Murder, Mayhem in High Seas

Sub Heading: Life becomes cheaper than luggage… and the Government sleeps

Is life cheaper than luggage? Think again! At least the Indian Government does not seem to be thinking that way in spite of the fact that hundreds of Indian seamen continue to be killed on ships every year.
The laws in this regard are erroneous. If you book a consignment through ship and it gets lost or damaged en route, (The) Merchant Shipping Act 1958 gives powers to Court to detain foreign ship that has occasioned damage. A vessel may be arrested for claiming damages of loss of goods, but there is no law which gives the Government or courts power to impound a ship if your near or dear one is killed in cold blood or die due to negligence, while on duty. Several such deaths later and in spite of lot many articles by media and petitions to high authorities, including the Prime Minister and the concerned minister for shipping, the Government continues to lie in slumber.
Thirteen Indian seamen lost their lives within a span of 20 days from September 23 to October 13, 2005 alone, and became prey, of employer's foul play. Only one dead body out of 13 was recovered.
Every time a fresh case of 'murder' occurs, the Government machinery wakes up to media hype only to go to sleep once the media gaze shifts. This happened once again lately when Sukesh Chandra, a resident of Lucknow, was allegedly killed while the ship was anchored. His bereaved wife, Anju Chandra and the young son Anu Saksham went from pillar to post but to no avail. "Not one of them has got back to reply," says Anju. Anand Sharma issued a statement in Delhi saying that the Government would look into the matter. It seems the Government is still looking into the matter.
Sukesh Chandra's case is just one in many. Hassan Zaheer, an expert swimmer, died last year in the high seas, alleged by the ship authorities to have committed suicide, an argument that his father Zaheer Zaidi of Delhi refuses to accept. Gautam Mallick, a resident of Gurgaon died in similar circumstances in October last year. His bereaved father couldn't bear the loss and departed, leaving Kanta Mallick as widow. There are cases as old as five years that remain unsolved. If Government is looking into the matter, it should be quick as deaths continue to take place faster than you could imagine.
Sukesh Chandra's case is exemplary. A man who was on ship even when India was fighting the 1971 war, he was not paid salary for the last two years. He wanted to return home but couldn't due to lack of money. He waited for the employers to give him the salary and when he didn't get it, filed a complaint with the nodal agency ITWF. It was then perhaps that the plot of his murder was hatched.
Official version is that he was strolling on the deck when he fell down into water and died. But there are several loopholes. Sukesh used to write a dairy daily; none of his belongings have been sent back. Even after four days of Sukesh's death, nobody on ship bothered to inform his family. It was only when a routine call was made, Sukesh's wife was told of the death, after several attempts to divert her from talking to Sukesh. Not once did Captain Isaac - the owner of the ship - phoned Sukesh's family back home while later attempts to contact the captain failed as the phone was banged down on the aggrieved wife's face, when she begged for the body to be sent home. Sukesh, a Hindu, was buried, and not cremated, at far off Hawana.
Says Zaheer Zaidi of Delhi, who has formed a front to bring all such cases to light: "I think he was killed for not giving salary. He had complained to ITWF (International Transport Worker's Federation), which is a UN approved body and the ship owners feared action."
There are strict terms and conditions that the ship owners have to adhere to, as per international laws. But they are given an overlook as no contract is given to them. Sukesh was occasionally given pocket money, 50 dollars at the most, though he was entitled to a salary of at least 2000 dollars, as per International rules.
Hassan Zaheer's case is different. Hasan joined MSC Carmen at Mumbai on August 14, 2005. The liner is owned by an Italian having office at Geneva, Switzerland. The vessel is registered in Panama. Hasan was issued his appointment letter at Delhi, on a letterhead bearing Hong Kong address, which was hurriedly issued, without a signed agreement. Three months later, this expert swimmer who could have swam the English Channel, ironically threw himself into water and died. Barely two days before death, he had made a frantic call to his mother, imploring her to call her back. What's more debatable, he committed 'suicide' barely few hours before the ship was to reach the port. Hasan's father fear his son was put to death because the ship was engaged in smuggling and once Hassan noticed those illegal activities, he phoned to be called back. As most of such phones are tapped regularly, the ship owners realized this threat that Hassan could have been if he had been alive. Consequently, he was made to die, his body never to be recovered.
Zaheer Zaidi even wrote to Secretary General, United Nations, but to no avail. With no Government backing, his voice became powerless. In the letter he wrote: "Shipping companies with malafied intentions, get their un-seaworthy ships registered in various countries who are, interested in the registration amount, not in human values. The vessel is registered as it is. And where it is. Physical inspection of the ship is not mandatory for such registrations. The dubious system is called FOC (Flag of convenience)."
Meanwhile, Anju Chandra is still coming to terms with acceptance that she is now a widow. With no money at disposal, she is worried how she would be able to manage the education expenses of her son. Sukesh's other companions who had filed the complaint along with him are still abroad. They are so afraid that they refuse to talk on phone. As the Government continues to look into the matter, their lives too hang in danger (rather float on danger).