|
27 February 2007: Krishnanagar: is situated in Nadia District in eastern part of the West Bengal near Bangladesh border. Large-scale trafficking of children takes place into Krishnanagar from Bangladesh to India, and again from here to Kolkata, Delhi and Mumbai, the urban commercial centres. Children are sent through placement agencies in these metropolitan cities. Through the placement agencies boys and girls are sold to work as child domestic labourers or the pretty girls are sold to brothel owners as commercial sexual workers. The placement agencies have their agents and labour recruiters/ traffickers scouting in the region for young vulnerable children to sell them for small amounts of money.
Rabindra Bhawan, Krishnanagar, Nadia District
Mr Roy, Principal of a school in Krishnanagar let the children and the assembled through a series of patriotic songs. At the meeting were present, the highest level representatives from the district, District Magistrate (administrative head of the district), Omkar Singh Meena and Superintendent of Police, Hari Krishna Kusumakar, along with members of the local organising team.
Taking note of the presence of the heads of the district administration and the police, Kailash Satyarthi said ”It is the responsibility of the state- the police and administration to take the lead in this fight against child trafficking and child labour. If the police and the administration is sensitive as well as active, it is not possible for traffickers to operate. It is not possible for any person to lure a child into prostitution, into beggary, into child marriage, into child labour. The civil society can act as a catalyst and social monitor. The government officials should be made accountable to the welfare and protection of the children, especially against trafficking of children for labour”.
Omkar Singh Meena, District Magistrate suggested, “We must activate the panchayats (village governing body) of the border villages and organise them and bring them together with us. This would be the most important strategy of local mobilisation as they would be involved and also help in our endeavour to stop trafficking of children. The police station houses in the border villages should also become active in this to stop the crime of trafficking of children for prostitution or labour exploitation or any other purposes”.
Hari Krishna Kusumakar, Superintendent of Police remarked that in West Bengal, a large number of children especially girls are trafficked into prostitution. He further said that it was difficult to prosecute the traffickers due to the lack of witnesses in cases of trafficking. He reiterated the need for police sensitivity and training in handling cases of trafficking.
Bethuadari, Nadia District
Around evening the March reached the town of Bethuadari. Again at the public gathering Kailash Satyarthi motivated the people to pledge their support to the March and against child trafficking and slavery. It was a heart-warming scene when the police personnel cordoning the meeting joined the children, women and men in fight against exploitation of children.
Plassay, the historic place of the first battle against the British occupation of India
At Plassay, on the highway the marchers were welcomed with garlands and showers of flower by the local organisers – BAPU. Through the town of Plassay and especially at the trucking points on the highway (NH-24) the children chanted slogans and songs against the menace of child trafficking and child labour. Trucking points – places where trucks load and unload their goods, are critical points in the trafficking chain/ supply route.
On-road Public Meeting, Rejinagar, Murshidabad District
The meeting started with the beautiful song “aa chal ke tujhe main leke chaloon ek aise gagan ke tale, jahan gham bhi na ho, aansoo bhi na ho, ek aise gagan ke taale…” (Let me take you to a place under this sky, where there’s no sorrow and there are no tears…” by Poora, an activist from one of the West Bengal partner organisation.
This was followed by a powerful play by the former child labourers from the Bachpan Bachao Andolan’s cultural team.
Kailash Satyarthi moved the assembled gathering with his address and made them pledge that they will work to end child trafficking and child labour.
At Behrampore, Murshidabad district the marchers were again welcomed by the women activists of the local organisation with flowers and tikka. Even after having travelled more than 150 kms through the day and having performed at numerous places, the super-charged children enthusiastically sang songs and danced through the night. |
