In order to keep them from “ruining the experience for visitors”, organisers of the annual temple fair in Nanchang, China, have ordered beggars to stay in purposely built cages. Those beggars not willing to comply with this are simply banished from the city by officials. The zoo-like structures are so small that adults are unable to stand up inside them. Have a look in the gallery below for more detailed images.

The irony here is that the Nanchang festival is a RELIGIOUS festival. It also has a funfair, market and entertainment as pilgrims come to the temple from all over China. One organiser, first stressing that “no one is forcing them to beg and that they have voluntarily entered the cages”, had the following explanation:

Over the last few years we have had increasing numbers of beggars turning up at the festival and it was becoming very intruding for our visitors. We had no choice but to ban them from the grounds. We found the cages a good solution for everyone. People can still give them donations if they desire too but are not harassed and followed around the festival when they are having a day out with their families. In a way it is better for them there than having to find a place on the busy streets.

This move has infuriated human rights campaigners in China who branded them “a human zoo that breaches human rights.”

[Source: Daily Mail]