Did anybody else see this on the news a couple of nights ago?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/432780.stm

I was shocked (the website doesn't do it justice)

Apparently these tin huts cost £3k each! and people are being evicted from them without any assistance. That's it. Homeless.

If they were ejected from their homes by a large chunk of water rather than a JCB there would be international aid on it's way by now. How toothless is the UN?

That is shocking, although the title of this thread is rather misleading as the article you linked to talks about slums in Bangladesh, not India.

This really is disgusting. For the indiviuals concerned, I can't see how it matters whether their home is razed by a natural disaster or the government. It's an outrage!

Originally posted by DanSumption
the article you linked to talks about slums in Bangladesh, not India.

Bugger. I've obviously found the wrong news story then. Perhaps it's more widespread than I thought. Off to look...

It was here:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/07/AR2005050701004.html

:(

I visited the biggest shanty town in Bombay 15 years ago - appalling living conditions, but we met some wonderful human beings there, and were shown around a slum school and orphanage which were doing some great work (and incidentally had the cutest kids in the entire world, like this orphan girl (http://www.sumption.org/lifeless/images/BombayOrphanGirl.jpg) who I wanted to adpopt myself). Heartbreaking to think it could all be demolished overnight like this.

It doesn't exactly surprise me though, given the attitude of the Indian Government towards some of its people and particularly the poor. When I was there, we visited a village where all of the people had previously been nomads, but the government had a policy of making them settle in one place. This absolutely destroyed the soul of these people: all of the men went off elsewhere to find jobs or join the army, and so the village was only inhabited by children (who made up 2/3rds of the population), women and the elderly and sick. There was a feeling of hopelessness and having given up on life in that place the like of which I have never experienced anywhere before or since. Even though in many ways it was a nicer place than the shanty towns, it was far more dismal to visit, at least in the shanty towns everyone seemed positive and full of hope. Here is a picture of me with some of the village kids (http://www.sumption.org/lifeless/images/BuldanaNomadVillage.jpg) - although I'm smiling, there are tears fighting their way into my eyes.

it does not bother me so long as they dont flood into the uk

Originally posted by craigmason
it does not bother me so long as they dont flood into the uk
That is because you are not human, you are a tree.

yeh i saw that news story, it's terrible that people can be shoved out of homes they paid for just because the city council wants to 'improve the economy', it's not like they were squatting - they bought their homes fair and square and aren't even being compensated

Originally posted by craigmason
it does not bother me so long as they dont flood into the uk

Really? Then there is not a shred of humanity in you. Not really sure why I am replying to you as by putting your name and photo to your shameful views you obviously don't care what anyone else thinks.

Originally posted by craigmason
it does not bother me so long as they dont flood into the uk

why ever not mr mason?

cultural diversity and an expansion of the gene pool is just what this country needs.

we should stop all this racist talk about people flooding the country

we are all one race HUMAN and we should be allowed to go where we want and when we want

wow how to kill a thread:D

Originally posted by DanSumption
That is because you are not human, you are a tree.

Dan, according to some theories trees are also supposed to have feelings :hihi:

Originally posted by craigmason
it does not bother me so long as they dont flood into the uk

Whhhooowwww!! Another fascinating interjection from Craig Mason!

Craig, didn't your mummy ever tell you, 'if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything'?

It's not as if you were particularly adding anything to the thread. The likelihood of the people in the article "flooding into the UK" is somewhere around the 'No, it's not going to happen' mark, and I'm sure you're aware of that.

But hey, I guess you just felt you wanted to join in with the conversation.

:)

i wonder if mr mason ever goes abroad for holidays?

Originally posted by Gordie OS1
i wonder if mr mason ever goes abroad for holidays?

What, with his employment record? I'd admire his ability to save his money up if he does!

:D

Originally posted by Gordie OS1
we are all one race HUMAN and we should be allowed to go where we want and when we want

I don't agree with craigmason for one second, but this is an equally naïve and impractical point of view.

Originally posted by mojoworking
I don't agree with craigmason for one second, but this is an equally naïve and impractical point of view.

Expand please.

I spent some time in India, with work, (yes, it was a call centre, my fault, I'm sorry etc, etc), and one of the comments from one of my trainees was "wouldn't it be great if there were no borders, and people could just go anywhere?" While her colleagues agreed, I just squirmed in hypocritical embarrasment.

In some respects, the British outlook on life really sucks.

Originally posted by craigmason
it does not bother me so long as they dont flood into the uk

So Craig, were you originally from Dronfield?

I ask because I don't wont some sponging economic migrant coming into my town and spending my taxpayers money on koi-carp (damn-japanese-immigrant-fish) or palm trees (damn-foreign-immigrant-plants).

BTW u still unemployed?

Idiot!

:loopy: :loopy: