Manu Bheel
Bonded labor activist
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Manu Bheel (Urdu : منو بھیل ) (born 1954) was bonded laborer and human rights activist. Nine of his family members were abducted in 1998.[1] He advocates for the rights of marginalized communities and bonded laborers in Pakistan. [2]
Manu Bheel | |
|---|---|
منو بھیل | |
| |
| Born | 1954 (age 71–72) |
| Occupation | Humanitarian |
| Known for | Activism |
| Spouse | Motan (Kidnapped) |
Personal life
Manu Bheel was born to a poor Hindu Scheduled Caste agricultural laborer's family in the Tharparkar region of Sindh, Pakistan.[3] He, along with his family, was bonded to a landlord in Sanghar District before being freed through the intervention of Human Rights Commission of Pakistan and community leaders [4]
Struggle
After being freed from bonded labor in Sindh in 1996 through the intervention of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP),[5] Manu Bheel became involved in activism, focusing on the rights of marginalized communities. His advocacy efforts took a more personal turn in 1998,[6] when his family was kidnapped, an incident he attributed to his former landlord.[7]
In 2003, Manu began a hunger strike outside the Hyderabad Press Club,[8] aiming to draw attention to the disappearance of his family and the wider issue of bonded labour.[9] His protests gained national and international attention, including appeals from organizations such as Anti-Slavery International.[10]