Jump to content

Iqbal Masih

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Iqbal Masih
اقبال مسیح
Masih (center) with Bonded Labour Liberation Front activist Ehsan Ullah Khan (left) in Sheikhupura (September 1992).[n 1]
Bornc. 1982Kuklin 2012, p. 24 or 1983[n 2] (see #Age controversy)
Muridke, Punjab, Pakistan[n 3]Kuklin 2012, p. 24
Died16 April 1995(1995-04-16) (aged 12) (aged 12)[n 2]Kuklin 2012, p. 161
Muridke, Punjab, PakistanKuklin 2012, p. 161
Cause of deathGunshot wound (Assassination)
Resting placeMuridke village cemetery, Punjab, PakistanKīrubāgā 2000, p. 224Kīrubāgā 2000, p. 226
MonumentsIqbal Masih Square (Santiago de Compostela), Iqbal statue (Córdoba), and others worldwideRossāni 2017, p. 107
NationalityPakistani
Other namesイクバル・マシー[n 4]
EducationFreedom Campus (BLLF school)Kuklin 2012, p. 127
OccupationActivist
Years active1992Kīrubāgā 2000, p. 214–1995Kuklin 2012, p. 161
OrganizationBonded Labour Liberation Front (BLLF)[n 5]
Known forCampaigning against child labour
Height127 cm (4 ft 2 in) (in 1994)Kīrubāgā 2000, p. 12
Awards

Iqbal Masih (اقبال مسیح; c. 1982/1983[n 2] – 16 April 1995) was a Pakistani Christian child labourer and activist who campaigned against abusive child labour in Pakistan. Born into poverty in Muridke, Punjab, he was sold into bonded labour at a carpet factory at age four. Subjected to grueling conditions for six years, he escaped at age 10 with the help of the Bonded Labour Liberation Front (BLLF). He became a prominent voice against child labour, sharing his story internationally and inspiring thousands of other children to seek freedom. His activism gained global attention, earning him the Reebok Human Rights Award in 1994.

He was assassinated in his home village on 16 April 1995, aged 12.[n 2]Sandem 2009, p. 94Kuklin 2012, p. 161 While official reports concluded it was an isolated incident, many, including the BLLF, believed he was targeted by the "carpet mafia" due to his activism's impact on the industry. Iqbal became a symbol of the fight against child exploitation. His legacy inspired numerous individuals and organizations, including the founding of the international NGO WE Charity (formerly Free The Children),Yamazaki 2000, pp. 18–19 and spurred continued efforts to combat child labour worldwide.Būregurēn 2009, p. 34 On 23 March 2022 (Pakistan Day), he was posthumously awarded the Sitara-e-Shujaat by the Government of Pakistan.[1][2]

Family background and bonded labour

[edit]

Iqbal Masih was born around 1982 or 1983[n 2] in Muridke, a rural village outside of Lahore in Punjab, Pakistan, into a poor Catholic Christian family.[3]Kuklin 2012, p. 24Kīrubāgā 2000, p. 214[4][5] His father, Saif Masih, was reportedly unable to hold steady work, possibly due to drug addiction, and later abandoned the family.Kuklin 2012, p. 24[6] His mother, Inayat Bibi, worked as a house cleaner to support the family, while Iqbal's older sisters cared for him and his siblings.[6]

At the age of four, around 1986,Kīrubāgā 2000, p. 230 Iqbal was sent to work in a local carpet factory. His family needed money for his older brother's wedding, a significant event in Pakistan for which even the poor were expected to provide.[n 6] Lacking savings and access to formal loans or adequate government support, his father borrowed 600 rupees[n 7] from a thekedar (carpet factory owner), using Iqbal's future labour as collateral.Kuklin 2012, p. 24 This arrangement, a form of debt bondage known as peshgi, was common for impoverished families.[3] Because selling children was illegal, the transaction was informal, allowing the lender to add arbitrary costs and high interest without oversight.[6][7]

Iqbal was contracted to work 12 hours a day, six days a week,Kuklin 2012, p. 24 though work often extended into the night when large orders came in. He was chained to a large loom in a cramped, poorly ventilated room, often closed to keep out insects attracted to the carpets, making it extremely hot.Kuklin 2012, p. 36 The air was filled with floating lint, causing frequent coughing.Kuklin 2012, p. 41 He was forced to maintain an unnatural posture for hours, which stunted his physical development.Rossāni 2017, p. 50 Many child workers suffered from scabies or skin ulcers from constant contact with wool, as well as arthritis or carpal tunnel syndrome from the repetitive work.Kuklin 2012, pp. 41–45 Rest breaks were limited to 30 minutes daily, and meals consisted mainly of rice and lentils, with occasional vegetables.Kuklin 2012, pp. 41–45 This poor nutrition further hindered his growth.Tadokoro, Aisa (21 August 2017). "Junior Writer's Pick: "Iqbal and His Companions: People Who Stood Up Against Child Labor" (by Susan Kuklin) - Shocked to learn the harsh reality". Hiroshima Peace Media Center (in Japanese). Chugoku Shimbun. Retrieved 17 November 2019. The cost of his meager food, training, and tools was added to the family's debt.Kuklin 2012, p. 24Kuklin 2012, pp. 41–45 He was paid only 1 rupee a day.[4]

Mistakes, asking for breaks due to illness, or attempting to escape resulted in severe punishment, including beatings or being hung upside down from the ceiling.Būregurēn 2009, p. 34Kuklin 2012, p. 102 Injuries from tools were crudely treated, sometimes by packing match powder into the wound and lighting it, or applying hot oil, primarily to prevent blood from staining the carpets rather than for care.Kīrubāgā 2000, p. 12Kuklin 2012, pp. 41–45 Iqbal attempted to escape several times, once reaching the police, only to be brought back to the factory owner (who likely paid the police a finder's fee).Kuklin 2012, p. 102[8] Each escape attempt resulted in fines added to the debt, and eventually, he was chained to the loom to prevent further attempts.Kuklin 2012, p. 102 With additional loans taken by his family and accumulating fines and interest, the initial 600-rupee debt had ballooned to 13,000 rupees by the time he finally escaped.Kuklin 2012, p. 102[9] It seemed he was destined for a lifetime of slavery-like conditions.Kuklin 2012, pp. 200–201 Iqbal later reflected,

My parents couldn't do anything. Poor people like my family are powerless. So, I didn't ask anything of my family.

— Iqbal Masih, Kuklin 2012, p. 102

Explaining the background behind bonded labourers in Pakistan, American professor C. Christine Fair states that "Large numbers of Christians in the Punjab and Sindh, in particular, are trapped in bonded labour or slavery in work like brick kilns and carpet-weaving. Around 80% of brick kiln workers in some areas are Christians working to pay off family debts long since paid in absolute terms, yet who are illiterate and remain powerless to do anything about their circumstances. The plight of Pakistan's bonded labourers came to international attention briefly with the murder of 12-year-old Christian Iqbal Masih in 1995".[10]

Escape and activism

[edit]

In the early 1990s, human rights groups were active globally, and in Pakistan, the Bonded Labour Liberation Front (BLLF),[n 5] led by Ehsan Ullah Khan,[n 1] was working prominently against child labour.Kuklin 2012, pp. 82–88 The BLLF's advocacy contributed to the Supreme Court of Pakistan declaring bonded labour illegal,Kuklin 2012, pp. 82–88 and in 1992, the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act was passed by the Parliament, legally cancelling the debts of bonded labourers.Kuklin 2012, pp. 102–108Kuklin 2012, pp. 109–115

Iqbal's employer warned the children against contacting the BLLF. However, at age 10, in February 1992,Kīrubāgā 2000, p. 214 Iqbal managed to escape the factory again.[11] Ironically, years of malnutrition had made his arms so thin that he could slip out of the chains meant to bind him to the loom.Sandem 2009, p. 94 He attended a BLLF freedom day celebration where he learned about the new law and that his family's debt was legally void.Kuklin 2012, pp. 109–115 Ehsan Ullah Khan described meeting him there:

Shrinking in a corner of the venue, he was thin like an old man, breathing with difficulty, wheezing. It was as if he was trying to hide himself, to disappear. He was that frightened. But I sensed this boy had something special. That he had a strong will.

— Ehsan Ullah Khan, Kuklin 2012, p. 109

With the help of a BLLF lawyer, Iqbal obtained an official certificate declaring his freedom.Kuklin 2012, pp. 109–115 He left the factory along with many other children he worked with.Kuklin 2012, pp. 109–115 At age 10, after six years of bonded labour, he was free.Būregurēn 2009, p. 34Kuklin 2012, pp. 109–115

Iqbal moved to Lahore under the care of Ehsan Ullah KhanKuklin 2012, p. 127 and began attending Freedom Campus, a school established by the BLLF for former child labourers.Kuklin 2012, p. 127 He flourished, rapidly acquiring knowledge despite having never attended school before; he completed a four-year curriculum in just two years.Kīrubāgā 2000, p. 214Kuklin 2012, pp. 127–132 He became a leader among the studentsKuklin 2012, pp. 127–132 and expressed a desire to become a lawyer, inspired by figures like Abraham Lincoln, whom he hoped to emulate by freeing Pakistan's children from bonded labour.Kuklin 2012, pp. 127–132

Alongside his studies, Iqbal joined BLLF's activism, participating in demonstrations and visiting factories to tell children about their rights and encourage them to leave.Kuklin 2012, pp. 127–132 His story attracted international attention from journalists, labour leaders, and human rights activists who visited the BLLF.Kuklin 2012, pp. 127–132 Though illiterate upon arrival in Lahore, his speeches were powerful, passionate, and filled with the stark reality of his experiences. He spoke confidently, even before large adult audiences.Kuklin 2012, pp. 127–132 Farhad Karim, a former investigator for Human Rights Watch Asia, recalled:

I spoke with Iqbal for a long time. He was a wonderful child. He could clearly state his thoughts, an impressive, very good kid. There was nothing pretentious about him. He was wiser and more composed than any child I knew, but still a child. Had he lived, he might have built a great organization in the future.

— Farhad Karim, Kuklin 2012, p. 127

Iqbal began travelling internationally to speak out against child labour. In spring 1994, he spoke at a press conference for the Swedish Trade Union Confederation in Oslo, Norway. He powerfully declared "We are free!", and the audience rose to their feet, echoing his cry.Kīrubāgā 2000, p. 12 In November 1994, Khan took him to Sweden for an International Labour Organization conference, where his testimony deeply moved participants.Kīrubāgā 2000, p. 214Kuklin 2012, p. 135 While in Sweden, he visited Fredriksdalskolan school, interacting with students,Būregurēn 2009, p. 34Kuklin 2012, p. 135 and appeared in a documentary detailing the abuse faced by children in the carpet industry.Kīrubāgā 2000, p. 214

As Iqbal became an international symbol of freedom,Kārshī 2001, p. 10 he also became a threat to the powerful carpet industry.Sandem 2009, p. 94 He received harassment and death threats, though many believed his international fame and youth would protect him.Kuklin 2012, pp. 127–132Sandem 2009, p. 94Kuklin 2012, pp. 159–160 Iqbal himself seemed undeterred, telling people, "I'm not afraid of the carpet masters anymore. Now they're afraid of me."Kīrubāgā 2000, p. 214Kuklin 2012, pp. 159–160

Visit to the United States and Reebok Human Rights Award

[edit]

The Reebok Human Rights Foundation,[n 8] having learned about Iqbal through Ehsan Ullah Khan at the 1993 World Conference on Human Rights,Kuklin 2012, pp. 123–125 decided to honour him. Due to his youth compared to previous recipients, a new category, "Youth in Action," was created for the Reebok Human Rights Award.Kuklin 2012, p. 135

In December 1994, Iqbal travelled to the United States for the award ceremony in Boston. He arrived a week early to acclimate.Kuklin 2012, pp. 145–152 During his stay, he visited Broad Meadows Middle School in Quincy, Massachusetts.Kuklin 2012, pp. 145–152 The students, who had studied child labour through novels like Oliver Twist, saw Iqbal as a modern-day Oliver. His story deeply affected them, and they pledged to support his cause.Kuklin 2012, pp. 145–152 One student, Amanda Roos, said,

After hearing Iqbal's story, I started seeing many things differently. Iqbal taught me that you shouldn't take things for granted and that it's important to speak out when you think something is wrong. If Iqbal could do it, I thought, maybe I can too.

— Amanda Roos, Kuklin 2012, p. 137

Inspired by his visit, the students collected 656 letters from the community condemning child labour, addressed to Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, US President Bill Clinton, and others. They presented the letters to Iqbal before the ceremony, moving him greatly.Kuklin 2012, pp. 154–157

A medical examination during his US visit diagnosed Iqbal with psychosocial dwarfism, a result of chronic malnutrition and the stress of his labour conditions.Kuklin 2012, pp. 142–143 Standing at only 127 cm (4 ft 2 in),Kīrubāgā 2000, p. 12 he appeared much younger than his age; a Reebok staff member recalled he looked about six years old.Kuklin 2012, p. 138 The foundation arranged for a year's supply of growth hormone treatment for him.Kīrubāgā 2000, p. 12 At a pre-award dinner, the president of Brandeis University offered Iqbal a full scholarship upon turning 18 and meeting admission requirements.Kuklin 2012, pp. 154–157

At the award ceremony held at Northeastern University, actor Blair Underwood introduced Iqbal:

Iqbal Masih is a leader, an inspiration, a figure of greatness. We present Iqbal with the Reebok Youth in Action Award.

— Blair Underwood, Kuklin 2012, pp. 156–157

Despite his small stature, Iqbal commanded the stage, receiving thunderous applause.Kīrubāgā 2000, p. 12 Addressing an audience including international dignitaries, celebrities, and activists,Kuklin 2012, p. 135 he spoke powerfully about his experiences and the tragedy of child-made carpets being sold in America. Holding up the tool he was forced to use, he famously declared that children should be holding pens, not tools, emphasizing the importance of education over labour.Kuklin 2012, pp. 9–13 He concluded with the rallying cry of freed child labourers: "We are free!", which the audience of 2,000 echoed back.Kuklin 2012, pp. 9–13 In his acceptance speech he also said: "I am one of those millions of children who are suffering in Pakistan through bonded labour and child labour, but I am lucky that due to the efforts of Bonded Labour Liberation Front, I go out in freedom I am standing in front of you here today. After my freedom, I joined BLLF School and I am studying in that school now. For us slave children, Ehsan Ullah Khan and BLLF have done the same work that Abraham Lincoln did for the slaves of America. Today, you are free and I am free too."[12]

The following day, Iqbal was featured as ABC News' "Person of the Week".Kuklin 2012, pp. 154–157 The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights praised him as "a victor in the fight against contemporary slave labour in Pakistan, influencing millions of children worldwide."Wintā 2015, Author's Note

Returning to Lahore emboldened, Iqbal continued his studies and activism with renewed vigor.Kuklin 2012, pp. 159–160 His efforts were credited with helping free thousands of children from bondage.Kuklin 2012, pp. 159–160[8] However, the increased visibility also brought intensified threats.Kuklin 2012, pp. 159–160

Death

[edit]

"Iqbal Masih, a brave and eloquent boy who attended several international conferences to denounce the hardships of child weavers in Pakistan, was shot dead with a shotgun while he and some friends were cycling in their village of Muridke, near Lahore."[9]

On 16 April 1995, Easter Sunday,[n 9] Iqbal was visiting his home village of Muridke to celebrate Easter with his family.Kuklin 2012, pp. 161–163 As he needed regular medication for his growth condition diagnosed in the US, he planned to return to Lahore the same day.Kuklin 2012, pp. 161–163 In the evening, while visiting relatives before leaving, he was cycling with two cousins, Liaqat and Faryad.[9] According to one relative's account, Iqbal was sitting on the bicycle's crossbar, while one cousin pedaled and the other rode on the back rack.Kuklin 2012, pp. 161–163Kīrubāgā 2000, p. 12[n 10] As they passed a field, a local farmworker named Ashraf Hero fired a 12-gauge shotgun, hitting Iqbal in the back and killing him instantly.Kuklin 2012, pp. 161–163[13] He was 12 years old.[n 2]Kuklin 2012, p. 186

His funeral, held the next day, drew approximately 800 mourners despite the short notice, including international journalists who framed his death as martyrdom for the cause against child labour.Kuklin 2012, pp. 164–166 A protest of 3,000 people, about half of them children under 12, took place in Lahore demanding an end to child labor.Kuklin 2012, pp. 164–166[8]

Then-Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto condemned the killing, vowed action against illegal child labour, and ordered special assistance for Iqbal's family, though this aid reportedly never materialized.Kuklin 2012, pp. 164–166 At the opening of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights session, a moment of silence was held for Iqbal and other victims of modern slavery.Kuklin 2012, pp. 164–166 The International Federation of Commercial, Clerical, Professional and Technical Employees (FIET) also held a minute's silence in his memory at their 23rd World Congress in Austria in July 1995.Shibata 1995, pp. 52–53

Iqbal was buried in the village cemetery in Muridke, in an unmarked grave.Kīrubāgā 2000, p. 224Kīrubāgā 2000, p. 226Kārshī 2001, p. 17

Controversy surrounding death

[edit]

The circumstances of Iqbal's death remain contested.Sandem 2009, p. 94Kuklin 2012, pp. 169–171Nakajima, Sanae (2009). "Representative's Message". Charity Platform (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 25 April 2013. Retrieved 27 November 2013. Immediately after the killing, Ehsan Ullah Khan of the BLLF asserted that Iqbal was targeted by the "carpet mafia"[n 11] in retaliation for his activism, which had led to factory closures.Kuklin 2012, pp. 164–166Yomiuri Shimbun & 1995-04-20, p. 7 This view was widely reported internationally.Kīrubāgā 2000, p. 16

However, the official police investigation concluded that the killing was not related to Iqbal's anti-child labour work, but was the result of a separate dispute involving the shooter, Ashraf Hero.Kuklin 2012, pp. 164–166 Iqbal's mother, Inayat Bibi, also stated she did not believe the "carpet mafia" was involved.[14]

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) conducted an independent investigation. They reported that Ashraf, the shooter, claimed he had never met Iqbal before and had no connection to the carpet industry. According to HRCP, Ashraf, allegedly high on hashish, became angry when Iqbal and his cousins cycled past and made remarks about him, prompting him to fire his shotgun, accidentally hitting Iqbal.Kuklin 2012, pp. 167–169 The HRCP concluded the death was an isolated incident unrelated to the carpet industry.Kuklin 2012, pp. 169–171 Some noted that the HRCP and BLLF had an adversarial relationship, potentially influencing the findings.Kuklin 2012, pp. 169–171

The Reebok Human Rights Foundation dispatched forensic experts who found the official autopsy and police reports insufficient and raised doubts about the investigation's thoroughness. Over 50 human rights groups and governmental bodies criticized the police handling of the case.Kuklin 2012, pp. 169–171

Further complexities emerged. Craig Kielburger, a Canadian activist inspired by Iqbal, travelled to Pakistan in 1995. He reported conflicting accounts. The HRCP reiterated their findings to him.Kīrubāgā 2000, pp. 220–224 However, Iqbal's mother told Kielburger that Iqbal's father (Saif Masih) was a drug addict who had colluded with the police and carpet factory owners against Khan and the BLLF, possibly after being paid off.Kīrubāgā 2000, pp. 230–236 Kielburger also questioned the physical evidence: Iqbal was reportedly shot in the back while sitting on the bicycle's crossbar, shielded by his two larger cousins behind him. The bicycle itself, a key piece of evidence, was never secured by police.Kīrubāgā 2000, pp. 230–236 Additionally, some suggested religious tensions might have played a role, as Iqbal's Christian family background (descended from lower-caste Hindus who converted to escape the caste system) made them a minority in Muslim-majority Pakistan.Kuklin 2012, pp. 224–226

Despite the official conclusions, the BLLF and many child labour activists maintain that Iqbal was murdered by vested interests in the carpet industry threatened by his work.Kuklin 2012, pp. 169–171 The true motive behind his death remains uncertain.Sandem 2009, p. 94Kuklin 2012, pp. 169–171

Legacy

[edit]

Iqbal Masih became a global symbol of the fight against child labour. His death drew significant international attention to the severity of the problem in PakistanHatsuoka, Shōichirō (1997). Child Labour: Confronting the Global Challenge (in Japanese). Nihon Hyoronsha. p. 26. ISBN 978-4-535-58231-6. and South Asia.Imidasu 1996, p. 945

Impact on the carpet industry

[edit]

During his trips to the US and Sweden, Iqbal urged consumers and importers not to buy carpets made by children.Būregurēn 2009, p. 34 His activism, amplified after his death, led to calls for boycotts of Pakistani carpets. This resulted in significant financial losses for the industry, with numerous order cancellations from Western countries amounting to millions of dollars.Kuklin 2012, p. 171 Several carpet factories were forced to close even before his death.Kuklin 2012, pp. 159–160Sandem 2009, p. 94 In response, Pakistani economic elites denied using child labour and used the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to harass BLLF activists.Kuklin 2012, p. 171[8] In July 1995, the Pakistani government introduced a labeling system intended to certify carpets as being made without child labour, though critics questioned its effectiveness and potential for corruption.Yomiuri Shimbun & 1995-07-18, p. 5

Inspiration for youth activism

[edit]

A fellow child labourer reportedly said at Iqbal's grave, "The day Iqbal died, a thousand Iqbals were born."Kīrubāgā 2000, p. 12"April 19th is Free The Children's 17th Birthday". FTCJ News (in Japanese). Free The Children Japan. 24 April 2012. Archived from the original on 12 November 2019. Retrieved 12 November 2019. His story inspired countless young people:

  • Students at Broad Meadows Middle School in Quincy, Massachusetts, were deeply moved by his death. Teacher Ron Adams recalled,

    The children were angry. Fiercely indignant. Iqbal's murder had a huge impact on them... Though they only met him once, for one day, Iqbal had become their symbol... The students felt that Iqbal's message—that all children should be free and go to school—must not be silenced by a bullet.

    — Ron Adams, Kuklin 2012, pp. 177–180
    They initiated a fundraising campaign, "A School for Iqbal," collecting donations (including "Penny Power") across the US and 27 other countries.Kuklin 2012, pp. 181–192Coiro, Kate (24 April 2019). "Student activists welcome filmmaker to Broad Meadows". The Patriot Ledger. Retrieved 17 November 2019. Supported by figures like Senator Ted Kennedy and celebrities including Jamie Lee Curtis, Trudie Styler, Michael Stipe, and Aerosmith, they raised over $130,000 to build a school in Kasur, Pakistan, operated by the local human rights organization Sudhaar.Kuklin 2012, pp. 181–192 The project reportedly influenced local employers to allow child workers to attend.Kuklin 2012, pp. 181–192 Broad Meadows Middle School received the Reebok Human Rights Award (Youth in Action) in 1995 for this effort.Kuklin 2012, pp. 181–192Sharon Kane (30 April 2017). Integrating Literature in the Content Areas. Routledge. p. 25. ISBN 978-1-13807-799-7. The students later founded "Operation Day's Work-USA" in 1999, continuing to fundraise for child rights NGOs globally.Kuklin 2012, pp. 203–204Rossāni 2017, pp. 104–105
  • Craig Kielburger, a 12-year-old Canadian, read about Iqbal's death in a newspaper and was profoundly affected.Kārshī 2001, p. 11 He travelled to South Asia, met child labourers, and visited Iqbal's grave, vowing to continue his work.Kārshī 2001, p. 17 With classmates, he founded "Free The Children" (now WE Charity),Yamazaki 2000, pp. 18–19"About Free The Children Japan" (in Japanese). Free The Children Japan. Retrieved 29 July 2023. which grew into a major international youth-led NGO combating child labour and poverty.Kārshī 2001, p. 19"Free The Children Japan Staff Interview Part 1" (in Japanese). NGO Support Fund. Archived from the original on 14 August 2016. Retrieved 9 March 2013.
  • Students at Fredriksdalskolan school in Sweden, whom Iqbal had visited, launched "Project Pakistan" to campaign against child labour after his death.Būregurēn 2009, p. 34 Swedish schoolchildren protested outside the Pakistani embassy during Prime Minister Bhutto's visit to Stockholm.Kuklin 2012, p. 171
  • Students at the International School of Geneva performed a play about Iqbal's life at the 1995 FIET World Congress.Shibata 1995, pp. 52–53

Commemorations and awards

[edit]

Cultural depictions

[edit]
  • The book Iqbal (2001) by Francesco D'Adamo is a fictionalized account based on his life.[23]
  • The French film Iqbal, l'enfant qui n'avait pas peur [fr] (2000).[24]
  • The book The Little Hero: One Boy's Fight for Freedom (2006) by Andrew Crofts tells his story.[25]
  • The Italian-French animated film Iqbal - Bambini senza paura (2015) won Best Feature Animation at the Cartoons on the Bay festival in 2017.[26][27]
  • The X Iqbal Masih Rugby Tournament was held in Catania, Sicily, in 2016.[28]
  • An animated short, Iqbal Ka Bachpan (Iqbal's Childhood), was released in 2019 by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy's SOC Films.[29]
  • A Japanese theatre group, Gekidan Masashi-bu, staged a play Pen o Kudasai (Give Me a Pen) based on his life in 2019.Mainichi Shimbun & 2019-03-19, p. 26
  • The Pakistani film Gunjal (2023), directed by Shoaib Sultan, is based on his murder investigation.
  • An upcoming Pakistani film, Iqbal - The Forgotten Story, directed by Raja Saad, is in production.

Consequences for Ehsan Ullah Khan

[edit]

Following Iqbal's death and Khan's accusations against the carpet industry, Khan himself faced repercussions. He was accused by Pakistani authorities of inciting anti-government sentiment and waging "economic warfare" against Pakistan – charges that could carry the death penalty. The BLLF offices were raided, documents seized, and staff members arrested, though later released after intervention by Amnesty International.Kuklin 2012, p. 171

Age controversy

[edit]

There is significant uncertainty regarding Iqbal Masih's exact age.[n 2] While commonly reported as 12 years old at the time of his death based on BLLF statements,Kīrubāgā 2000, pp. 230–236 several other ages have been suggested.

  • **Physical Appearance:** His stunted growth, attributed to severe malnutrition and harsh labour conditions (or possibly a genetic predisposition to dwarfism in his father's family), made him appear much younger than his chronological age.Kīrubāgā 2000, p. 214 At the time of the Reebok award, he was widely reported as 11, though some acquaintances of the family claimed he was older.Kīrubāgā 2000, p. 214
  • **Mother's Statements:** Craig Kielburger reported that Iqbal's mother, Inayat Bibi, told him Iqbal started working at age 6. Given that his work began around 1986, this would place his birth year around 1980, making him 14 or 15 at his death. However, Kielburger noted that illiteracy was common in the region, and many parents did not know their children's exact ages.Kīrubāgā 2000, pp. 230–236 The HRCP report allegedly cited his mother stating he died at 16.Kīrubāgā 2000, pp. 230–236
  • **Baptismal Certificate:** A baptismal certificate from St. Francis Church in Lahore reportedly lists his birth date as 4 April 1976.Kīrubāgā 2000, p. 228 If accurate, this would make him 19 years old at the time of his death.
  • **Conflicting Records:** The baptismal record contradicts testimony from his local church in Muridke, where members recalled him attending for about 10 years, starting from age 4 or 5.Kuklin 2012, pp. 224–226 Furthermore, during his trip to Sweden, a pediatrician examined him and estimated his bone age to be around 11 years old; this finding was reportedly submitted to the Lahore High Court.Kīrubāgā 2000, p. 228
  • **Other Reports:** Various sources cite his birth year as 1982Kuklin 2012, p. 24 or 1983.Burukkusu 2019, p. 24 His age at death has been reported as 12,Sandem 2009, p. 94Kuklin 2012, p. 161McGirk 1995 13,Būregurēn 2009, p. 34 14,Kīrubāgā 2000, p. 230 15,Kīrubāgā 2000, p. 230 or 19.Kīrubāgā 2000, p. 228

Kielburger concluded that while Iqbal was almost certainly older than 12, his precise age was less important than the legacy of his activism against child labour.Kīrubāgā 2000, pp. 230–236

Timeline

[edit]
  • c. 1982/1983: Born in Muridke, Punjab, Pakistan.Kuklin 2012, p. 24[n 2]
  • c. 1986: Begins working at a carpet factory under bonded labour at age 4.Kīrubāgā 2000, p. 230
  • February 1992: Attends a BLLF meeting and learns about the abolition of bonded labour.Kīrubāgā 2000, p. 214
  • 1992/1993: Escapes bonded labour with BLLF's helpBūregurēn 2009, p. 34Kuklin 2012, pp. 109–115 and begins activism.Kuklin 2012, pp. 127–132
  • Spring 1994: Speaks at a press conference in Oslo, Norway.Kīrubāgā 2000, p. 12
  • November 1994: Speaks at an ILO conference in Sweden.Kīrubāgā 2000, p. 214Kuklin 2012, p. 135
  • December 1994: Travels to the US, visits Broad Meadows Middle School,Kuklin 2012, pp. 145–152 and receives the Reebok Human Rights Award (Youth in Action).Kuklin 2012, pp. 154–157 Featured as ABC News' "Person of the Week".Kuklin 2012, pp. 154–157
  • 16 April 1995: Shot and killed in Muridke, aged 12.[n 2]
  • February 1996: Indian producer Suresh Varma, planning a film on Iqbal, is accused by Pakistan's FIA of being an Indian spy aiming to harm Pakistan's economy.Yomiuri Shimbun & 1996-02-11, p. 4
  • 1998: Istituto Comprensivo Iqbal Masih founded in Trieste, Italy.[19]
  • December 2000: French film Iqbal, l'enfant qui n'avait pas peur [fr] released.[24]
  • 2009: US Department of Labor establishes the Iqbal Masih Award for the Elimination of Child Labor.[16]
  • 16 April 2012: Iqbal Masih Square inaugurated in Santiago de Compostela, Spain.[21]
  • 2014: Nobel Peace Prize laureate Kailash Satyarthi honours Iqbal in his acceptance speech.[18]
  • 2015: Italian-French animated film Iqbal - Bambini senza paura released.[26] Wins award in 2017.[27]
  • April 2016: X Iqbal Masih Rugby Tournament held in Sicily, Italy.[28]
  • March 2019: Japanese theatre group Gekidan Masashi-bu performs Pen o Kudasai based on Iqbal's story.Mainichi Shimbun & 2019-03-19, p. 26
  • 23 March 2022: Posthumously awarded the Sitara-e-Shujaat by Pakistan.

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Ehsan Ullah Khan" is the katakana transliteration used by translators Nagano Tōru and Akatsuka Kyōko.Kuklin 2012, p. 82 Other transliterations include "Īsan Yūra Kān"Sandem 2009, p. 94Kīrubāgā 2000, p. 214 and "Asanura Kān".Yomiuri Shimbun & 1995-04-20, p. 7
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i His exact birth year is uncertain. Sources state 1982,Kuklin 2012, p. 24 1983,Burukkusu 2019, p. 24 or 4 April 1976 (based on a baptismal certificate).Kīrubāgā 2000, p. 228 Consequently, his age at death is reported variously as 12,Sandem 2009, p. 94Kuklin 2012, p. 161McGirk 1995 13,Būregurēn 2009, p. 34 14,Kīrubāgā 2000, p. 230 15,Kīrubāgā 2000, p. 230 or 19.Kīrubāgā 2000, p. 228 His exact age remains unknown.Kuklin 2012, p. 196 See #Age controversy.
  3. ^ "Muriduke" is the katakana spelling used by translators Nagano Tōru and Akatsuka Kyōko.Kuklin 2012, p. 24 Another spelling seen is "Muritoke".Yomiuri Shimbun & 1995-04-20, p. 7
  4. ^ Sources also spell his name as Iqbal MassiKārshī 2001, p. 8 or Iqbal Masihfu.Imidasu 1996, p. 945Nihon Rōdō Kenkyū Kikō Kenkyūjo 2001, p. 88
  5. ^ a b The Japanese translation "Saimu Rōdō Kaihō Sensen" (債務労働解放戦線, Bonded Labour Liberation Front) is used by Nagano Tōru & Akatsuka Kyōko,Kuklin 2012, p. 82 Serizawa Megumi & Takasato Hiro,Burukkusu 2019, p. 24 and Sekiguchi Eiko.Rossāni 2017, p. 1 Other translations include "Kyōsei Rōdō Kaihō Sensen" (強制労働解放戦線, Forced Labour Liberation Front)Būregurēn 2009, p. 34 "Saimu Rōdōsha Kaihō Sensen" (債務労働者解放戦線, Bonded Labourers Liberation Front),Sandem 2009, p. 94 and "Dorei Rōdō Kaihō Sensen" (奴隷労働解放戦線, Slave Labour Liberation Front).Yomiuri Shimbun & 1995-04-20, p. 7
  6. ^ In Pakistan, marriage holds significant importance, and it was common for families, regardless of poverty, to arrange celebratory feasts. Support systems for impoverished families like Iqbal's were lacking.Kuklin 2012, p. 24
  7. ^ For context, around 1998, the average cost of a meal for ordinary Pakistanis was 20 rupees.Kuklin 2012, p. 7
  8. ^ The Reebok Human Rights Foundation was established by the sportswear brand Reebok to honor individuals active in human rights protection.Kuklin 2012, p. 11
  9. ^ Easter is a Christian holiday. While most Pakistanis are Muslim, Iqbal's family was among the country's small Christian minority.Kuklin 2012, p. 24
  10. ^ This way of riding bicycles is common in Pakistan.Kuklin 2012, p. 161
  11. ^ "Mafia" here refers generally to a criminal gang, not specifically the Italian organization.Kuklin 2012, p. 164

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c "President confers civil awards on prominent citizens, foreign nationals". The Express Tribune. 24 March 2022.
  2. ^ a b c "CONFERMENT OF PAKISTAN CIVIL AWARDS" (PDF). Cabinet Division, Government of Pakistan.
  3. ^ a b Fair, C. Christine; Gregory, Shaun (8 April 2016). Pakistan in National and Regional Change: State and Society in Flux. Routledge. p. 38. ISBN 978-1-134-92465-3. The plight of Pakistan's bonded labourers came to international attention briefly with the murder of 12-year-old Christian Iqbal Masih in 1995.
  4. ^ a b Winter, Jeanette (1999). Tikvah: Children's Book Creators Reflect on Human Rights. Chronicle Books. p. 84. ISBN 978-1-58717-097-3. Iqbal Masih was born into a poor Christian family in the village of Muridke, in Pakistan.
  5. ^ World Vision, Volumes 38-39. World Vision. 1995. p. 41. Police harassment and death threats levelled at Kailash Satyarthi, chairman of the South Asian Coalition on Child Servitude, have prompted worldwide concern for the Indian activist's safety. But it's too late for Pakistani Christian Iqbal Masih, 12, a former bonded carpet-weaver who traveled the world crusading against child labour and succeeded in shutting down many carpet factories in Pakistan. On Easter Sunday, 1995, he was shot dead in his home village in Muridke—a victim of target killing.
  6. ^ a b c Susan Kuklin (1998). Iqbal Masih and the Crusaders Against Child Slavery. Macmillan Publishers. ISBN 978-0-8050-5459-0.
  7. ^ Iqbal Masih; Blair Underwood (2002). "Presentation and Acceptance of Reebok Youth in Action Award". In Robin Broad (ed.). Global Backlash: Citizen Initiatives for a Just World Economy. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 199. ISBN 978-0-7425-1034-0. Retrieved 31 May 2013.
  8. ^ a b c d "Child Labor in Pakistan". The Atlantic. February 1996.
  9. ^ a b c Tim McGirk (19 April 1995). "Boy leader of child labour protest is shot dead". The Independent.
  10. ^ C. Christine Fair (2013). Pakistan in National and Regional Change. Routledge. p. 37. Large numbers of Christians in the Punjab and Sindh, in particular, are trapped in bonded labour or slavery in work like brick kilns and carpet-weaving. Around 80% of brick kiln workers in some areas are Christians working to pay off family debts long since paid in absolute terms, yet who are illiterate and remain powerless to do anything about their circumstances. The plight of Pakistan's bonded labourers came to international attention briefly with the murder of 12-year-old Christian Iqbal Masih in 1995. Having escaped slavery, Iqbal campaigned against bonded labour and was killed to silence him.
  11. ^ Sandy Hobbs; Jim McKechnie; Michael Lavalette (1 October 1999). Child Labor: A World History Companion. ABC-CLIO. pp. 153–154. ISBN 978-0-87436-956-4.
  12. ^ "Human Rights Youth in Action Award" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 March 2016. Retrieved 1 February 2016.
  13. ^ "At Age 12, A Prominent Activist Is Gunned Down". Associated Press. 18 April 1995.
  14. ^ "Plot Discounted in Death of Pakistani Boy". 21 April 1995.
  15. ^ "Late Catholic activist wins Pakistan's highest bravery award". UCA News. 25 March 2022.
  16. ^ a b "Iqbal Masih Award for the Elimination of Child Labor". U.S. Department of Labor. Retrieved 20 July 2023.
  17. ^ "The Nobel Peace Prize 2014". Nobelprize.org. Retrieved 11 February 2016.
  18. ^ a b "Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Kailash Satyarthi's Acceptance Speech Full Translation" (in Japanese). ACE. January 2015. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
  19. ^ a b "Iqbal Masih" (in Italian). Iqbal Masih. Archived from the original on 16 November 2019. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
  20. ^ "Plaza Iqbal Masih".
  21. ^ a b "SAIn Galicia: IQBAL MASIH YA TIENE PLAZA EN SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA" (in Spanish). SAIn Galicia. 23 February 2012. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
  22. ^ "Colegio Oficial de Graduados Sociales de Salamanca". www.graduadosocialsalamanca.es.
  23. ^ Francesco D'Adamo (19 January 2016). "Iqbal".
  24. ^ a b Iqbal at IMDb
  25. ^ Crofts, Andrew (2006). The Little Hero: One Boy's Fight for Freedom - Iqbal Masih's Story. Vision. ISBN 978-1-904132-84-4.
  26. ^ a b Iqbal: A Tale of a Fearless Child at IMDb
  27. ^ a b Milligan, Mercedes (11 April 2017). "Cartoons on the Bay 2017 Pulcinella Award Winners". Animation Magazine. Retrieved 20 July 2023.
  28. ^ a b "X Torneo "Coppa Iqbal Masih" 23/24 aprile 2016". News Comitato (in Italian). Comitato Regionale F.I.R. Sicilia. 14 January 2016. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
  29. ^ "SOC Films releases part two of Shattering the Silence". The News International. 30 May 2019.

Bibliography

[edit]
  • Sassa Būregurēn (27 February 2009) [2001-03-13]. 10-sai kara no minshushugi ressun: Suwēden no shōjo to manabu sabetsu, hinkon, sensō no nai sekai no genri [Democracy Lessons from Age 10: Learning the Principles of a World Without Discrimination, Poverty, and War with a Swedish Girl] (in Japanese). Translated by Nimonji Masaaki. Akashi Shoten. ISBN 978-4-7503-2932-1.
  • Ben Brooks (30 April 2019) [2018-04-03]. Jibun o shinjita 100-nin no otokonoko no monogatari: Sekai no kaekata wa hitotsu janai [Stories for Boys Who Dare to Be Different: How to Change the World Isn't Just One Way] (in Japanese). Translated by Serizawa, Megumi; Takasato, Hiro. Kawade Shobō Shinsha. ISBN 978-4-309-29014-0.
  • Cynthia Kārshī (20 October 2001) [2000-01-01]. Richard H. Morita (ed.). Dakara, anata mo makenaide [So, Don't You Give Up Either] (in Japanese). Translated by Richard H. Morita. Īhatōvu Furontia. ISBN 978-4-900779-84-6.
  • Craig Kielburger (20 June 2000) [1998-01-01]. Bokutachi wa, jiyū da! Kureigu shōnen no minami Ajia 50-nichikan no bōkenki [We Are Free! Craig's 50-Day Adventure in South Asia] (in Japanese). Translated by Sako Noriko. Hon no Izumi Sha. ISBN 978-4-88023-331-4.
  • Susan Kuklin (15 September 2012) [1998-10-01]. Ikubaru to nakamatachi: Jidō rōdō ni tachimukatta hitobito [Iqbal and His Companions: People Who Stood Up Against Child Labor]. Nonfikushon Books (in Japanese). Translated by Nagano, Tōru; Akatsuka, Kyōko. Komine Shoten. ISBN 978-4-338-15507-6.
  • Chiara Rossāni (2017). Ikubaru: Inochi o kakete tatakatta shōnen no yume [Iqbal: The Dream of a Boy Who Fought Risking His Life] (in Japanese). Translated by Eiko Sekiguchi. Nishimura Shoten. ISBN 978-4-89013-986-6.
  • Garth Sandem, ed. (2009). Futsū no ko ni dekiru sugoi koto [Amazing Things Ordinary Kids Can Do] (in Japanese). Translated by Satta Akira. Merukumāru. ISBN 978-4-8397-0138-3.
  • Shibata Mamoru (20 September 1995). "'Hitotsu no sekai, hitotsu no onsei, rentai' o tēma ni - Dai 23-kai FIET sekai taikai -" [Under the theme "One World, One Voice, Solidarity" - The 23rd FIET World Congress]. Sekai no Rōdō [World Labour] (in Japanese). 45 (9). Nihon ILO Kyōkai. CRID 1523106605162914944.
  • Janet Winter (31 March 2015) [2014-11-04]. Marara to Ikubaru: Pakisutan no yūkan na kodomotachi [Malala and Iqbal: Courageous Children of Pakistan] (in Japanese). Translated by Ai Doden. Iwasaki Shoten. ISBN 978-4-265-85084-6.
  • Yamazaki Yūya (1 February 2000). "Kodomo da kara dekiru koto" [Things That Can Be Done Because They Are Children]. Kokusai Kyōryoku [International Cooperation] (in Japanese) (562). Kokusai Kyōryoku Jigyōdan. NCID AN00290531.
  • Imidas Jōhō Chishiki 1996 [Imidas Information & Knowledge 1996] (in Japanese). Shueisha. 1 January 1996. ISBN 978-4-08-100010-4.
  • Ajia ni okeru kōsei rōdō kijun [Fair Labor Standards in Asia]. Chōsa Kenkyū Hōkokusho (in Japanese). Nihon Rōdō Kenkyū Kikō. 30 March 2001. p. 88. ISBN 978-4-538-89141-5. Archived from the original on 25 February 2013. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
  • "Pakistani boy who exposed child labour to the world - "12-year-old activist" shot: Human rights violation, say West". Yomiuri Shimbun (in Japanese) (Tokyo morning ed.). Yomiuri Shimbun. 20 April 1995. p. 7.
  • Hayashi Michirō (18 July 1995). "Three South Asian countries finally move to ban harsh 'child labour': Responding to external pressure from boycotts". Yomiuri Shimbun (in Japanese) (Tokyo evening ed.). p. 5.
  • Hayashi Michirō (11 February 1996). "Film exposing child labour in preparation; Production staff charged as spies: Pakistan Federal Investigation Agency". Yomiuri Shimbun (in Japanese) (Tokyo morning ed.). p. 4.
  • Matsuno Kazuo (19 March 2019). "Gekidan Masashi-bu stages play based on facts of harsh child labour; Performance in Hashimoto on 23rd". Mainichi Shimbun (in Japanese) (Wakayama ed.). Mainichi Shimbun. p. 26.

Further reading

[edit]
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Iqbal Masih.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Iqbal_Masih&oldid=1284632091"