'State failure abetting women trafficking'
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, December 08 2008: Failure of the State and law enforcing agencies in their duties and responsibilities has been indirectly abetting trafficking of women and children, said secretary of the New Era Environmental Development Society T Angshem.

Addressing a meeting jointly organised by the All Tribal Women's Organisation, Chandel and the Women Action for Development at the indoor stadium of Chandel district head-quarters today as part of the International Fortnight Protesting Violence Against Women and Children, Angshem observed that even though there were several cases of trafficking women and children in the State, the accused are rarely booked or punished.

There has been no visible effort on the part of the Government to check trafficking women and children, she decried.

The placards and slogans decry violence against women

Taking serious note of religious and local leaders getting involved in women/children trafficking cases, Angshem called upon all the people, particularly parents to question and re-evaluate the credibility and authenticity of such leaders.

The public meeting was attended by CNPO speaker Nunghlung Anal, NPMHR convenor Phumhring, Gospel Friends of Chandel member MS Grace, convenor of Chandel District Women Committee, United NGOs Mission Manipur Shangleida and secretary of the Women Action for Development Subita Mangshatabam as presidium members.

Shangleida said that the cases of trafficking women and children that occurred in Chandel district was a result of the Government's failure to make its welfare and development programmes reach the people at grassroots level.

Another primary reason is the presence of a large number of high school drop-outs.

Lack of basic infrastructure and shortage of teachers in majority of the schools located in Chandel district contributed to the high rate of school drop-out, Shangleida observed.

After the meeting, a mass rally was also taken out around Chandel Bazar in protest against trafficking women and children.

By the sideline of the rally, the All Tribal Women's Organisation submitted a memorandum to the Chandel Deputy Commissioner highlighting the issue of women/children trafficking and other problems being encountered by women and children in Chandel district.

The memorandum appealed to stop violence committed by State and non-State actors in Chandel district, check women/children trafficking from the district, proper enforcement of the Domestic Violence Act 2005 in the district, impart training to law enforcing agencies on human rights and gender issues and also to make necessary amendments to enable women participate in decision making process from local level to the highest level.

It also mentioned that during the ethnic conflict of 1992-95, 1345 houses belonging to Nagas and another 1127 belonging to Kuki were razed down.

The riot also left deep impact on the socio-economic landscape of Chandel district where hundreds of families were rendered homeless and unemployed.

With many uprooted from their homesteads, a large number of people are still bearing the brunt of the riot.

It considerably raised the number of children who could not go to schools and these children are highly vulnerable to trafficking, the memorandum mentioned while also seeking immediate attention of the Government towards these underprivileged children.

The protesters who took part in the mass rally held placards which read as, "Protect women and children", "Protect Children from lawlessness", "Protect us from child soldier", "Stop Gender violence" etc.