Beggar or thief?:

The well-heeled have more problems with their conscience

by Samangie Wettimuny

A school friend of mine related to me the story of the usual 'dumb' beggar who appeared at her doorstep suddenly, and miraculously gained vocal powers. Though I found what she said quite humorous, her voice was choked with anger when narrating the story.

"It was through gestures that he expressed his needs. Since he was disabled I used to give him a penny or something to eat whenever I can. I did that out of genuine sympathy. I was in a hurry one day I couldn't give him anything and to my utter amazement the 'dumb' man almost demanded "Keeyakhari denna, his athin yanna ba" . (Give me something, can't go empty handed.) After that incident I don't feel like giving even a cent to any beggar"

Do you also hate the entire beggar community because one cheated you? Or, have you made it a habit to give a rupee or two to a beggar whom you come across on the street? Perhaps you may be among the many who think 'why can't these beggars do some kind of a job to make a living?'

Concerned

Geography teacher Mrs. Zoysa finds it impossible to ignore the pleas of beggars. "They may sometimes pretend that they are deaf and dumb. Why the deviousness? It is all because they are helpless and they need your help.

When they look up at us with sad eyes, desperate for attention I can't move away from them without giving them a cent.I often see people busily moving to and fro without paying any attention to the pleas of these disabled, crippled, poor fellows dressed in rags. But I can't do that.'

But as A/L English teacher Mrs. Wazeera sees it, not all the beggars are disabled. There are fellows who look really healthy. "Why can't they do some kind of job? They can either sell lottery tickets or else they can mend shoes and make a living.

Begging has become a way of making easy money and they'll never get out of it, if we make it a habit of giving them money." "Ramazan month is round the corner and beggars make use of this sacred month also," she adds.

"Since meritorious deeds are encouraged during this month, beggars are always at our doorstep knowing that we won't let them go empty handed.

They sometimes come in groups. I know very well that some of these people are not real beggars, they are ones who emerge during that month...and their frequent presence is really troublesome" But university student Maithri says some people are in the habit of criticizing beggars just because they are too stingy to take a cent out of their pockets.

"If they beg on the road or step into a bus, yearning for your help you should always help them. If you can't do that you should at least stop criticizing these poor fellows. I always keep extra money with me to give them. Sometimes I even ask what their need is and would even buy them clothes or food."

As HR officer Nalin believes they'd never come to you if they are really capable. "As human beings they too have their self respect and dignity." "Do you think they will sacrifice their self respect and dignity just to get a few cents or for a free meal packet from you? So make it a habit to give them a rupee or two always....'' he says.

But what would be your reaction if you get to know that begging too has become a business for some? Housewife Sheila knows of a person in Kandy who steps into buses carrying some medical certificates saying that doctors have recommended a surgery on him.

"One day, he had accidentally stepped into a bus in which my husband was on board. He had seen people giving him 500 rupee notes because of the way he pleaded. As soon as he saw my husband, he had got down from the bus and vanished" "If a person steps into a bus or comes into my place with medical certificates I ask for the original because these fake certificates are normally photocopied ones and do not have the signature of the medical officer," she says.

Strange behaviour

Marketing officer Nadeeka too has an 'interesting' "( ..she doesn't feel so) story about her 'encounter' with a beggar to whom she used to give regular hand outs. " A fine thing happened one day. My car broke down on my way home and since my handphone did not have signals I had to go to a telephone booth nearby, to make a call.

This place was just a few metres away from that beggar's usual location. But now he was standing in a corner with a stealthy look on his face. It seemed as if he was shocked to see me there at that unusual hour. I went inside the telephone booth and while making the call, I looked out from the booth. To my utter amazement I saw the beggar getting into a van."

The following day I asked a shop owner nearby about the beggar only to get the answer " Miss, oka business ekak, misslawa modayata andala hondata hambakaranawa." (Its an enterprise, you are being duped.) The shop owner had known what the beggar was upto, but the lady didn't.

One or two may cheat you, but are all of them the same?. As Nishika, a private sector employee, observes "I really like to help beggars; when they bestow merits on us I feel really happy. But not all the poor ones come to us begging. There are a set who stay for days in hunger without asking for food from anybody. They starve and suffer in silence. In fact it is not difficult to find such people as we know their economic conditions. Most of the time I reach out to them. What they spend the money for, means little to me, as I gain immense satisfaction through helping them".

Not innocent

There are certain beggars who collect lunch packets for re-sale. " Sometimes people give them meal packets to fulfil vows. These meal packets are well prepared. The beggars know that and try to sell them" says a regular devotee at the Kalutara Bodhi who has witnessed a beggar doing so. " Anyway I continue to give them money or food because it is their poverty that makes them cheat" she adds.

Do you really think that the small children who are with these beggars are their own children? asks Banking officer Sandun.

"It is a planned business. Highly profitable" he chuckles. "At the end of the day these children are being returned to their owners. Keeping a child with them is a tested technique to attract the sympathy of the others." But, I personally know about beggar families who beg along with their own children, and I feel the banking officer is too harsh on the beggar community.

But the dilemma is - how do you ignore the cheats, but help the genuine? "Beggars are not so innocent as you think" says management trainee Krishan." I gave a two rupee coin to a beggar once, and he said Rupiyaal dekak monawa karannada. (What can I do with two rupees). I do not give anything now as a consequence. "Some beggars are at your doorstep panting" he continues.

Then you give them a glass of water simply out of sympathy. Do you think they'll drink it. They'll most probably say 'give me cool water' he says. That's high-end begging, for you.

Certain beggars would either sing a song or play a tabla in order to attract the attention of people. "Out of tune he may be, but then we feel like throwing a coin at them." "There is a blind old man in the Kandy town who plays his tabla for hours and passers- by are only too willing to give him a rupee." says a student from Peradeniya University.

Many programmes are in operation for eradicating poverty and allowances such as 'samurdhi' are normally handed out in Sri Lanka for the low income groups. But whether the country is developed or not, there will always be beggars depending on your rupee or two...........