MACR decries Govt silence over rescued kids
Source: Hueiyen News Service / Newmai News Network
Imphal, March 19 2013:
Manipur Alliance for Child Rights (MACR) today appealed to Manipur authority and all concerned to take appropriate steps and bring back the 30 children from Manipur who were among the 51 children rescued in Rajasthan's Jaipur on March 12 .
MACR strongly condemns the long silence and indifferent attitude being maintained by the Social Welfare Department, Police Department, particularly State Anti-Trafficking Unit, minister concerned and Chief Minister even after over one week of the incident of rescue, K Pradipkumar, convenor, MACR said while addressing a press conference at Hotel Ananda here.
The 51 children, including 30 from Manipur were rescued in Jaipur by volunteers of Rajasthan State Commission for Protection of Child Rights.
The children from Manipur include 22 girls and eight boys.
Pradipkumar further said the children were kept in an inhuman condition and around 600 empty bottles were also recovered from the illegal 'Grace Home" run by one Jacob John.
"The chances of sexual and physical abuse of the children are very high," he said.
Only few of them from Nagaland are among the rescued children, but the Chief Minister of the neighbouring state took the matter seriously and responded timely, while Manipur Government remains indifferent, he accused.
He said there is no official statement so far announced from either the state authority, police or Social Welfare Department on repatriation and restoration process which is very unfortunate.
Manipur Commission for Protection of Child Rights (MCPCR) must have taken a pro active action to facilitate the state Government to bring back the traumatized children, to provide them with basic supports, including medical, food and cloths, he added.
He added the Commission neither make any relevant statement nor asserted strong pressure to move the state agencies.
MACR submitted an urgent appeal on March 18 to MCPCR to make sure the rescued children are brought back to the state at the earliest, but there is no visible response from the Commission till now, he added.
"We, therefore, once again appeal to the state authority and all concerned to expedite the process for bringing the children back to the state," he added.