A problem that begs for a solution

Where ever you go in Sri Lanka, you are never far from a beggar. But begging is not a social phenomenon unique to Sri Lanka. Beggars can be seen in the capitals and major cities of even the most advanced countries. Poverty - and the inability to find work (unemployment) are the main causes for begging, anywhere in the world.

We focus on this subject this week in the light of the recent ban on begging in public transport (buses and trains). Actually, there has always been an unacknowledged ban on begging in public transport, though this is the first time that the authorities are planning to implement it sternly. Selling goods inside buses and trains has also been banned.

Begging in buses and trains is a nuisance to passengers. There is no doubt on this score. In this context alone, the ban is a timely and commendable move. However, according to newspaper reports there is little sign that the ban has actually come into effect, with bus authorities and the police blaming each other for the impasse.

Sri Lanka Private Bus Owners Association President Gemunu Wijeratne has said that the police had failed to arrest a single person for begging or selling goods inside private buses. We do not know the situation with regard to State-owned buses and railways, but it is safe to assume that the status quo is the same.

Police, on the other hand, say they cannot arrest a person without a complaint being made, unless it is a very grave crime. And who is going to complain - the bus crew or the passengers ? The latter will surely not want to waste their time going to a police station or giving statements just to take action against a beggar or beggars.

The Police will face a logistical nightmare if they were to man each and every bus islandwide, not to mention the hundreds of trains. This was not possible even during the height of LTTE terror when bombs went off in buses regularly. Suffice to say that the Police would find it extremely difficult to fully implement this measure.

Clearly, the onus is on the bus crew to tackle this issue. They should prevent beggars and salesmen from boarding their buses in the first place. The passengers are helpless on this issue. Again, this is not as easy as it sounds. With the driver firmly in his seat, the conductor alone cannot be expected to physically prevent the entry of a beggar. Besides, can they manhandle a beggar or forcibly evict him or her from the bus ? What if an injury is caused either to the beggar or the crew member in this process ?

In the case of trains, the guard alone cannot handle the numerous beggars and salespersons boarding the compartments.

The railway security service too cannot be committed full time to this task, although they can play a role by preventing the entry of beggars to stations and platforms. However, there are many occasions when they board trains at stations and transit/signal stops which do not have guards in any case.

However, one cannot also dismiss the humanitarian aspect. Apart from those 'employed' as beggars by certain unscrupulous persons or drug addicts masquerading as beggars, there are people who genuinely have to beg for a living due to poverty, disability or other unfortunate circumstances. There are many who do not want to beg, but have no alternative.

It is a huge social problem. Can a person with a heart chase away a blind man from boarding a bus to collect a few rupees ? Would you manhandle a multiple amputee with a begging bowl hanging from his neck ? Doesn't your heart melt when you see a young woman with an infant begging on the streets? It is indeed a tough decision, whoever has to take it.

It is clear that ad-hoc measures alone cannot solve the begging problem. The Social Services/Rehabilitation Ministries, Women and Childcare services, Provincial Councils and Local Bodies, Governments Agents, Police and other arms of the Government must be involved in a cohesive plan to minimise, if not eliminate, begging in our society. Laws alone cannot accomplish this task.

The Ridigama Rehabilitation Centre for destitute persons/beggars must be reorganized. A few more centres of this nature should be set up in key areas. Child beggars and mothers begging with children must be identified and directed towards relevant institutions. For example, child beggars can be housed in children's homes. Mothers who have to beg to feed their children should be given the option of handing them over to foster parents for adoption or to children's homes. This was highlighted in the case of the mother who threw her child to the Kalu Ganga recently.

In the case of disabled persons who have resorted to begging, it would be commendable if Government or private organisations can come forward to give them training in some vocation and subsequently direct them towards employment. Elderly persons who have taken to begging could also be sent to elders' homes. Some beggars should also be employed to sell lottery tickets and other minor items, so that they do not have to beg.

Persons or gangs behind 'organised begging' (begging as a business) should be identified and appropriate action taken against them. Some of these gangs are also closely involved in organised crime. Bogus beggars operating individually should also be identified. However, the ultimate long term solution would be the eradication of poverty and the creation of job opportunities for all.

Other than private transport, there are many other places where beggars have become a nuisance. Nearly all the traffic lights in Colombo are 'manned' by a posse of beggars.

They pose a real threat to the safety of road users, obstructing vehicles to get money from vehicle drivers and passengers. Motorists have to avoid them carefully when the lights go green, because some of them do not even move away from the road or the kerb.

The Police and local authorities must take steps to evict these beggars. Beggars are also a frequent sight at village fairs, shopping centres and busy roads. The authorities must find ways and means of dealing with this problem.

It might not be possible to 'ban' begging altogether in that sense of the word, in a democracy. It cannot be considered a crime or vice as such although certain criminal elements are connected to organised begging. The first step is to recognise that it is a social problem whose root causes have to be addressed. As the country develops and poverty declines, so should begging. But the time has come to start the search for a solution to this major problem.