Child trafficking issue discussed

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Child trafficking issue discussed
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, April 21 2010: Members of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) today met the officials concerned of the State Government to discuss issue related to child trafficking in Manipur and suggested co-ordination among various Departments in combating the issue as a long term plan.

NCPCR team has arrived here following a directive of the Supreme Court and the team would be submitting a report to the apex court.

The members of the National Commission for Protection of Child led by its Registrar BK Sahu held a joint meeting with Chief Secretary DS Poonia, DGP Y Joykumar, IG Intelligence LM Khoute, Commissioner of Social Welfare Letkhogin Haokip and Director of Social Welfare Seityabati as the conference hall of the Old Secretary and discussed the issue of child trafficking in Manipur.

During the meeting, the Chief Secretary presented a detailed account of the measures being taken up by the State Government to prevent child trafficking and informed that an emergency response team would be deployed in the Home Department in addition to alerting the police.

The Chief Secretary also apprised the visiting team that along with earmarking necessary fund in the budget, Social Welfare Department would conduct awareness campaign on child trafficking in remote areas of the State.

From the side of the Commission, it was suggested that Social Welfare alone would not be able to combat the issue and besides the need for co-ordination among the Depts like the Police, Law, TD & Hills, constant communication should be facilitated between the State Government, which is the source of the trafficking and Tamil Nadu Government, which has become the destination.

Girl education stressed in workshop on children

The Imphal Free Press

IMPHAL, April 17: A one day consultation on the Rights of Children to Free and Compulsory Education which was organized in coalition on Children`s Right to Protection (CCRP), Manipur was held yesterday at the conference Hall, Manipur Human Rights Commission.

S.Sharju Devi, Covenor, CCRP in her keynote address said that in Manipur, the right to compulsory education belongs to a marginalized section of the society and has been denied for the last many years. She also said that the government run schools are easily identified by the absence of the students, teachers, playgrounds and basic school amenities such as the toilet. As a result, there are thousands of children in the state who are out of school simply because, they cannot afford the exorbitant amount of school fees in the private schools around. Left with no options, these children are easy targets of child, labour and drug traffickers and even militants. Some depressed children turn to drugs and violence when left with no choice. She further questions as to how many students can the Model Schools cover in a district.

One of the resource person, N.Pramod Singh, Lecturer at the LMS Law College highlighted on the Acts & Articles passed by the Constitution for the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education. He stressed that Right to Education comes from Right to Life. The Father of our Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, has given it. Lawmakers, Parents, Guardians, School Authorities alike should see to it that the right to education should be ensured and that children from every walk of life should benefit from it.

Ch,Sheelamani, Lecturer, D.M College of Arts who was also one of the resource person discussed the prospect and challenges of Girl Child`s education in Manipur. She mentioned that women have also been suppressed since time immemorial. Be it in the population index, their social status, health conditions, women has always been one step behind their male counterparts.

The employment &education rate of women is also very low as compared to men. Empowerment of women for their upliftment is extremely essential to bring about the equality between the two genders.

It is said "educating a girl means educating the family, thus educating the whole nation." Education is the key to development and irrespective of gender, caste and economy, children need to be educated. She also said that for a girl, it is challenging in the male dominated society but that should not stop us from giving the girl child the proper education be it academic or vocational thus enabling the girl to lead a dignified life. We should not treat girls as the handicapped as compared to boys.

Ng.Nongyai. who presided today`s function as Chief Guest said that Children`s Right to Education is somewhat achieved, however, if their Rights to Health and Food is also ensured, it will be for the better. He also said that as our state is a conflict area-we should see to it that our children are imparted education and that the delivery of education meets the quality benchmark as does other children in the rest of the world.

Panel to probe child trafficking

source-The Telegraph

OUR CORRESPONDENT

Imphal, April 16: A two-member team of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights will arrive here tomorrow to investigate child trafficking from Manipur to other parts of the country, particularly to Tamil Nadu. Following a Supreme Court directive, the registrar of the commission, Binod Kumar Sahu and its consultant Ramnath Nayak, visited Chennai to investigate cases of child trafficking from Manipur and Assam to the southern states. On March 31, a three-judge bench of Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan, Justice Deepak Verma and Justice B.S. Chauhan asked the commission to complete the probe in four weeks and submit a report and posted the matter for hearing in May. “There was need for some investigation as children belonging to poor families from the northeastern region were lured by some illegal organisations on the pretext of providing better education,” the chief justice had said. The bench was hearing a petition on trafficking of 76 children from Assam and Manipur. The children, aged between five and 15, were rescued from Bethesada Blessing Home, run illegally in Chennai, on January 24. Following the apex court’s directive, the two-member team visited Chennai and on April 11 talked to senior officials to collect information regarding the rescue of the children from Manipur and Assam from the home near Kuzhithurai in Kanyakumari district. Sources in the social welfare department here said nearly a hundred children from Manipur were taken to Tamil Nadu on the false promise of getting free education, were rescued this year. In two separate recent incidents, children and teenagers were intercepted at Sekmai in Imphal West while they were travelling in buses on their way to Mumbai and Chennai. The children rescued and intercepted at Sekmai are from the valley and hill districts, including Churachandpur and Ukhrul. They were handed over to their parents and guardians after counselling. Official sources said the two-member team would discuss with officials of the social welfare department, child activists and the members of child welfare committees to collect information on the traffickers’ modus operandi. The team will visit Tamenglong, one of the worst-affected districts in Manipur. The sources also said the team would examine two recent cases of child trafficking in the state. A headmistress of a private school, Narmada Rana, was arrested on March 31 on charges of cruelty to juveniles, wrongful confinement, kidnapping and using children as labourers. The police took her into custody after two minors were rescued from her Imphal house and another girl who had fled the headmistress’s house was also rescued. She is now out on bail. On April 10, the police picked up a couple who had allegedly sold off a nine-month-old baby to another couple. The couple were released the next day. The release of the couple angered child rights activists who are preparing a report.

CCRP probes school building collapse

source-http://www.ifp.co.in/shownews.php?newsid=8862

IMPHAL, April 3: The Coalition on Children’s Right to Protection (CCRP) Manipur, a collective body striving for children’s protection rights conducted a fact finding visit today at the Lilong Arapti Leikai to enquire into the incident of collapsing of the G.T Memorial Academy in which a girl student of the school was killed.

Mention may be made, 9 years old Konsam Roshni daughter of Sanathoi of Lilong Arapti, a student of GT Memorial Academy died in the April 1 incident.

The CCRP mourned the untimely demise of the girl child inside the classroom on the same day when the country celebrated the historic enactment of the Children’s Right to Free and Compulsory Education Act, which came into effect from April 1,2010.

After the fact finding field visit at the GT Memorial Academy, the CCRP, Manipur observed that the incident of the G.T Memorial Academy, Lilong should not be construed merely a result of Natural Calamity but also a case of lapses and negligence on the part of School Management and as well as the concerned officials of the state education department.

The visible negligence and recklessness on the part of the School Management and founder was that they have been running the school with 580 students since 2003 when the school building is only with bamboo pillars and bamboo mats (Phaklong) wall, roofed by CGI Sheets, thereby putting the precious lives of hundreds at great risk.

The CCRP urged the government to institute an inquiry to find out how did the concerned officials of the Education(s), government of Manipur give recognition to the school bearing registration No.12/13/08-SE (s) last year, despite having such poor quality infrastructures. The erring officials should be booked, it demanded.

The standard of buildings and infrastructures of all schools, both government and private should be physically checked in order to prevent similar tragedy in furture. Recognition of unfit schools should be cancelled and government should stop mushroom growth of private schools in the state, the CCRP demanded.

It also also strongly demands the state government to announce compulsory training of the teachers (both private & government) to train on Disaster Management Skills in order to teach and save the children from man made and natural disasters as Manipur is already an earthquake zone, affected by prolonged armed conflict and now a hit zone of continuous hailstorm.

Child rights panel asked to probe kids' trafficking

2010-03-31 21:20:00

The Supreme Court Wednesday asked the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) to probe the suspected trafficking of children from northeastern states to Tamil Nadu and Kerala on the pretext of educating them. 'We would like to have an inquiry into the matter,' said a bench of Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan, Justice Deepak Verma and Justice B.S. Chauhan. The bench also asked the child rights panel to apprise the court of its probe report in four weeks. The panel adjourned the matter for next hearing in May. There is need for some investigation as children belonging to the poor families from northeastern regions were lured by some illegal organisations on the pretext of providing them better education, the bench remarked responding to the submission made by counsel Aparna Bhat in the case. The apex court was hearing Bhat's application on the issue of recovery of 76 children from Assam and Manipur, who were lodged in an unregistered children's home in Kanyakumari district in Tamil Nadu.

MACR holds education interface

Source-http://www.ifp.co.in/shownews.php?newsid=8751

IMPHAL, March 28: A one day interface with the Village Education Committee (VECs) and Education Department was held today at Manipur Voluntray Health Association, Wangkhei Ningthem Pukhri Mapal.

The interface was organized by the Manipur Alliance for Child Right (MACR) Imphal East, an alliance comprising of different individuals, NGOs, professionals working in the field of Child Right.

The programme is a part of the activities taken up by the MACR for activation of VECs and Communitization of Education to make sure that government run aided schools are run properly and the right to education, which has become a fundamental right endured.

K. Pradeep Kumar, member central committee MACR, while delivering his keynote address highlighted on how the western education reached our state and said that the education reach in the state in the year 1872 under Major General Nuthal, who opend an English school. Later in 1885, during the reign of Maharaj Chandrakiti, another English school was set up and the western education system in the state has now entered its 138 years.

According to Pradeep, the Right to Free Education and Compulsory Act, a fundamental Right was passed in the year 2009, in the country however many children are deprived of the right adding in India 3 percent out of the National Budget has been sanctioned for education, where as in other developed countries like USA, UK the sanctioned is 6-7 percent.

The privatization in the field of education, abolition of schools, especially aided schools are also one of the draw backs in the education system Pradeep Kumar said and raised his doubt whether Model school will be able to challenge the privatization.

W. Joykumar, another member of the MACR, said that many children are deprived of their rights to education, food survival, exploited, as a resulted of which the problems of delinquencies are on the rise. He said that, appointment of teachers on the basis of corruptions and not on their qualifications, sending ofchildren to private schools, outside the state for better education are also some of the factors of the deterioration of government run schools.

To avoid all these, according to him, only qualified teachers should be appointed and be given proper training, especially on child psychology to understand the students better. And teachers should do their duties upto their level best keeping in mind not only the welfare of their famili but for the welfare of the whole community. The should work with full dedication, be no choosy about their work place, be it remote area on hilly reasons, they should mainly focus on the welfare of the student community.

A.Sharma Singh, ZEO, Zone II in his guest of hounour speech, highlighted on the formation and functions of the VECs/WECs in the state. He said that the belief of the people regarding the education system in the state are declining. The state government in order to ensure proper functioning of the schools in state, has set up various VECs and WECs in every village and ward of our state. This committee comprises of the headmasters/mistress of the schools of the village, ward, Pradhan, local Educationist, member of the youth clubs of that village, he stated.

The VECs/WECs has no specific limitations. They have the full power or authority. Their function/duties are to look after the welfare and the well being of the schools, be it construction and repairing works, they also monitors regarding the punctuality of the teacher and students alike, whether the teachers are performing their duties properly, whether the headmaster is utilizing the funds properly or not and so on.

An interaction programme amongst the invites and the dignitaries was also held which was participated by audience comprises of headmasters of government schools, clubs, child right activist etc..

Gandhi to Sharmila campaign concludes

Imphal, March 14: Mobilization for support from members of the Parliament is needed for repealing the Armed Forces (Special) Power Act, 1958, MLA O Joy of Manipur People Party (MPP) observed speaking at the concluding function of the Gandhi to Sharmila campaign here at Manipur Press Club, Major Khul today.

For the repeal of the act, MPs of the Parliament needs to be mobilized apart from adopting a resolution by the house of Manipur Legislative Assembly, O joy said urging the people to convince the MLAs of the state Assembly assuring that he is ready to move a motion with regard to the repeal of the Act in the house at any time.

The lone fasting stir launching by Sharmila is a rare historic gift. Under the Act many cruel incidents had occurred in the state. That is why, people of Manipur got the support of other section of the people from both India and aboard, he observed.

Security forces are becoming for cruel under the Armed Forces (Special) Power Act, 1958 is well known across the globe. That is why, they are extending solidarity to the demand of the people of the Manipur to repeal the Act, he reiterated.

The Gandhi to Sharmila campaign was launched by the Peoples’ Vigilance Committee on Human Rights (PVCHR) in association with Just for Peace Manipur.

The campaign began on January 30 last concluded Sunday after covering 23 cities of Asia including cities of India with the grass root organization of Manipur, Wide Angle sent open letter to the parliamentarian of both houses showing solidarity to the Sharmila’s fasting struggle to repeal the Act from the entire state of Manipur.
Irom Sharmila has been on a hunger strike demanding the repeal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 following the massacre of 10 civilians by the Armed Forces on 2 November 2000.

O Joy, announcing his stance of not compromising with his support to repeal of the Act, said he is feeling shame when the matter was never discuss in the house of the Manipur Assembly. MLA RK Anand who also attended the function expressed dissatisfaction when 19 opposition members of the Assembly could not take a unanimous decision and push the government to repeal the Act.

“A political will is a must to press the Parliament for repealing the Act. For this all opposition members of the Assembly should unite in moving a motion to adopt a resolution,” he said observing for a join effort of the MLAs and Parliamentarians of the north east to unite for pushing the Centre in repealing the Act.

The Act is for not breaking the integrity of India but putting people of the region in such a state, putting under the boots of the security forces for the integrity of the country is not a right step, he went on to observed.

Yambem Laba while participating the panel discussion observed that the incidents of threatening individuals and government officials with bombs and guns is part of counter revolutionary should be known by all.

The campaign was to gather support of Sharmila's struggle and to demand the repeal of AFSPA which the Jeevan Reddy Committee (2005), the Administrative Reform Commission headed by the present Union Law Minster Dr Veerappa Moilly and the Working Group on Confidence Building Measures headed by the present Vice President Mr. Hamid Ansari have consistently recommended to repeal of Act.
An Armed Forces Special Powers Amendment Bill 2009 was listed for discussion in the last winter session of the parliament, but it was not brought up for discussion. We are expecting that the matter will come up during the budget session of the Parliament starting from 22 February 2010, but so far this does not happen, lamented Babloo Loitongbam of the Just Peace Foundation.