Gangtok: A two-day capacity building programme for journalists on their role in addressing Human Trafficking issues was held at Press Club of Sikkim from 9-10 October. Nodal agency of the programme was Impulse NGO Network, Shillong, Human Rights Law Network (Sikkim Branch ) and HOPE were the state partners of the programme which was supported by UNIFEM.
Miss Hasina Kharbhih, Team Leader of Impulse NGO, Dr. Doma Bhutia, Director Human Rights Law and Advocate Tashi Rapten Barfungpa, were the main speakers of the programme. Hasina spoke on media’s role in reporting human trafficking. Trafficking has became a bigt threat but can be controlled if not eradicated. Media is the watchdog and has a big role but while reporting in this issue, the sensitivity should be properly understood by media persons, she said.
Dr. Doma while speaking on trafficking said that the incidence was high wihin the country. From Nepal to India it is 11000 per year and from Bangladesh to India it is three lakh annually. From India to outside this number is 2.3 million. At any one time up to 20,000 girls are being transferred within India for trafficking, she said.
Inter trafficking within India is very high. For labour 23% and for sexual exploitation 77% trafficking is done in our country, she further informed. Advocate Raptden gave a brief account of the initiative taken by HOPE on Anti Trafficking campaign in Sikkim. On the second day interaction between the speakers and journalist was held.
Sikkim Reporter
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comments:
Recently, on 15 Sept 2009, there is this rather very painful news of an eleven years girl hailing from Sikkim rescued by the Delhi Police from the hands of human traffickers. The Delhi Police effort needs to be recognized and applauded for rescuing an innocent girl. But, at the same time, it is doubtful if the Delhi Police will receive any co-operation and support of local police in Darjeeling or Sikkim where the agents of such inhuman crime reside.
The Diaspora of West Bengal needs to enlighten in Darjeeling of the ground realities of public administration in Darjeeling. It is unfortunate and sad that due to the ongoing agitation; the region is afflicted with frequent bandh crippling administration. The public administration and law and order situation has been held ransom by a group of the agitators for their interest. Social Justice has lost its meaning and has died a premature death.
Closer to home, in West Bengal, attention of our learned readers needs to be drawn to the small town of Kalimpong in Darjeeling District. The rumour mills have it that there is a blackmail case of epic proportion. A female victim residing Kalimpong has been subjugated to severe abuse both physical and mental for the past one year. There is also stray evidence of child abuse committed and internet pornographic material distribution. Rumors’ have it that there is great increase of blackmail victims in Darjeeling. Probably, as this letter is being penned more abuse must have been piled on the poor victims in Kalimpong.
Unfortunately, the local administration or law officials are pressurized to inaction due to vested political interests. If the abuse unearthed, the very foundation of the present existing agitation may rock. Big shots will fall like nine pins. In all probability, we can safely assume that the state intelligence against crime (CID,CBI & Police ) are not able to penetrate into the stronghold of the so called leaders of Darjeeling due to the lack of support of local population out of sheer fear and terror. It is an irony that, we, the law abiding citizens of India are paying taxes to Government for the protection of the guilty, criminals and nefarious politicians.
Kalimpong as an educational centre has many reputed schools and have students from India and abroad. The young students and vulnerable and can be easy prey of this blackmailing hooligans. This ia a very grave concern for parents whose wards are in Kalimpong or Darjeeling for studies. These guardians need to reassess their decision of schooling in the hills as there is no protection for these impressionable, innocent and upcoming young citizens. Cardinal virtues and moral values are fast losing ground to violence, sex and lure of lucre particularly in this part of the country. Corruption is eulogized as the order of the day.
Let us all pray to Almighty with hope against hope for the well being of all such victims in Darjeeling and offer our sincere condolences to the premature death of civil society and social justice in Darjeeling District where leaders like Bimal Gurung & JASWANT SINGH is readying a Gorkha Sena to fight China and unable to solve or reform or tackle the ground realities as a leader in his home turf.
For us the hapless and helpless, there is no option but to pray to God as the reformist agitation of Gorkhaland have been a social degrading mob activity that has caused the death of all social and civilized norms in society. We should also take this festive occasion to thanks all Gorkhaland leaders for soiling the beautiful pristine land of our glorious forefathers and making it the breeding ground of disorder and chaos –“Subhas Chandra Bose and Rabindra Nath Tagore”
Ashok Gurung
Ashok.marcom.b@gmail.com
Post a Comment