Pictures of Civil Society consultation with UN Special Rapporteur held at Imphal on 28th April 2013.

 

 

 

 

Death, the ultimate act in the continum of violence against women: Rasida Manjoo

http://thepeopleschronicle.in/?p=16837

The UN Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women, Its Causes and Consequence (UNSRVAW) Rashida Manjoo, on her two day visit to the state, did not get permission to meet Sharmila who is onto a fast, protesting against AFSPA.

On Sunday, the Rashida Manjoo held a meeting with individuals and NGOs at Hotel Classic which was attended by over 200 delegates and family members of women victims of violence from all over the North East region and West Bengal. International organizations, national NGOs such as International Committee on the Red Cross (ICRC) and Child Rights and You (CRY) also attended the meeting.

Forty separate depositions were made in the meeting, the largest one convened by the UNSRVAW during her current mission to India. The meeting was moderated by Jarjum Ete, secretary, National Alliance of Women (NAWO) and former chairperson of the Arunachal Pradesh State Women’s Commission, the statement said.

The UNSRVAW was formally welcomed by the convenor of CSCHR, Dr Laifungbam Debabrata Roy. In his welcome address, Roy said, “We place our highest confidence and trust in you today, as you convene this historic meeting in Imphal.”

Introducing her mandate and purpose of her visit to India, Manjoo said, “The death of a woman is not a new act, but the ultimate act in the continuum of violence in the life of the woman.”

Among the deponents was the mother of the late Miss Thangjam Monorama. Breaking into tears during her testimony, she appealed for justice for her daughter, who was brutally tortured and raped by personnel of the Indian paramilitary force, Assam Rifles before she was killed and her dead body abandoned in a field.

Babaloo Loitongbam, executive director, Human Rights Alert, who was also present in the meeting, emphasized the significance of Manjoo’s visit and reiterated the lonely 13 years fast by Irom Chanu Sharmila demanding repeal of Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 from Manipur.

The draconian law which confers wide impunity has no place in a democracy and it has been widely condemned, said Babaloo.

Babaloo also said that many UN treaty body mechanisms and other Special Rapporteurs have called for its repeal and added Justice Verma Commission had also recently called for its repeal and accountability of the Indian armed forces personnel involved in rape and other forms of sexual assault, but these recommendations were ignored by the Government of India when it introduced the Criminal law (Amendment) Bill 2012 in Parliament.

Manjoo in her closing remarks said that it was not her mandate to comment on the depositions made before her, and that her report will be based on facts.

She also said that her opinions and conclusions as an independent expert were hers alone that these would not be changed or shaped by any influence whether from government or any others, the statement further added.

The UNSRVAW will be holding a national press conference in New Delhi on May 1 before she wraps up her mission.

UN Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women meets woman victims

 

UN Special Rapporteur on VAW Rashida Manjoo during the consultative meeting with representatives of civil society organizations, women human rights, victims and other advocates working on violence against women at Hotel Classic (inset: UNSPVAW Rashida Man

http://www.ifp.co.in/nws-13942-un-special-rapporteur-on-violence-against-women-meets-woman-victims/

IMPHAL, April 28: A press conference of the Civil Society Coalition on Human Rights (CSCHR) in Manipur and the UN held at Hotel Classic briefed media persons on the visit of the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences (UNSRVAW) to Imphal and the subsequent consultative meeting with representatives of civil society organizations, women human rights, victims and other advocates working on violence against women.

Dr Laifungbam Debabrata Roy, the convenor of the Coalition said that the meeting was attended by over 200 delegates and family members of victims of violence from all over the North East region and West Bengal. "International organizations and national NGOs such as the International Committee on the Red Cross (ICRC) and Child Rights and You (CRY) also attended the meeting," he said.

Rashida Manjoo, the UNSRVAW had earlier accepted an invitation sent on March 13 from the coalition to visit Manipur and the North East region during her mission to the country.

"40 separate depositions were made in the meeting including testimonies from women who have faced forced evictions, sustained community and domestic violence and also sharing from the families of victims of state abetted violence," Debabrata Roy said, adding that the consultation today was the largest such consultation convened by the UNSRVAW during her current mission to India.

The meeting was moderated by Jarjum Ete, Secretary of the National Alliance of Women (NAWO) and former Chairperson of the Arunachal Pradesh State Women’s Commission he said.

Briefing the media on her reactions and statements, Debabrata Roy said that Rashida Manjoo had said, “The death of a woman is not a new act, but the ultimate act in the continuum of violence in the life of the woman.”

The mother of late Thangjam Manorama while appealing for justice for her daughter who was brutally tortured and raped by personnel of the Indian paramilitary force, Assam Rifles before she was killed and her dead body abandoned in a field wept during the course of the deposition and the Special Rapporteur wept with Thangjam Manorama’s mother, he added.

The CSCHR submitted a comprehensive memorandum to the UNSRVAW titled “Manipur: Perils of War and Womanhood” giving a detailed information on various forms of violence against women in Manipur, including the genesis of its swift escalation since the 50s and included several recommendations, added Debabrata Roy.

During the consultation Babloo Loitongbam reiterated the lonely 13 years fast of Irom Chanu Sharmila for the repeal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 (AFSPA) and raised the point that many UN treaty body mechanisms and other Special Rapporteurs on human rights defenders, Margaret Sekaggya and on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, Christof Heyns have called for its repeal.

Additionally, Irom Chanu Sharmila also submitted a hand-written letter to the UNSRVAW through her elder brother said Babloo Loitongbam, Director of Human Rights Alert and a constituent member of the coalition. He added that the UN Security Officer accompanying the UNSRAW had made   attempts to meet Irom Sharmila during her visit to Imphal, but the permission to meet her did not materialize. Copies of the hand written note given by Irom Sharmila to the UNSRVAW which were circulated to the media pointed out that the people of Manipur had been impacted by the draconian AFSPA. She noted that her forced nasal feeding was being done at the expense of huge public funds and that the forced feeding was a measure to suppress her voice and the truth.

Rashida Manjoo, in her closing remarks said that it was not her mandate to comment on the depositions made before her, and that her report will be based on facts. She also said that her opinions and conclusions as an independent expert were hers alone, that these would not be changed or shaped by any influence, whether from government or any others.

Adding that the UNSRVAW will be holding a national press conference on Wednesday, 1st May 2013 in New Delhi, Babloo also appealed to the All Manipur Working Journalists' Union to facilitate media attendance of the said conference. Mention may be made that two earlier UN Special Rapporteurs had not been allowed to visit Manipur.

U.N. Special Rapporteur visits Manipur, weeps

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/un-special-rapporteur-visits-manipur-weeps/article4665212.ece

IBOYAIMA LAITHANGBAM

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Rashida Manjoo, U.N. Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences, broke down and wept for a few minutes uncontrollably on Sunday during a consultative meeting here. It was attended by about 200 human rights defenders, families of victims and civil society organisations. The frail mother of Manorama Thangjam, who was arrested, raped and shot dead allegedly by some personnel of 17 Assam Rifles on July 11, 2004, was telling Ms. Manjoo about the tragic death of the girl. She fervently appealed to her for justice.

Ms. Manjoo arrived in Imphal on Saturday. During the consultative meeting on Sunday, 40 separate depositions were made. Speaking about her mandate and the purpose of her current visit to India, Ms. Manjoo said, “The death of a woman is not a new act but the ultimate act in the continuation of violence in the life of the woman.” In her closing remarks, she said that it was not her mandate to comment on the depositions made before her and that her report would be based on facts. She also said that her opinions and conclusions as an independent expert were hers alone and that these would not be changed or shaped by any influence whether from the government or any other organisation.

Irom Sharmila, the woman who has been on more than 12 years of fast unto death demanding repeal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958, also sent a hand-written terse letter to Ms. Manjoo. The letter thanked her for visiting the conflict area. A “justice lover like [her] from a remote hilly state” expected a positive outcome. “Like a viewer of fish in an aquarium, by now you must know the cause and effect of the utter lawlessness in Manipur.” She also wrote that Ms. Manjoo could not change the mindset of the people here.

She says that the government has been spending lakhs of the tax payers' money in nasal feeding her all these years. She wonders why the people are not saying anything about the misuse of the public money in this manner. The government is doing these things to “suppress my voice of truth forcibly.”

Manipur’s plight moves UN official

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1130429/jsp/northeast/story_16837837.jsp#.UX6HcbX7DI4

Rashida Manjoo meets rights activists

OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

Imphal, April 28: The plight of Manipur’s residents moved Rashida Manjoo, the UN special rapporteur on violence against women, to tears today and spurred her to assure people that her experiences here would find place in her report to the UN Human Rights Commission (UNHCR). Manjoo, who arrived here yesterday, reportedly wept openly today when Thangjam Manorama’s mother, Thangjam Khumanlei, presented her daughter’s case and broke down, while pleading with the official that she should ensure justice and get the Assam Rifles personnel who shot her daughter dead after allegedly raping her in July 2004 punished. Her visit has also raised hopes among human rights groups in the Northeast that the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act would be repealed. “The visit and her report to the UNHCR will give more strength to the international cry against the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act,” Laifungbam Debabrata Roy, convener of Civil Society Coalition on Human Rights in Manipur and the UN, said after meeting the official today. The civil society coalition hosted the visit, the first by an UN official with a human rights mandate. Manjoo is visiting the state as part of her tour to examine violence against women in India, its causes and consequences. She met chief secretary D.S. Poonia, director-general of police Yumnam Joykumar Singh and members of the Manipur Women’s Commission on her arrival yesterday. This morning, she held a consultative meeting with members of rights and citizens’ groups at a hotel here. Jarjum Ete, secretary of the National Alliance of Women and former chairperson of the Arunachal Pradesh State Women’s Commission, moderated the meeting, which saw participation by around 200 delegates from the Northeast and Bengal. Roy said 40 separate depositions on crimes against women in the region were made during the four-hour meeting. Though Manjoo tried to meet rights crusader Irom Sharmila, the state government did not give her permission. Sharmila, however, presented her case before Manjoo in a written representation sent through her elder brother, Irom Singhajit. Welcoming the UN official’s visit to the state, Sharmila hoped that it would yield “positive” results. She termed herself “a simple justice lover” and the army act a “draconian law” and said lawlessness ruled Manipur and its people were suffering because of this. Her voice, too, had been “suppressed” by the government. Babloo Loitongbam, a member of the civil society coalition, presented Sharmila’s case, stating that the Centre had been ignoring the recommendations of various commissions to repeal the army act. Roy said it was during this interaction that Manjoo met Manorama’s mother and shared her agony. In her closing remark, Manjoo assured the gathering that her report would be based on facts and that the facts and her opinions on the happenings in the region would not be changed or reshaped by any influence. “The visit will definitely have an impact on the issue of the army act, as India will have to respond to the UNHCR report,” Roy said.

UN envoy weeps with Manorama's mother, listens to violence victims

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/guwahati/UN-envoy-weeps-with-Manoramas-mother-listens-to-violence-victims/articleshow/19776845.cms

IMPHAL: UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women (UNSRVAW) Rashida Manjoo broke down into tears and wept with Th Khumanlei, mother of Thangjam Manorama Devi, who was brutally raped and murdered by Assam Rifles personnel in 2004, on hearing her story.

The bullet-riddled body of Manorama (then 32) with signs of torture and rape was found near a village in Imphal East in the wee hours of July 11, 2004. She was picked up from her Bamon Kampu residence in the same district by 17 Assam Rifles troops the previous night. Since Manorama's case is still pending in the court, no specific punishment has been given to the perpetrators of the crime.

With tears trickling down her face, a weak Khumanlei appealed for justice for her daughter to the special rapporteur, said CSCHR convenor Laiphungbam Debabrata Roy in a statement.

Khumanlei was among the over 200 delegates and family members of women victims of violence from the northeast and West Bengal, who gave their testimonies to the UN envoy during a consultative meeting convened in Imphal on Sunday. Rashida was on a two-day visit to Manipur.

Rashida came down to Manipur after accepting an invitation sent last month by the Civil Society Coalition on Human Rights in Manipur and the UN (CSCHR) to visit Manipur and the northeast region during her mission ongoing mission to India to study the overall situation on violence against women and its impacts in the country

Sunday's consultative meeting, in which the media was not entertained, was attended by hordes of prominent civil bodies, women human rights defenders and others working on violence against women. The meeting was moderated by Jarjum Ete, secretary of the National Alliance of Women (NAWO) and former chairperson of Arunachal Pradesh State Women's Commission.

In her closing remarks, Manjoo said it was not her mandate to comment on the stories presented before her and that her report would be based on facts, the statement said. She added that her opinions and conclusions as an independent expert were hers alone and it would not be changed or shaped by any influence, whether from the government or any other sources.

Among others, the Extrajudicial Execution Victims Families Association, Manipur (EEVFAM) also submitted a memorandum to the special rapporteur.

On the other hand, Irom Chanu Sharmila, who has been on a hunger strike for the last 12 years in protest against the controversial Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, also wrote a letter to the UN envoy about the government's ignorance towards her unrelenting struggle . Her brother Singhajit submitted the handwritten letter to Rashida.

Memo to UN envoy airs agonies

http://www.thesangaiexpress.com/tseitm-25799-memo-to-un-envoy-airs-agonies/

IMPHAL, Apr 28: Leaders of civil society organisations, human right defenders, victim families and advocates inte-racted with UN Special Rap- porteur on Violence Against Women Rashida Manjoo and submitted memorandums.

The consultative meeting held today at Classic Hotel was participated by around 200 delegates during which the UN envoy was apprised about violence against women witnessed in North East India, particularly Manipur.

Widows whose husbands were shot dead as an offshoot of the prolonged armed conflict situation and families whose daughters were raped and murdered presented their sad and horrifying experience to the visiting United Nations representative.

Filled with emotions upon learning the horrid experiences of the victims' families Rashida openly broke down to tears with the mother of Thangjam Manorama who also made a deposition of her case today.

Rashida could not control her emotion when Manora-ma's mother, filled with tears, shared her testimony and appealed for justice for her daughter who was killed after being allegedly tortured and raped by security forces in 2004.

The consultative meeting was moderated by former Chairperson of Arunachal Pradesh State Women Commission Jarjum Ete.

Nandini Thokchom of CSCHR, Dr N Pramodini of Women Studies Centre (MU), Anjuman Ara Begum of Wing NE, Nina Ningombam of EEVFAM, Irom Singhajit of Just Peace Foundation, U Nobokishore of the United NGOs Mission Manipur, Thasana of All Loktak Lake Areas Fishermen’s Association, Maibam Nganbi of Lam- phel Yaipha Leikai, Lata of the Women Survivor’s Network and RK Landhoni of the Working Group of Meira Paibi Movement in Manipur gave their accounts of human rights violation and crimes against women.

Haopu Khongsai of Kuki Movement for Human Rights, Aram Panmei of Naga Women Union, Jina Shang-kham of NPMHR, Watso Hanse of the Karbi Human Rights Watch, JN Swami of the Joint Women’s Organisation Churachandpur, Darshim Maring of Reach-M, Thoi-chula of the Alliance for Child Rights Ukhrul and Gangarani Thongam of the Conflict Widows Forum too spoke at the meeting.

Others who spoke at the consultative meeting included Pradip Keisham of Manipur Alliance for Child Rights, So-bita Mangshatabam of Wo- men Action for Development, Sumila Linggi of Emzalu-menda Women Organisation (Arunachal Pradesh), Bondita Acharya of Wing Assam, Doma Bhutia of the Human Rights Law Network Sikkim, Kiriti Roy of MASUM (West Bengal), Ashim Ghosh of Child Relief and You (West Bengal) and Agnes Khars-hing of the Civil Society Wo- men Organisation, Mehalaya.

Women Action for Development submitted a memo- randum highlighting detail account of 12 cases regarding rape and murder of Ton- don, Ichal, Chanbi, Meneka, Premila, Satyabhama, RK Ra-tanmala, Hatkholhing Guite, Darsana, Bimiya, Catherine and Babysana.

Irom Singhajit, elder brother of Irom Sharmila too submitted a memorandum to Rashida Manjoo. Singhajit’s memorandum highlighted the hardships being endured by the people of Manipur on account of the armed conflict situation and concomitant rampant human rights violation.

It also conveyed about Sharmila’s unparalleled 12 year old fast against the infamous Armed Forces Special Powers Act.

The meeting which started from 9 am continued till 1 pm and Rashida Manjoo left Imphal after a brief interaction with journalists in the afternoon.

UN Spl Rapportuer Rashida Manjoo weeps with Manorama’s mother

http://www.hueiyenlanpao.com/headlines/item/9328-un-spl-rapportuer-rashida-manjoo-weeps-with-manorama%E2%80%99s-mother

Executive Director of HRA Babloo Loitongbam delivering the vote of thanks of the meeting.

Hueiyen News Service/Imphal, April 28: United Nations Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women, its Causes and Consequences (UNSRVAW) Rashida Manjoo, who is currently on an official mission to assess the different manifestations of violence against women in India, held a consultative meeting with representatives of civil society organizations, women human rights defenders, victims and other advocates working on violence against women at Classic Hotel, North AOC here today.

As many as forty separate depositions were made during the meeting, unarguably the largest one ever convened by UNSRVAW during her current 10-day long official mission to India from April 22 to May 1.

After hearing all the depositions, Rashida observed that it was not her mandate to comment on the depositions made before her, but assured that her report and recommendations would be based on facts and they would be placed on the table of the forthcoming session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, which is scheduled to take place June this year at Geneva for necessary actions.

Furthermore, she said that her opinions and conclusions as an independent expert were hers alone that these would not be changed or shaped by any influence whether from government or any others.

It may be noted Rashida landed at Imphal yesterday on a two-day visit following an invitation sent from the side of Civil Society Coalition on Human Rights in Manipur and the UN (CSCHR) on March 13 for covering Manipur and the North East region during her mission to India.

Before wrapping up her official mission to India, the visiting UNSRVAW is expected to hold a national press conference at New Delhi on May 1.

Today’s consultative meeting at the Royale Conference Hall of Hotel Classic was attended by over 200 delegates and family members of women victims of violence from all over the North East region and West Bengal. Representatives of International organizations and National NGOs such as International Committee on the Red Cross (ICRC) and Child Rights and You (CRY) were also present during the consultative meeting moderated by Jarjum Ete, Secretary of National Alliance of Women (NAWO) and former Chairperson of Arunachal Pradesh State Women Commission.

The consultative meeting began with welcome address by convenor of CSCHR Dr Laifungbam Debabrata Roy, who said, “We place our highest confidence and trust in you today, as you convene this historic meeting in Imphal.”

“Yesterday, our people remembered the day, 123 years ago when the independent state of Manipur lost her sovereignty and the Union Jack was unfurled in the holy citadel and fortress of Kangla Pungmayol in Imphal on April 27, 1891. The sovereignty has never been regained till today. In this context, your historic visit is most significant for us in Manipur,” Dr Roy added.

Among the deponents was the mother of the late Thangjam Monorama. Breaking into tears during her testimony, she appealed for justice for her daughter, who was brutally tortured and raped by personnel of the Indian paramilitary force, Assam Rifles before she was killed and her dead body abandoned in a field.

Hearing the heart breaking testimony, the UN Special Rapporteur openly wept with Thangjam Monorama’s mother.

Irom Chanu Sharmila also submitted a hand-written letter to the UNSRVAW.

According to reliable sources, the UNSRVAW made continuous attempts to meet Irom Sharmila during her visit to Imphal, but the permission to meet her did not materialise.

CSCHR submitted a comprehensive memorandum to the UNSRVAW. Titled, “Manipur: Perils of War and Womanhood”, the memorandum gives detailed information on various forms of violence against women in Manipur, the genesis of its swift escalation since the 50s and included several recommendations.

Executive Director of Human Rights Alert (HRA) Babloo Loitongbam, who delivered the vote of thanks, emphasized the significance of Rashida’s visit and highlighted the cause of Irom Chanu Sharmila, who has been on a fast unto death stir for 13 years demanding repeal of Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 from Manipur.

The draconian law, which confers wide impunity to personnel armed forces, should have no place in a democracy and its prolonged imposition has been widely condemned, Babloo stated.

He also apprised Rashida and all other present in the consultative meeting that many UN treaty body mechanisms and other Special Rapporteurs including Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders and Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions Christof Heyns have recommended repeal of Armed Forces Special Powers Act and Justice Verma Commission had also recently called for its repeal and accountability of the Indian armed forces personnel involved in rape and other forms of sexual assault. But these recommendations have been ignored by the Government of India when it introduced the Criminal law (Amendment) Bill, 2012 in Parliament.

Chingai MLA visits rescued children; says insurgency root cause of child trafficking

IMPHAL, April 2: Chingai MLA, MK Preshow Shimray today gifted dresses to the 23 rescued children including 14 girls and nine boys who were rescued from a children home at Jaipur in Rajasthan and brought safely to the state last month.

The children are presently lodged at the Children Home under the state Social Welfare Department which is being used as an observation home.

The MLA who was accompanied by representatives of the Western Students’ Union, Ukhrul; Tangkhul Katamnao Long and Zingtum Takanolong presented the gifts to the children during a visit to the observation home this evening around 6 pm in presence of media persons.

Speaking to media persons on the sideline of the visit, the MLA said that the issue of insurgency in the state is the main cause of child trafficking which has become a social issue in the state.

He elaborated that due to insurgency problems, government schools in the villages in the hills are unable to run properly.

"Parents owing to their poor economic condition are unable to send their wards to the private schools which are expensive," he said, before adding that whenever the traffickers approach the parents with promises of providing education to their wards outside the state at a cheap cost, they readily give in without even verifying the credentials of the individuals.

There is also a strong belief amongst the parents of the state that their wards will get better education if they can get admission anywhere outside the state, the MLA said.

"People of the state tend to forget and ignore the fact that the state government under the Central sponsored schemes like Sarva Siksha Abhiyan is providing free and compulsory education to the children," he said.

He appealed to the parents to verify the credentials of any individuals or people who come with promises of providing free and cheap education for their wards outside the state and fully utilize the free education provided under SSA in the state.

The education system in the state is not so bad when compared to other states, and as such parents should promote education in the state more by enrolling their wards in schools of the state, he said.

The MLA also said that process to hand over the rescued children to their families is underway.

It may be mentioned that the state Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh had visited the children yesterday and announced that residential schools would be set up in all districts of the state to accommodate the children who have been rescued.

The rescued children include 19 from Ukhrul district, one from Chandel and three from Tamenglong district.

When the children get home

Tuesday, 02 April 2013 Imphal Free Press

After dragging its feet and total silence over the recent case of children who have been rescued from a ‘Children Home’ in Jaipur in what is a clear case of child trafficking, the news of the Social Welfare Department stepping in to repatriate the trafficked children is welcome news indeed. It needs no mention here that this step has come about after civil society groups cried hoarse over the non action of the Department and the Government of Manipur, despite the grand announcement of an anti trafficking cell some years ago. The lack of seriousness when the news of the children being rescued by another civil society group trickled in is manifest in the delay in the process for getting back the children in question and the total silence over what measures were being taken up with regard to the incident coming to light. Child trafficking is a serious crime and a profitable business and one that is prevalent in societies caught in the grips of what is becoming fashionable to describe as ‘fragile states.’ Manipur is definitely a fragile state given the nature of poverty, lack of development, lack of commitment to address child trafficking on one hand and the lack of awareness about handing children to agencies even in cases where the parents or guardians are said to have given their consent. Technically, ‘consent’ is a much abused word in itself for even in cases where parents and guardians give their permission for their children to be taken away to other states, it is a case of cheating and withholding information when they are not given the true picture of how the children in question would be treated or in what conditions they will be kept in. Often, people involved in trafficking will show papers signed by parents to get away from being charged with trafficking cases slapped against them but the authorities who are taking up such cases need to be clued into the fact that consent is not consent really till facts are handed out.

Now that the children have been brought back, the Government seems to be caught in a damage control mode with the Chief Minister himself going to meet the children and interact with the children. Thankfully, the photos handed out have also been sensitive enough to ensure that the identity of the children are protected with none of the photographs showing their faces. But if only, the Government had not fast forwarded its overtures merely to make up for its delayed response, it would have made more sense. Young children who have reportedly been surviving in an alien environment and under inhumane conditions would have profited more from in-depth counseling sessions, rather than having to go through the exercise of meeting the Chief Minister, the Social Welfare Minister along with a host of officials who would be total strangers and who would be cutting imposing pictures of authority. For all that we know, the children may be undergoing trauma and trying to resolve in their young minds issues of insecurity, fear and unease. They have been cheated, abused and given their earlier experience, have no reason to trust total strangers who step in to with gun toting security personnel. This is not to take away from the value of the steps that the Honorable Chief Minister has announced today, going so far to say that the state government has paid special attention to the issue of child trafficking. Since the action of getting back the children is proof that the State is indeed taking up some step, civil society groups working in the grass roots will only be happy and eager to know exactly what it is that the government has been taking up to ensure on preventing child trafficking from the state, what steps are taken in case children do end up getting trafficked and what are the process of repatriation and rehabilitation. Yes, there is the announcement of free education but that’s a given in any case under RTE. There would need to be more clarity on whether the children will be handed back to their respective families and whether the all important counsellings for emotional and mental well being will be carried out. Child trafficking is a very lucrative business and there is every reason for such cases to come into light or more seriously, to have more serious cases not coming into light. To contain the practice, there would have to be a strong partnership between the state trafficking units, the social welfare department and grass roots NGOs for it is them who have the most people connect and who can act as news harbinger of such cases taking place. There would have to be intensive awareness campaigns on what steps should be followed to verify offers of children education or job recruitment in other parts of the state. The district child welfare committee too would need to pull up its socks and act proactively in terms of awareness and confidence building action.

CM meets children rescued from Jaipur

Tuesday, 02 April 2013 Imphal Free Press

IMPHAL, April 1: 23 children who were kept in an unfit condition at a children home at Jaipur in Rajasthan were brought to Imphal safe and sound, following which the Chief Minister Okram Ibobi visited and met the children directly.

The children were all between 6 and 20 years of age of a total 23 children, 14 are girls and 9 are boys. 19 children are from Ukhrul, one from Chandel and 3 from Tamenglong district. An official team led by Deputy Director of Social Welfare Department brought the children to Imphal. The Chief Minister Ibobi visited the observation home of the social welfare department at Takyelpat, Imphal where children were put up and met the children directly.The Chief Minister was accompanied by Social Welfare Minister Km. AK Mirabai Devi, Dr. J. Sureshbabu, Principal Secretary (Edn) during his visit.

During his meeting with the children, Chief Minister said that the children who were kept in an unfit condition and brought back to Imphal will be educated with the Government of Manipur establishing a residential school each in every district under SSA. He further added that the government will bear the responsibility for their books, uniform and food. "Not only these children but children of the family who died in encounters due to law and order situation of the state will be educated at these schools. Though the residential schools will be set up in every district, one or two schools will be established at first," he added.

The CM further said that of those children who were returned from outside Manipur, some children were sent with the knowledge of parents due to their poverty. "However, child trafficking has become a national issue and the state government has paid a special attention to this matter," he added. Doctors were called and they examined the children at the observation hall. CM also assured that if the need arises, the children will be taken to hospital for treatment.

Rescued kids from Jaipur brought home : CM promises residential schools

http://www.thesangaiexpress.com/tseitm-25035-rescued-kids-from-jaipur-brought-home-cm-promises-residential-schools/

IMPHAL, Apr 1 : Chief Minister O Ibobi today announced that two residential schools, one for children rescued from Jaipur and another for children born to slain UG cadres, would be opened soon.

Altogether 23 children belonging to the State, who were rescued from an illegal children home based at Jaipur were brought to Imphal on March 29 and housed at Takyel children observation home.

Chief Minister O Ibobi today interacted with the children who were given counselling by Social Welfare Department at the home.

Social Welfare Minister AK Mirabai, Principal Secretary (School Education) Dr Suresh Babu, Principal Secretary (Health) Ram Muivah and Social Welfare Commissioner Letkhogin Haokip were also present during the brief interaction with the rescued children.

Of the 23 rescued children, 19 belong to Ukhrul district, three to Tamenglong district and one to Chandel district. They were handed over to officials of the State Government by Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.

Apart from enquiring in Hindi whether they were given formal education, proper food and who took them there, O Ibobi asked the children if they were interested in studying in a residential school which would be opened shortly by the Government of Manipur.

The Chief Minister also examined the children who have physical deformities.

Later speaking to media persons, Ibobi declared that a residential school where the children would be given free accommodation, foods, uniforms and text books would be opened under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan.

Noting that the children were seemingly taken away outside the State with knowledge of their own parents, Ibobi stated that the he would call the parents and talk with them.

Other than Hindi, the children were unable to speak in their mother tongues.

Ibobi further announced that another school where children born to UG cadres slain in encounters would be given free education would be set up. Later, a team of JNIMS doctors examined health condition of all the children.