Iqbal
Masih
The
Pakistani child campaigner who was murdered
When
Iqbal Masih was four years old, his father sold him to a carpet
weaver for $12. That's how Iqbal became a slave, a bonded worker who
could never make enough to buy his freedom. He was chained to his
loom, and worked 12 hours a day making carpets. At the age of 10,
Iqbal escaped and he began to speak out against child labor. People
listened, not only in Pakistan where Iqbal lived, but also around the
world. In 1994, Iqbal went to North America, where he visited Broad
Meadows Middle School in Massachusetts and talked to North American
children about child labor. A few months after returning to Pakistan
from his visit to the USA, Iqbal was murdered. He was shot while he
was riding his bicycle with his friends. He was 12 years old.
...Iqbal
Masih was a powerful freedom hero. He endured life as a child slave,
but rose above it to help others. Iqbal provided a voice for children
working under harsh conditions, and speaking out against injustice.
He valued his freedom above all things. Iqbal is one of my heroes
because it takes a lot of courage, especially for a child like him,
to stand up to such powerful people and battle evil. He decided to
fight to the end and fought against huge odds to promote their
rights. Iqbal was a very bright light that had shown this light to
others. He proved to be a hero. He went back to his country even
though he was in danger to finish everything he had started. This
shows moral courage. This kind of strength is needed to overcome
feelings of hopelessness that go along with fighting something that
is hard to change. It takes greater courage to stand up and speak up,
than it does to face a physical pain...
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