COMBATING ORGANISED CRIME
THROUGH
MASS AWARENESS PROGRAMME
By
SHARMILA BOSE
Researcher in Political Science
New Delhi
Abstract
Human Trafficking is the instrument to provide human resources for the
Organised Crime towards trafficking of drugs, sex and arms conflict that can be
checked through Mass Awareness Programme since most of the trafficking is
mainly through deception and manipulation and not by choice from the region who
are alienated from the information and awareness. The main victims of the human trafficking are
from the rural and tribal region, which is suppressed due to negligent on the
indigenous economy. Folk cultures were
the tools of economy historically.
‘Jatra’, the heritage of Bengal folk culture were the medium for the socio-political
changes since the era of Bhakti (Devotional) Moment in India to the era of
post-WWII. Folk cultures not only create
an awareness and entertainment, but bind the community and generate economy as
well. The intellectualism and creativity
that flourish in Bengal can be used towards
revitalizing the spirit of social reform in the region, which is under the grip
of Organised Crime against humanity through deception and deprivation.
Organised Crime
is
not based on the instinct, but a system, which is interconnect through
multi-layers actors and based on Dependency theory of Core, Semi-Periphery and
Periphery relations in the World System.
The ignorance of
the population towards their rights from the Nation and the Community towards
Life of Dignity is the main reason towards a systematic exploitation and
oppression of the people of the deprived community in the hand of few powerful
to fulfill the vested interest of the few powerful Nations through illicit
migration for forced labour, sexual slavery and arms conflict.
The versatility
of Organized Crime to which population from the backward region is victimized
especially those who are tribal and do not relate to the mainstream economy.
They are used towards indigenous conflicts, forced labour for the toxic
industries and sexual slavery along with victimizing for organ smuggling. The ignorance of the issues and its
implication of such activities in their health hazard and life is the main
reason for these populations to become the victim of trafficking.
The relevance of
Mass Awareness Programme is mandatory to check the illicit migration whether a
voluntary movement or trafficked since trafficking of population do not provide
solutions to the Land of Origin and to the Land of Destination
and create enormous economic, political and cultural crisis. Issues like Human Trafficking through forced
marriage, abduction, violence whether physical or sexual, misinformation and
manipulation can be elucidate and emancipate through the Mass awareness
programme.
Though the level
of trafficking and organized crime differ from region to region and varies it’s
potential from tribal to urban population, so the pattern of Mass Awareness
Programme also varies. Though many
Non-Governmental Organizations are working towards the emancipation of the
population from the deprived community through skill development, but these
populations are further trafficked towards the forced labour in tune of
employment opportunities.
There is an
absolute discord between the Policies and the activities of Voluntary
organization funded by Corporate and International Organizations to check the
trafficking of the population through indigenous economy. This further makes the groomed population by
the NGOs directionless and become a victim or the tool of the trafficking
nexus.
It is important
for the population to have a choice towards not to become a victim of Organised
Crime by way of facilitation or exploitation.
Mass Awareness Programme (MAP) provides such scope for the people to choose
to refuse to be exploited.
The medium for
the Awareness programme do varies from the region to region. It could be educative or entertaining. Educative pattern of Awareness programme will
not attain the mass attention and may even face confrontation, but the
entertaining medium will attract the masses.
Historically,
Folk cultures were the medium of Mass Awareness.
One of the Folk Culture,
Jatra originated
in Bengal was powerful medium of Awareness
along with Pleasure theatre which remained connected with the Social and
Political changes through the medieval era to the era of post-World War II.
Jatra means “procession”.
This form may have come into existence in the
16
th century as a part of Vaisnava Devotional Movement introduced by
Chaitanya, which swept the population into the folds of Songs, dances and plays
to propagate the faith.
Up to 19
th century
Jatra plays focused on religious themes
and were instructive and moralistic in tone.
In the eighteenth century
Jatra has a sweeping popularity.
The masses were hungry for this intensely emotional musical form.
Historical romances and love stories were
added to the repertoire. These included passionate scenes of abduction,
murder and horror.
By the close of the
eighteenth century Bengal was completely under
the East India Company. The British introduced permanent land settlements
and a new system of government. The rising gentry were prosperous.
Riches flowed, and with the new wealth came the desire for
entertainment. In the nineteenth century the
Jatra repertoire swelled with love themes, erotic stories,
mythological heroes, historical romances, tales of legendary robbers, saints,
social reformers and champions of truth and justice, diluting its religious
color. The Jatra became secular and more contemporary in character.
As political consciousness grew, Jatra writers gave political coloring to their
palas. Mythological stories, fights between Good and Evil,
symbolized the Indian masses and the British. The Devil was dressed in
the tight trousers and black jacket of the nineteenth century, and the Noble
Prince wore the Indian dhoti.
Jatra was
mobilized by the Indian People’s Theatre Association (IPTA) during World War II
to win for the Communist Party’s association with the Allies after Germany invaded Russia.
The Communist party made use of Jatra to propagate
its political message.
Hence, it is an indicator that
the Bengal Folk Culture evolutes from the Bhakti (Devotional) Movement of 16th
Century to the era of Globalization of 21st century by way of
entertainment along with the carrier of social and political message.
The design and
pattern of Jatra is more people
connected than any other conventional pattern of theatre and
entertainment. It is a low cost
arrangement and has a larger connectivity to the audience where digital mass
media do not have reachable capabilities.
Jatra frequently takes place in the open
air under the large temporary canopy, which is called “sabha mandap”
(pavilion).
On the ground are spread
several large size rugs, carpets or bamboo mat on which audience sit packed
closely together.
A little square arena
called “Ranga Bhumi” marked as the enclosure in the middle of the Assembly.
Jatra performances resemble, the
Nautanki
of
Uttar Pradesh,
the
Tamasha
of
Maharashtra
and
Bhavai of
Gujarat.
The role of ‘Vivek’, i.e. Conscience in the folk
culture of Jatra is crucial that
makes this art a strong medium towards social change or social renaissance
which is under the grip of Global Mafia abusing the population by deception and
destitution.
The
Vivek is a character who can appear in any scene - in a bed chamber,
in a king's court, in heaven, in hell, in a burning ghat, in a forest, in a
street. He enjoys unrestricted freedom. Vivek means
"conscience." When a character does something wrong, the
Vivek turns up to warn in song. If
a king is doing an injustice, the
Vivek
suddenly appears to check him. Dressed like a madman - his eyes glazed,
his head and feet bare, his beard tangled - he wears a robe of black, saffron,
or white. His movements are sharp and conclusive. He enters the
gangway on the run and disappears in the same way. The
Vivek has a definite dramatic function. He comments on the
action by his song, externalizes the feeling of the character, plays his
double, and puts questions to him. He is everybody's shadow, a running
commentary on actions and events. He lives in the past, present and
future.
Domestic
Violence and Forced Marriage have greater influence in Human Trafficking in the
Land of Origin and also known as periphery
region towards sexual slavery and forced labour. Child Abduction or run away children are the
trend of deprived society that is further used for crimes, violence and forced
labour. It is important for population
to understand the miseries faced by these abducted children or women so that
they do not get victimized in the process of lure and deception. The traffickers generally locate the victim
of the disturb families, so that their action cannot be challenged due to
absence of family bond.
Besides,
Awareness programme, Folk culture generates Economy in the rural and tribal
region. The peripheries of the economy
generated through Folk Culture also keep the population intact in the
region. This helps in curtailing Human
Trafficking.
The rise of
Crimes that became Organised in due process of time is through the channel of
Recreation. Recreation is an important
part of human life and it provides energies and continuity of life. Various forms of Entertainment are also a
path of liberal thinking and creativity and generate new scope of thought. Hence, captivating human mind was crucial for
the British IR to control the Politics under the shield of Democracy.
Post-liberalisation
and Globalisation has changed the pattern of Entertainment which came under the
captivation of Under-world through illicit money of drugs, trafficking and
extortion. The glamorization of
Entertainment made a systematic approach to change the mind of the audience
against the Norms of the society. The
violence, greed and lust were imposed in the society through films and bringing
the pleasure dominant the society without accountability.
Though the
blooming of Entertainment Industries has given a huge scope of periphery
economy in the glamour world, which is presently dominating the National and
International Economy, but this blooming of Economy have deprived the major
Economy based on Industrial and Skill Development beyond the ambit of Glamour
and Entertainment, which is responsible for the growth and continuity of any
society resulting to collapse of Economy at National and at Global level.
When there is a
huge degradation of local economy in the era of Globalisation, this has given a
big set-back in the tribal and rural economy as well which further victimized
them towards Human Trafficking for forced labour, sexual slavery and arms
conflict. To strengthen the fabric of
rural and tribal communities, it is important to revitalize their culture and
traditions and Folk theatre is the means towards that.
The Folk
Theatres does not replace the digital display of cinema, which is mainly at the
mercy of the fraternity of Film production and exhibitors, but an alternate
medium of entertainment to which people have choice to recreate and within
their limited means. The Audience of the
Rural and Tribal society remains in the receiving end and do not get the
benefit of the economy generation for the locality and remain as a consumer.
Folk theatres
will bind the audience as participants, producers, suppliers along with the
periphery economies. When these Folk
theatre will address the issues like Trafficking, Smuggling, Drugs, Organ
stealing in their acts and exhibit, it will create awareness in the community. Entertainment binds the community.
With the revival
of folk theatre in tune of mass awareness programme against human trafficking
which will pave the way towards the revival of Bengal Renaissance against
organized crime which has become a great threat to humanity. Since the Eastern region of India is
perpetuate neglected and remained economically deprived and hence became the
victim of trafficking towards forced labour and sexual slavery.
The creed of Bengal filled with intellectualism and creativity will be
able to revitalize it legacy in the field of ‘Social-cultural reforms’.
Though an ample work done on Sati,
infanticide, polygamy, child marriage, caste-division, inter-caste hatred,
untouchability etc., the beginning of new era of renaissance towards human
trafficking against forced labour in toxic industries and sexual slavery, organ
smuggling, drugs trafficking, crime and violence that is blocking the path of
progress of the major portion of the population in the hand of Western
interest.
Revitalizing Jatra, the folk theatre will pave an
indigenous mechanism of education through entertainment that will not only
generate economy and employment, but also provide an alternate entertainment
which has been blocked by the entertainment run by illicit economy of drugs, trafficking,
smuggling, extortion and corruption.
