Thursday, August 21, 2008

Fresh cases of child trafficking come to light

IMPHAL, Aug 20 : Close on the heel 22 children from Manipur being rescued from a children home in Chennai by the District Administration of Chennai and Child Line, Chennai, fresh cases of over 20 children being taken from Moirang area to Chennai and attempt of taking four more children have come to light.

Chairperson of Child Welfare Committee, Bishnupur chapter has lodged a written complaint with the Moirang PS today requesting for taking up necessary measures to rescue the children and taking up legal action against the culprits.

The written complaint mentioned that intervention of the local NGOs have managed to stop four children from being taken to SS Andrew Samuel Children Home at Chennai by one M Herojit s/o Bimol Singh of Ithing Village on August 14.

However, before this incident, one of the elder brothers of Herojit identified as Devan had already taken over 20 children to Chennai by assuring the parents that their children would be given free education at Alize Elizabeth Memorial School at Chennai. But Devan recently communicated to the parents of 12 children to come and pick them up.

In connection with these incidents, meeting with mediapersons was facilitated by the co-ordinator of Child Line, Imphal Mala and chairperson of Child Welfare Committee (CWC) L Pishak at Nungjengkom located along Sendra Road today. Herojit, wife of Devan and parents of some of the children who have been taken to Chennai were also present at the occasion.

Herojit informed that he was trying to take the four children to Chennai-based SS Andrew Samuel Children Home which receives funding from Italy and USA at the behest of his brother, Devan. But he has no idea whether the said children home is registered under the Juvenile Justice Act or not.

Talking to mediapersons, CWC chairperson L Pishak explained that under the Juvenile Justice Act, permission of the CWC is essential for taking a children from one district to another or from one State to another. The documents related to the purpose of taking the children should also be furnished to the CWC.

However, all these legal procedures have been overlooked in trying in take the four children to Chennai.

Pishak further informed that from the statements given by Herojit and some of the parents, it has also been confirmed that Deban had already taken over 20 children from Ithing Sendra area to Chennai. No permission had also been sought from the CWC in this regard.

Some of the parents informed that at the time of taking away their children, Deban, who is claim to be a pastor, did not hand over any documents nor informed where their children are staying or studying in Chennai. However, recently Deban communicated to parents of 12 children he had taken along with him to come to Chennai and picked up their children as they could not be put up in the children home any longer after the death of a child from Tamenglong or send Rs 2000 to Rs 3000 each for bringing their children back to Manipur.

Source: The Sangai Express

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