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From Our Own Correspondent: Syria and Brazil

Syria and Brazil

20/12/2013

BBC World Service - From Our Own Correspondent, Syria and Brazil

A Syrian man whose life illustrates the conflict; and slavery-type labour in Brazil.

James Harkin meets a former Syrian pilot who has been imprisoned by all sides of the conflict, and Linda Pressly in Brazil meets a worker who was freed from slavery-type labour.

The Syrian conflict has led to many thousands of deaths, and immeasurable suffering by many people on both sides, whether in government or rebel-controlled areas. But in an orphanage for Syrian refugees in southern Turkey, James Harkin meets a man who has fallen victim to both sides, and has been imprisoned in three different places. His story illustrates the complexity of the conflict, and how it's put an abrupt halt to many young men's lives. 

The edge of the Brazilian Amazon area feels a long way away from the reach of the government, but the government's arms do try to reach into the area, not least when it comes to enforcing labour laws that are often flouted. A mobile squad of inspectors frees workers whose conditions are analogous to slavery. Linda Pressly meets "Julio", who has recently been liberated from work that amounted to such exploitation. Local landowners admit to inhumane treatment, but claim no one's forced to do anything, so how can it be slavery? 

Presenter: Pascale Harter
Producer: Arlene Gregorius

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