'Checking child trafficking a social responsibility'
Source: The Sangai Express / Mungchan Zimik

Ukhrul, October 22 2017: Expressing strong concern over human trafficking in the State, president of Manipur Hill Journalists’ Union, Sothing Shimray today said that it should be the responsibility of everybody to see how this practise can be stopped and checked .

Giving the key note address at one day State level seminar on “Trafficking of tribal children” held at town hall Awontang, Kamjong headquarters, Sothing Shimray said that it should be the responsibility of everyone to see that human trafficking is stopped and checked .

All children below the age of 18 are minors, he said and added that stopping human trafficking should be seen as a social obligation of all and not the sole responsibility of an individual or any organisation .

Member of Ukhrul District Alliance for Child Rights (UDACR) Veronica Zingkhai who attended as the main resource person dwelt on the local context of Ukhrul and shared her experiences and recalled how there have been instances of tribal children being trafficked across the country .

The ignorant and illiterate parents are easily tempted by false promises and the assurances made by agents of human traffickers .

According to UDACR survey, the agents usually come with false promises of free education, free food for their children and employment facilities.

Many poverty stricken and ignorant parents have been befooled by such approaches, she added.

The traffickers/agents may not necessarily be strangers but it might be their near and dear ones, relatives, friends, neighbours or even officers and law enforcers.

This is how the traffickers first earn the trust of the parents .

She further said that human trafficking is an organised crime.

Public awareness is the need of the hour, she added .

Citing the example of what happened at Ernakulam, Kerala and Jaipur in 2013, Veronica said that out of the 23 children trafficked in the Jaipur case, 22 were from Ukhrul district.

The parents were given the same promise of free education and free food for their children .

She stated that most of the agents were local people who easily earned the trust of the parents .

Veronica cautioned “Don’t be tempted with cheap promises.” Verify the antecedents of any institution, whether it is registered with the Government and get clearance from the District Children Welfare Committee (CWC) first, she advised.

She also talked on the Right to Education (RTE) Act and explained that under the Act education up to Class VIII is free, including text books, uniforms and admission .

She noted that Kamjong is a vulnerable district due to its close proximity with Myanmar .

Ex- ADC candidate Pamreiso who is also an advisory board member of Hao Heritage stated that Kamjong recorded highest percentage of child trafficking report in 2015 and 2016 while Ukhrul recorded maximum in 2013 and 2014 .

He said, it is for this reason that the State level seminar on trafficking of tribal children was held there to enlighten the people of the district .

The seminar was sponsored by Tribal Research Institute (TRI), Manipur and jointly organized by Participatory Action for Sustainable Development Organisation (PASDO) and The Hao Heritage in collaboration with Kamjong Katamnao Long.

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