After Six Months Of Anguish In Singapore, Domestic Help Returns Home Safely

9 October 2015

After Six Months Of Anguish In Singapore, Domestic Help Returns Home Safely Indigenous Women and Children Foundation (IWCF) expresses a serious concern on Manipur unabated state of affairs witnessing series of trafficking in human particularly among young women and children since the beginning of 2000. The pattern of luring and deception of the victims remain the same, indicating Manipur state is not prepared enough to and losing battle against Human Trafficking. The victims are mostly from the poor rural villages in the hill districts of Manipur.

The worsening socio-economic condition as a result of conflict situation, poor governance, lack of employment opportunities and mis-carrying of welfare schemes which selfdom reach to the deserved community and persons, could be attributed to the high rate of migration from the state including trafficking in human.

Just recently, Ms. K. Dangmei, Rongmei Naga, who went to Singapore looking for job and ended up as a maid. One Mr. Sam John, Director of the Business Associate Group (BAG), recruited the young girl promising decent job for her but she ended up as a maid in an Indian family (Mr. Amit Desai) based in Singapore. Having being subjected to cruelty and ill-treatment by her employer, and her personal security threatened, she decided to leave the job and return home to India.

However, the unexpected happened for Ms. K. Dangmei as she was falsely accused of stealing from the employer. The charge was made against her by the Desais (employer), which was backed by Mr. Sam John (her agent). She was arrested by the Singapore’s police on the charges of theft on the 21st of August 2015 and put her in lock-up at the police station. The next day, she was released on the condition that she must not leave the country till the police investigations were over.

She was then taken to a shelter - home for women in distress, run by Ministry of Manpower (MoM), Government of Singapore, which was followed by police investigations for more than one month. All these while, Ms. K. Dangmei refused to surrender and contested the allegations. Finally, truth prevailed and on September 22nd the Singapore police finally concluded the case in favour of Ms. K. Dangmei. Their letter to her states, “After careful consideration of the facts and circumstances of the case and in consultation with the Attorney-General’s Chambers, the police have decided not to take further action against you”. Ms. K. Dangmei is finally returning to her home in India after having lived for more than 6 months in a nightmare situation in Singapore.

On August 27, 2015, the father and brother of Ms. K. Dangmei contacted Indigenous Women Children Foundation (IWCF) for help and intervention on the case of Ms. K. Dangmei. First and foremost, IWCF called for support and solidarity among organizations working on the human rights issues of migration and trafficking.

Human Rights Law Network (HRLN), Delhi based human rights organizations, Asia Pacific Women Law and Development (APWLD), Transient Workers Count Too (TWC2), Migrant Forum in Asia, came forward extending their help. On 28th August 2015, IWCF facilitated the submission of a representation to the Hon’ble Union Minister of External Affairs Ms. Sushma Swaraj on behalf of Ms. K. Dangmei’s family. Ever since, IWCF had closely followed up with the concerned officials in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and High Commission of India (HCI) in Singapore including the lawyer delegated by the HCI.

There were other key important persons and officials who had made a great intervention in the release of Ms. K. Dangmei, and without their support, the story might have taken a different course. These people are the former Hon’ble MP of Manipur Mr. Mani Charenamei and Mr. R. Masakui, IFS Dir, (XP), Ministry of External Affairs, also from Manipur, had personally coordinated with the office of the High Commissioner of India in Singapore, for timely legal support, medical and emergency support as well as for her safe repatriation.

Accordingly, the HCI got involved and provided consular and legal support and all other services to Ms. K. Dangmei. IWCF and the family members of K. Dangmei extend our heartfelt appreciation to the Ministry of External Affair under the dynamic leadership of Hon’ble Sushma Swaraj, the High Commissioner of India in Singapore, Mr. Mani Charenamei, former Lok Sabha Member from Manipur, Mr. R. Masakui, IFS Dir, (XP) MEA, and the organizations who have directly and indirectly supported this case. We also thanks to Indian High Commissioner, Singapore for their efforts and those stand by Mr. Kimei in her hour of need for the safe repatriation. The intervention of Hon’ble MP SS Ahluwalia, whom we came to know later through the media report, is to be noted as well.

Indigenous Women Children Foundation (IWCF), is a Tamenglong based local NGO, focus on the issues of women and children. One of the key areas of intervention issue of trafficking in human particularly of young women and children. Between 2008-2011, IWCF in closed coordination and association with Social Welfare Department, Government of Manipur have facilitated the repatriation of about 180 plus children who were trafficked to metropolitan cities within India and 5 young women from countries like Singapore and Malaysia. The organization is also providing rehabilitation and social services to the victims of trafficking, with support provided by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India through Social Welfare Department, Government of Manipur.

Further, IWCF calls for re-new and more stringent measures in combating human trafficking. We call upon all section of our people to join hand in this fight. It’s is a battle against evil. It’s a fight we must absolutely have to win. For we know that every life saved – in the words of that great proclamation – is ‘an act of justice’, worthy of ‘the considerate judgment of mankind, and the gracious favor of Almighty God’.

Sd/-
(Kinderson Pamei)
Executive Director
(Abraham Dangmei)
Family Member

IWCF (Indigenous Women And Children Foundation)
Build A Foundation For A Just And Prosperous Future
Pansy Vale, Apollo,
Tamenglong – 1,
Tamenglong District, Manipur,
Email: iwcf2014(aT)gmail(doT)com