Social activists were first alerted to the severity of the problem in 1996 when the bodies of two boys aged 13 and 14 were washed ashore. They had slipped while pulling in the nets. The platforms are unregistered and illegal. The authorities have not acted to shut them down.

Most people recognise that it can be beneficial for children to gain some experience of the world of work before becoming adults, but there can be no excuse for the degree of exploitation we witness today.

Anti-Slavery has launched the Urgent Action on Child Labour Campaign to end this type of abuse. Your support would be appreciated. E-mail us for further details at info@antislavery.org .

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