IMPHAL, Sep 8 : A team comprising of Tangkhul Shanao Long Delhi (TSLD), FXB India Suraksha, Naga Peoples' Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR), Indigenous Women Forum, North East India (IWFNEI) visited Ukhrul as a follow up of the 23 children rescued from Jaipur from two ‘illegal homes’ run by Pastor Jacob John and also from his house.
The team met the children, families, the Deputy Commissioner of Ukhrul, civil society organizations, CWC and authorities concerned.
Of the 53 children, 23 were from Manipur and they were handed over to the State Child Welfare Committee (CWC) on April 19. The children are currently under the care of the Ukhrul CWC and SSA and undergoing residential bridge course.
According to these organisations, they have found out that detail inquiry report of the child under JJ Rule 28(3); 33(3) (g) (ii) and (4)(f); 87 (1)(a) and (2) is yet to be finalized by the CWC Ukhrul. The report is an assessment of the family situation of the children in detail and to explain in writing whether it will be in the best interest of the child to restore them to their families, they added.
The organisations also found out that no plan is in place on how to make medical aid reach the kids once they are repatriated to their parents. The visiting team has also found out that the state authorities has not given any standard guidelines to deal with rescued children nor specified any budget towards this.
The Government despite their assurance has not considered the special circumstances and denied eligibility to pursue higher education for the senior children. The then Deputy Commissioner had written to the concern authority but the matter remains unaddressed till date. The team is disappointed at the irresponsibility and lack of commitment on the part of the Chief Minister and the Social Welfare Department in extending support that is due to the children, which was aggressively highlighted in the media in the initial period. Meanwhile, Tangkhul Shanao Long Delhi (TSLD), FXB India Suraksha, Naga Peoples Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR), Indigenous Women Forum, North East India (IWFNEI) have recommended that a thorough home investigation of each child be done at the earliest and based on the findings individual care plan for each before restoring them to their respective families. They also recommended that the rehabilitation plan must include all children who were in the same home but returned before the rescue owing to health problems. The list of the children has been submitted to the DC on 9th May by the Ukhrul District Alliance for Child Rights (UDACR) and on 6th June to Nina Nayak,NCPCR. These organisations demanded that s medical team be constituted and all the children be examined and given medical attention on time to time basis. The team further demanded that the State of Manipur need to immediately develop standard guidelines to deal with similar situation of rehabilitating the rescued children from different part of the state in consultation with different stakeholders. The state protection of child rights, Manipur should be pro actively engaged in safeguarding the rights of the children in compliance with ICPS, ICDS and RTE, they further demanded.
“As per the request made from ACP, Jaipur, Rajasthan and direction given by Session court Imphal to CJM Ukhrul to record the statement of the children under CRPC 164, there has been no progress in the matter. We demand for immediate action to be taken,” the team said.
The team then said the state should have a rigorous plan on prevention of child trafficking in close collaboration and consultation with stakeholders across the board and the state failed to comply with the honourable Supreme Court’s guidelines where children below the age of 12 should not go out for education. The state so far have no operational guidelines to check the incidence of children getting trafficked on the pretext of education, the team stated.
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