The seven colors tea. El té de los siete colores

What you see in the picture is a wonder only available in some bars at the Sreemongol area. It is a seven colors tea: each layer with a different color and made with different varieties of tea (black and green) and with a different preparation (with milk, lemon, cinnamon, ginger, clove). And it is delicious. Something that we will offer you when you come to visit us!

Esto que ves es una maravilla sólo disponible en unos cuantos bares en la zona de Srimongol. Se trata de un té de 7 colores: cada capa es de un color diferente y está hecha o con variedades de té diferentes (negro y verde) y con una preparación diferente (con leche, con limón, a la canela, al jengibre, al clavo). Y es delicioso. ¡Algo que te ofreceremos cuando vengas a visitarnos!

How can we not believe in miracles if we see them every day? ¿Cómo no vamos a creer en los milagros si los vemos todos los días?

Today one of our small dreams -- which was at the same time a need -- has become a reality. It was to have a vehicle to visit the tea plantations villages. The communities we serve are scattered over an area of 100 km in length by 60 km wide around Sreemongol. We had asked for help to buy the motorized tricycle that you see in the photos; in Bangladesh they are called CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) and are normally the vehicles humble people use as taxis to move around. We didn't want a spectacular off-road, but something simple and cheap not getting us too far away from the reality of the poor people we serve. Well, it happened that someone has sent us the money needed for it. How can we not believe in miracles if we see them every day? Thanks to God and thanks to their emissaries, who on this occasion have been Emilio, Merche and Mary, our special angels. Curiously, on our way back home in our brand new CNG people were surprised to see a couple of foreigners driving such a humble vehicle, and more than one has taken pictures from us...

Hoy hemos hecho realidad uno de nuestros pequeños sueños, que era al mismo tiempo una necesidad. Se trataba de tener un vehículo con el que poder visitar los poblados de las plantaciones de té. Las comunidades a las que intentamos servir están diseminadas en un área de 100 km de largo por 60 km de ancho en la zona alrededor de Srimongol. Habíamos solicitado ayuda para comprar el triciclo motorizado que ves en las fotos; en Bangladesh se les llama CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) y son los vehículos en los que la gente humilde se desplaza normalmente utilizándolos como taxis. No queríamos comprar un todoterreno espectacular, sino algo sencillo y barato que no nos alejara de la realidad de la gente pobre a la que servimos. Pues bien, hete aquí que alguien nos ha enviado el dinero necesario. ¿Cómo no vamos a creer en los milagros si los vemos todos los días? Gracias a Dios, y gracias a sus emisarios, que en esta ocasión han sido Emilio, Merche y Mary, nuestros ángeles particulares. Por cierto que en el camino de vuelta a casa montados en nuestro flamante CNG la gente se sorprendía al ver a unos extranjeros conduciendo tan humilde vehículo, y más de uno nos ha hecho fotos.

Wicked human rights infringement in Nihar, Bangladesh. Inicuo atropello a los derechos humanos en Nihar, Bangladesh

Nihar I Punji

by Fr. Joseph Gomes, OMI

In the Sreemangal tea plantations area under the District of Moulvibazar, there are two groups of populations. On the one hand the tea gardens workers, and on the other hand the Khasi Tribal people, who live in villages (punjis) enclaves in the tea plantations where they primarily cultivate betel leaves (a stimulant much appreciated in the entire Indian subcontinent). The first group lives in slave-like conditions, with very low wages maximum Tk. 68 per day (65 cents of euro), without the rights to own land or home, without the right to Labor Unions representation. The second group, the Khasi, has been living here for generations but do not have documents to prove it, and are at the mercy of the predatory tea companies, which constantly threaten to expel them from the land of their ancestors.

That is exactly what happened on May 30^th in the Nahar-1 Khasi punji. Mr. Pijush Kanti Bhattacherya, the manager of the Nihar Tea Estate company (Abul Khayer Group of Industries), taking advantage that the Khasi men were out working in the fields, invaded the village in which there were only women and children, trying to evict them by force. The most infamous was that they mobilized for that their workers from nearby tea plantations, that is, they mobilized poor against poor. But no one expected that women and children were to stand up and defend themselves; there was fighting, violence, and some ten people were injured from both sides including four Khasi ladies, with such bad luck that one of the invaders died at the hospital three days later.

As a result, for several days Nihar Punji has been besieged by the police and the tea workers; no one could enter or leave, putting at risk the lives of children and elderly. Now violence seems to calm down, but the company Abul Khayer Group of Industries is trying to take advantage of the death (totally unwanted) of one of its workers to, once and for all, expel the Khasis and take possession of the village to enlarge the surface destined to the production of tea.

The Khasis are also reacting, supported by some organizations for the defense of Human Rights such as Transparency International Bangladesh, some local Indigenous Organizations, the Catholic Diocese of Sylhet and some Religious Congregations (Holy Cross, Oblates and Marist Brothers).

In this situation both the parties have filed cases against each other in Sreemangal Police station. Most of the Khasi men are in fear and out of the village in order to avoid arrest by police. Police from Sreemangal are going to the Khasi village practically every day and threatening by saying “if we do not find men in the village we will arrest women”. The Khasi women are very courageous and saying to the police in reply that “if you arrest us and put us into the custody take our children too along with us”.

We expect the traditional Right to own the land of their ancestors to be recognized.  Hopefully the tea companies will moderate their greed. Hopefully the managers will stop using their poor semi-slaves workers to invade the land of Khasis.  We hope the Government of Bangladesh will be sensitive to the existence of Indigenous peoples governed by a traditional ancestral law even without papers or written documents proving it. And we wish peace and harmony based on the respect for the human beings.

En la zona de las plantaciones de té de Srimongol, hay dos tipos de poblaciones. Por un lado los trabajadores del té, y por otra las gentes de la tribu Kashi, que viven en poblados (punjis) enclavados en las plantaciones y subsisten cultivando las hojas de betel (un estimulante muy apreciado en todo el subcontinente indio). El primer grupo vive en condiciones de semi-esclavitud, con salarios bajísimos, sin derecho a poseer tierra ni casa, sin derecho a representación sindical. El segundo grupo, los Kashi, han estado viviendo en este lugar por generaciones pero no poseen papeles que lo acrediten, por lo cual están a la merced de las depredadoras compañías de té, que constantemente les amenazan con expulsarles de la tierra de sus ancestros.

Esto es exactamente lo que ha pasado el pasado día 30 de mayo en el punji de Nihar. El capataz de la compañía Abul Khayer Group of Industries, aprovechando que los varones estaban fuera trabajando en los campos, invadió el poblado en el que sólo había mujeres y niños tratando de desalojarles por la fuerza. Lo más infame fue que para ello movilizaron a los propios trabajadores de las plantaciones de té vecinas, es decir movilizaron a pobres contra pobres. Pero nadie contaba con que las mujeres y los niños les iban a plantar cara; hubo lucha, violencia, y unas diez personas resultaron heridas por ambos bandos, con tal mala suerte que uno de los invasores resultó muerto después de tres días en el hospital.

A resultas de todo esto, durante varios días Nihar Punji ha estado sitiado por la policía y los trabajadores del té; nadie podía entrar ni salir, poniendo en peligro la subsistencia de niños y ancianos. La situación de violencia parece haber remitido, pero la compañía Abul Khayer está intentando sacar partido de la muerte (por nadie querida ni buscada) de uno de sus trabajadores para, de una vez por todas, expulsar a los Kashi y tomar posesión del poblado para agrandar aun más la superficie destinada a la producción de té.

Los Kashi también están reaccionando, con el apoyo de algunas organizaciones de defensa de los derechos humanos como Transparencia Internacional, algunas organizaciones indígenas locales, la diócesis católica de Sylhet y algunas congregaciones religiosas (Holy Cross, Oblatos de María Inmaculada y Hermanos Maristas).

Ambas partes han presentado cargos ante los tribunales. La mayoria de los hombres Khasi estan escondidos en la maleza por miedo a ser arrestados por la policia, que cada dia visita el punji con la amenaza de "arrestar a las mujeres si no encuentran a los hombres". Las mujeres, que son bastante valientes, les responden que "si nos arrestais a nosotroas tendreis que llevar tambien a nuestros hijos a la carcel".

 Ojalá que el derecho tradicional a poseer la tierra de sus ancestros sea reconocido. Ojalá que las compañías del té moderen su avidez por despojarles de sus tierras. Ojalá que los capataces dejen de utilizar a sus pobres semi-esclavos trabajadores para invadir la tierra de los Kashis. Ojalá el Gobierno de Bangladesh se muestre sensible a la existencia de personas que se rigen por un derecho tradicional ancestral aunque no tengan papeles o documentos escritos que lo acrediten. Y que reine la paz y la concordia basada en el respeto a la persona humana.

Our only way out is Education. Nuestra única salida es la Educación

A couple of embarrassing questions, no answer. Un par de preguntas sin respuesta

William Hanna, EU Ambassador

Some days ago we attended a meeting organized by Mr. Philip Gain, leader of SEHD, a local NGO interested in tribal communities and tea workers human rights with whom we intend to work together. The main guest was Mr. William Hanna, EU Ambassador to Bangladesh. It was a most interesting meeting. We could listen to a tea worker lady, Unions representatives, Bangladesh Tea Board people, and so on. After listening attentively to everyone, Ambassador Hanna asked a couple of very simple questions; “Why the tea workers are denied the right to owe their own piece of land?” and then “Why the salary is so low?” You can imagine the embarrassment of the Government official to whom the questions were put. In fact, he didn’t answer at all. Mr. Hanna promised to fight for the elemental rights of the Tea Garden population to be respected. So be it!

Philip Gain, SEHD Director

Hace unos días asistimos a una reunión organizada por D. Philip Gain, director de SEHD, una ONG local que trabaja por las comunidades tribales y los derechos humanos de los trabajadores de las plantaciones de té, con la que pretendemos colaborar. El invitado de honor era el Sr. William Hanna, embajador de la UE en Bangladesh. Fue muy interesante. Varias personas tomaron la palabra: una trabajadora de las plantaciones, un par de delegados sindicales, gente del Oficio Nacional del Té, y alguno más. Después de escuchar a todos, el embajador hizo un par de preguntas muy sencillas: “¿Por qué se les niega a los trabajadores el derecho de poseer un trozo de tierra?” y otra “¿Por qué sus salarios son tan sumamente bajos?” Puedes imaginarte lo incómodo de la situación para el representante del Gobierno a quien dirigió las preguntas, que de hecho no fue capaz de contestar. William Hanna prometió luchar por los derechos elementales de las gentes de las plantaciones de té. Así sea.

There’s nothing to gain by using the cane. No se gana nada a palos (Against the corporal punishment. Contra el castigo corporal)

Transcription of an article published in the Bangladeshi online newspaper "New Age" about corporal punishment and its significance in the environment of violence prevailing in the country.


 There’s an enormous violence undercurrent in Bangladesh, you will have noticed. We see its ugly face during hartals, especially. We read about the mindless beatings and killings in the blood-filled streets and our TV screen are crammed with public transport, shops, houses, even schools ablaze and shameless damage to private and public property. It is as if causing willful damage and terrorizing innocent people is a perk of the process and fun to be had by the mindless participants and most probably it is. Such deplorable scenes are likely to continue long into the future, if the problem isn’t addressed soon. In some schools a fresh batch of terrorists are being prepared right now. Any school that engages in the use of corporal punishment is a breeding ground for terrorists. Some of the ‘teachers’ who ‘teach’ at these schools are themselves terrorists. The messages they deliver via the cane, clenched fists and open hands are messages of terrorism, oppression and fear. While the children are perhaps a decade or two away from making throwing their first bomb into an overcrowded public bus; corporal punishment teaches them that violence is good... that violence is the solution to all problems.

Traducción de un artículo publicado en el periódico bangladeshi on line “New Age” sobre el castigo corporal y su transcendencia en el ambiente de violencia reinante en el país.


 Hay un enorme trasfondo de violencia en Bangladesh, como habrán podido observar últimamente. Su horrorosa cara se hace visible especialmente en los hortales (huelgas). Los periódicos y la televisión están atiborrados de imágenes de golpes sin sentido, asesinatos en las calles llenas de sangre, transportes públicos, tiendas, casas, incluso escuelas en llamas y daños a la propiedad pública y privada. Es como si causar daño intencional y aterrorizar a gente inocente fuera una diversión para los autores, y probablemente lo es. Es muy posible que escenas tan deplorables continúen produciéndose en el futuro si no se aborda pronto el problema. En algunas escuelas se está gestando ahora un futuro grupo de terroristas. Una escuela que acepte el uso del castigo corporal es un caldo de cultivo para los terroristas. Algunos de los 'maestros' que 'enseñan' en estas escuelas son terroristas. El mensaje que transmiten usando “el palo”, los puños o las manos abiertas es un mensaje de terrorismo, de opresión y miedo. Los niños víctimas de esta violencia corporal serán tal vez dentro de una década o dos quienes lancen su primera bomba dentro de un autobús atestado; el castigo corporal les enseña que la violencia es buena... que la violencia es la solución a todos los problemas.

Worse than the officers’ pets. Peor que las mascotas de los capataces

“We live in places worse than that of the officers’ pets (at the estates). Many of us have only a thin jute mattress to sleep on,” describes a tea worker about their living condition.

"Vivimos en el lugares peores que los de las mascotas de los capataces (en las plantaciones). Muchos de nosotros tenemos sólo un colchón fino de yute para dormir," describe un trabajador té sobre sus condiciones de vida.

Miserable and inhuman. Miserable e inhumano

Sanitary condition of tea garden is miserable and inhuman. Children feces are generally disposed to nearby water bodies or throwing in the jungle. Sometimes feces are also washed under tube wells or thrown in the yard. The problem is acute with female residents who have to wait in a queue for longtime for defecation, or use a neighbor latrine if available. Almost half of the people do not have any proper latrine facilities. It is observed that many people are using a single latrine. At least 10 persons use one latrine and sometimes the number of users increases to 40.

Las condiciones sanitarias en las plantaciones de té son miserables e inhumanas. Las heces de los niños son arrojadas cerca de masas de agua o directamente a la jungla. A veces se lavan en pozos o se tiran al patio. El problema es aun más agudo para las mujeres, que tienen que esperar largas colas para defecar, o utilizar una letrina cercana si está disponible. Casi la mitad de las personas no tienen las instalaciones de letrinas adecuadas. Una sola letrina sirve para un gran número de personas. Al menos 10 personas por letrina y a veces el número de usuarios aumenta hasta 40.

A land flowing with milk and honey. Una tierra que mana lecha y miel

Tea plantation at commercial scale started in Bangladesh region in 1854, when the current country belonged to the Indian province of Assam. Local people were not interested to work there due to the hard manual work that implies. The British companies brought people belonging to the “untouchable” Hindu communities from different parts of India to work in the tea gardens in Sylhet region, promising them that they would be given a beautiful piece of land and that they would work in a land flowing with milk and honey. After more than 150 years and several generations, those people and their families depend exclusively on the companies running the Tea plantations. The house where they live is not theirs, they have no own land to cultivate, no possibility of saving any money... their only possession is their work force. They have no choice, because, outside the Tea plantation they have nothing: no roots, no history, no social standing in their own country.

Las plantaciones de té a escala comercial comenzaron en la región de Bangladesh en 1854, cuando el país aún pertenecía a la provincia India de Assam. Los nativos de la región no estaban interesados en esta clase de trabajo debido a la ardua labor manual que implicaba. Las empresas británicas trajeron entonces a personas pertenecientes a las comunidades hindúes "intocables" de diferentes partes de la India para trabajar en los campos de té en la región de Sylhet, engañándoles y prometiéndoles que les darían un hermoso pedazo de tierra y que trabajarían en una tierra que mana leche y miel. 150 años y varias generaciones después, los trabajadores y sus familias aún dependen exclusivamente de las compañías propietarias de las plantaciones de té. La miserable casa donde viven no es suya, no tienen tierras para cultivar, sin posibilidad de ahorrar la mínima cantidad de dinero... su única posesión es su mano de obra. No tienen elección, porque fuera de la plantación de té no tienen absolutamente nada: viven sin raíces, sin historia, sin status social en su propio país.

Education is the only way out of poverty

“The wage is low.  It is not enough to live on,” says Ruchina Dufo lethargically.  She has probably said this many times yet nothing has changed.  With this starvation wage which the 43 year old earns as a tea picker, she has to feed her four children and her sick mother.  Her sick mother is paralyzed from her hips to her feet so she spends her monotonous days on a roughly hewn wooden flat bed.  It is the only piece of furniture in the house.  A couple of sheet metal pots, a kerosene lamp, a blanket, which she spreads across the mud floor when it’s time to sleep – they own no more.

Ruchina confesses that she sometimes reaches her limit.  “But I have to go on,” she says.  Her face shows no expression. What alternative does she have?  Her parents before her, worked as tea pickers.

“The biggest problem is the house,” Ruchina explains soberly: “If I would look for different work, I would have no roof over my head anymore.”

Most people think alike.  This is the right of the tea companies.  The rent free living, the isolated villages and the many years of refusal by the government to allow schools here all created this dependency.

For herself, claims Ruchina, she has no hope left. Maybe her children will experience better times.  She knows education is the only way out of poverty. 

This is an extract taken from the German made Kontinente Magazin, specialized in Missions.

The Marist Brothers want to do something to bring this people out of their plight

Beautiful Tea plants

Last week I visited along with other people the tea plantations that the Finlay Company owns at Srimongol, northeast of Bangladesh. There I have seen that in the 21st century slavery (or semi-slavery) still exists in the world. Workers in the tea plantations, working 8 hours a day, receive a salary of 48 takas (less than 50 cents of Euro a day). They live in houses (houses?) belonging to the company. They have the right to live in these houses while they work on the plantations, otherwise they are expelled. It is allowed only one person per family to work in the plantations, implying that the 48 takas are the daily family wage, not the person wage. We can easily understand that it is impossible to save any money, so that they cannot leave and go to another place; people in the tea gardens stay chained to the Company for ever. If a worker dies, another member of the family may take place; there have been cases of children who were studying at secondary school, for whom a better future seemed to be open, which have had to drop out of school because their father or mother died and had to replace them on the plantation, else the family would be expelled.

All I say of Finlay Company applies for all other companies having tea plantations in Bangladesh. It is a shame; I'm outraged. The Marist Brothers want to do something to bring this people out of their plight and are going to build a secondary school for their sons and daughters. It will be a long, difficult and expensive process, but we will try. They are the poorest of the poor in Bangladesh and it is worth it, with the help of God.

Tea Gardens in Bangladesh, a case of modern slavery

“Their poor housing conditions, low wages, long working hours, social discrimination, and de facto restriction on free movement deprive them of many basic human needs and rights that every human being must have for personal and societal progress. These conditions make sure that the children of tea workers can do nothing else but become tea workers. Deprived, exploited and alienated the tea workers live an inhumane life”