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Difference between revisions of "Hawala (Middle East, India and Pakistan)"
Hawala (Middle East, India and Pakistan) (view source)
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An informal value transfer system operating through a large network of money brokers that allows money to be transferred from one geographic location to another. The ''hawala'' system operates outside of more traditional financial and banking channels, and is based mainly in the Middle East, Indian subcontinent and parts of Africa. | An informal value transfer system operating through a large network of money brokers that allows money to be transferred from one geographic location to another. The ''hawala'' system operates outside of more traditional financial and banking channels, and is based mainly in the Middle East, Indian subcontinent and parts of Africa. | ||
In Arabic, the root h-w-l signifies ‘change’ or ‘transformation’. The word ''hawala'' is derived from this root and is defined as a bill of exchange or promissory note that can be used as ''hawala safar'' or a traveller’s cheque <ref>Jost, P. and Sandu, H. S. 2000. The Hawala alternative remittance system and its role in money laundering. Interpol General Secretariat, Lyon.</ref>. The word permeated into Hindi (national language of India) and Urdu (national language of Pakistan), retained its original meaning but acquired the additional connotations of ‘trust’ and ‘reference’. This reflects the basic principles on which the system operates. A ''hawala'' dealer is described as a ''hawaladar'' <ref>Jost, P. and Sandu, H. S. 2000. The Hawala alternative remittance system and its role in money laundering. Interpol General Secretariat, Lyon.</ref | In Arabic, the root h-w-l signifies ‘change’ or ‘transformation’. The word ''hawala'' is derived from this root and is defined as a bill of exchange or promissory note that can be used as ''hawala safar'' or a traveller’s cheque <ref>Jost, P. and Sandu, H. S. 2000. The Hawala alternative remittance system and its role in money laundering. Interpol General Secretariat, Lyon.</ref>. The word permeated into Hindi (national language of India) and Urdu (national language of Pakistan), retained its original meaning but acquired the additional connotations of ‘trust’ and ‘reference’. This reflects the basic principles on which the system operates. A ''hawala'' dealer is described as a ''hawaladar'' <ref>Jost, P. and Sandu, H. S. 2000. The Hawala alternative remittance system and its role in money laundering. Interpol General Secretariat, Lyon.</ref> | ||
An alternative term is ''hundi'', a word which is etymologically rooted in Sanskrit and means ‘to collect’. This meaning is synonymous with promissory note, bill of exchange, or ''hawala''. A ''hundi'' operator is referred to as a ''hundiwala''. | An alternative term is ''hundi'', a word which is etymologically rooted in Sanskrit and means ‘to collect’. This meaning is synonymous with promissory note, bill of exchange, or ''hawala''. A ''hundi'' operator is referred to as a ''hundiwala''. | ||
Padayachee and MorrelL define ''hundi'' as: | Padayachee and MorrelL define ''hundi'' as: | ||
<blockquote>“A kind of bill of exchange or written order for payment that its drawers used much in the same way that the Americans used checks to draw on their checking accounts. In order to draw a Hundi, a client had to open up an account and maintain a correspondence relationship with a [private] banker.”</blockquote> | <blockquote>“A kind of bill of exchange or written order for payment that its drawers used much in the same way that the Americans used checks to draw on their checking accounts. In order to draw a Hundi, a client had to open up an account and maintain a correspondence relationship with a [private] banker.”<ref>Padayachee, V., Morrell, R. 1991. ‘Indian merchants and dukawallahs in the natal economy’. Journal of South African Studies, 17 (1): 71-102.</ref></blockquote> | ||
Essentially, ''hawala'' and ''hundi'' have the same meanings and are used interchangeably, especially now that the system has gained international notoriety. However, ''hawala'' is an Arabic term while ''hundi'' is its Indian and Pakistani variant. It has been suggested that ''hundi'' and ''hawala'' have amalgamated into one network and their distinctions have been dissolved <ref>Jost, P. and Sandu, H. S. 2000. The Hawala alternative remittance system and its role in money laundering. Interpol General Secretariat, Lyon.</ref>. | Essentially, ''hawala'' and ''hundi'' have the same meanings and are used interchangeably, especially now that the system has gained international notoriety. However, ''hawala'' is an Arabic term while ''hundi'' is its Indian and Pakistani variant. It has been suggested that ''hundi'' and ''hawala'' have amalgamated into one network and their distinctions have been dissolved <ref>Jost, P. and Sandu, H. S. 2000. The Hawala alternative remittance system and its role in money laundering. Interpol General Secretariat, Lyon.</ref>. | ||