working alongside entrepreneurs. They get accommodation, food and salary. The elderly, disabled, and small children are also used for this purpose. It is also possible to see a situation where people with no one or no recourse are used. That helplessness has led to poverty.” said the professor.
“This is a very organised business. Indeed, this is a dire situation. That is why this information is being disclosed.” Professor Mayura Samarakoon says.
Invitations received by university students dressed as beggars
In the research conducted by Sri Jayawardenepura University, university students disguised themselves as beggars and visited several places in Colombo. On one occasion, two female students dressed as mothers and daughters walked around the Galle Face of Colombo, and several people approached them and made various suggestions.
They have said that you can’t earn money from begging without us, joining with us… You can earn a lot of money daily. As a matter of fact, the concerned persons have invited these two to join prostitution. Others have tried associating them with the massage (spa) business.
Hourly Rs. 4000
Meanwhile, university students have conducted another experiment by roaming around the Kataragama heritage site. There, one student disguised himself as a disabled person and another as a blind person and engaged in begging. Professor Mayura Samarakoon says that amongst these, more attention was paid to the student who appeared to be disabled. He received 4000 rupees, several shirts and four food parcels within an hour.
Invited by a small association
Meanwhile, the student who pretended to be blind has had several experiences, and one of the most important things has been the suggestion made by someone who came to him. This person, who acts as a beggar himself, has suggested to the concerned youth that if he can join his group, he can provide all the facilities he needs to engage professionally in begging. He has agreed to provide food, accommodation, transportation, medical facilities etc. The professor says he has proposed to connect with a begging institution.
A woman keeping her child exposed to the sun for begging
The research team has also focused on an incident that occurs daily in Nugegoda city. The sight of a woman carrying a small child in the blazing sun has caught the attention of many people coming and going to Nugogoda. However, the research team offers a different interpretation of the matter.
01. Can a pregnant mother who has a child exposed to strong sunlight for begging?
02. This child is always asleep. Maybe he was given sleeping pills
03. This child’s mother is not the birth mother. The child may also have been taken for rent.
Another issue raised in this investigation, which has been conducted on these matters, is that many government institutions established for the protection of children’s rights are located around the city of Nugogoda. Researchers have seriously questioned why these institutions or institutions like the police do not pay attention to such situations.
Super beggars
The researchers have also focused on the latest situation around Colombo, the trade city of Sri Lanka, and the island’s main towns. Here, well-dressed people with ties come in front of the people. The majority of young people are engaged in this business. They say the wallet was misplaced somewhere and that he had come to Colombo for some purpose and therefore needed money to return to the village.
They collect money from people by lying. People who are engaged in daily busy activities donate money to them compassionately. People don’t realise that this is a business, and the people involved in the business collect vast amounts of money by committing this fraud all day.
Dressed like gentleman
When we think of a beggar, we picture an innocent person dressed like a beggar holding a can in his hand. However, this true form has now disappeared from society and has now transformed into a thriving business. In fact, finding a place in the world for a real beggar has become a challenging task today.
Tourist beggars
Meanwhile, facts about tourist beggars have also been revealed. They talk about diseases and various difficulties. The person in Colombo today may be seen in another city tomorrow. That is the behaviour of tourist beggars.
The researchers point out that precisely detecting the number of beggars in Sri Lanka has become impractical. Situations such as the daily change of beggars, the creation of a new layer of tourist beggars, and the emergence of a group in the city that earns money fraudulently by saying different things have hindered such a precise calculation.
Another recommendation is that the program to rehabilitate beggars needs to be more effective, even though a separate village was built in the Ridhiyagama area for Sri Lank beggars.
But there are plenty of beggars in the country. This is because it has become a business. When one person is lost, the businessman has to find another person, which shows that many people come forward for that.
Can’t the government ban begging?
Actual beggars are a truly irreplaceable group. These include addicted people as well as people who have been abandoned from their homes. Besides, children of prostitutes often become beggars. Also, drug trafficking and human trafficking are done using these innocent people. This is indeed a huge social issue.
Also, another factor amongst beggars is that many people are not properly educated.
Therefore, the government should act very quickly to ban the begging industry.
It is a severe offence to employ children as beggars.
But it is a question whether the country’s rulers do not see this situation. Or they should find out if they take this situation for granted. The government should consider taking the children who are begging on the road and rehabilitating them.
By doing this, the begging industry can be controlled to a large extent. This is similar to rehabilitating drug addicts.
