Cecil Pinto wrote:
Today I see down below my office (18th June Road) nothing less than 30
vendors all selling the same 'aid' clothes. And there is no dearth of
buyers. What's wrong with picking up 10 high quality imported though
slightly frayed (hardly noticeable) shirts for the price of one new one? Of course most people aren't aware about the source of these clothes but I don't see anything unethical in buying these clothes. Why?
Soon after the tsunami tragedy (and any recent tragedy in India for that
matter)
Any specific reason to assume there is a link between the used clothes and the December 26 tsunami? Just curious...
we had so many NGOs being interviewed on TV and pleading with the
public not to send 'used' clothes as relief. Now if the tsunami victims see it as below their dignity, or against their culture, to wear used clothes...
If one recalls right, the issue was not used v/s new clothes, but rather the fact that "while supplies were now pouring in, some well-intentioned donors were clogging up the distribution network with unnecessary items" ( http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-01/03/content_405503.htm )
From the original recipient (some corrupt NGO)
Again, any specific reason to believe that "some corrupt NGO" was responsible for these clothese to reach the footpaths of Panjim?
There are issue of misappropriation of tsunami aid, and while NGOs are certainly not lily white, reports emerging suggest it's as likely to be a case of official involvement and the "corruption culture" (as some in the West choose to see things in Asia).
See http://www.google.co.in/search?q=misappropriation+tsunami+aid&hl=en
Incidentally, second-hand clothes isn't just about misappropriation. See adverts such as this http://www.alibaba.com/manufacturer/12396960/Buy_Old_Used_Clothes.html
We want to import used gents, ladies, children clothes, household
linen, bags, purses in good condition regularly in 20'/40'
containers from all countries. Size should be medium/large fit
for indian. Ls give your offer and establish long term relations
with us. Quantity: 20' / 40 CONTAINERSNeither does it happen just in India.
Many moons ago, while on a scholarship to Berlin, the first thing our hosts did to us was to introduce us to a second-hand good shop (Berlin had, and has, a lively 'alternate' culture). We bought clothes by the kilo; including jackets in a very good condition, as we were obviously not well clothed even for the German summer. If I recall right, we paid the equivalent of Rs 400 (the DM was then just Rs 10) which was great value for money!
See what groups like http://www.reuze.co.uk/clothes.shtml have to say
What to do with your old clothes?
In the UK 1 million tonnes of textiles are thrown away every
year.
It takes 1.5 billion gallons of oil to manufacture 1 million
tonnes of clothing.
75% of recyclable clothes are thrown away.
In the UK and around the world millions of people have
insufficient clothing.It's also eco-friendly to recycle old clothes:
Textiles make up about 4% of weight of household waste and it is
estimated that UKP 400 million worth of textiles a year are not
recycled or reclaimed.
http://www.eastherts.gov.uk/recycling/w1bg.htmProbably, the clothes on the footpaths in Panjim have more to do with a crazy global economy -- where people in some countries consume 50 times what others do -- rather than corruption among NGOs.
Please convince me why this is not so.
FN
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