Police Gets Remand of Alleged Trafficker of 18 State Girls

IMPHAL, Oct 3: A woman detained by the police on the alleged charge of attempt to traffick 18 girls from Manipur to Chennai in Tamil Nadu was produced in a local court and remanded to police custody till the 8th of this month.Police also handed over all the 18 girls to their respective families after verification, an official source said today.On Tuesday last a woman named Apam Khamrang, aged around 30 years, hailing from Ukhrul district of Manipur was detained by the Sekmai police at a check post along the NH-39 along with the 18 minor girls during checking of an inter-state bus bearing registration no. MN-01-1852.The latest case of rescue of 18 girls by the state police, it is pertinent to mention, came amidst the reports of four girls from Tamenglong district escaping from their employers after they were transported to Malaysia.There have been various reports of rescue of minor children from Manipur at various places in the country like Dimapur in Nagaland and from Chennai in Tamil Nadu in the recent times.Of the 18 girls rescued by the Sekmai police on Tuesday, 14 are from villages in Ukhrul district, three are from Senapati district, while one is from Churachandpur district. They are aged between 11 to 23 years.Police said that the alleged trafficker along with the 18 minor girls were detained by the Sekmai police when they were detected during frisking and checking for trafficking of children on October 1 from a bus.Police personnel at Sekmai police station which is the first exit gate from Imphal along the Imphal-Dimapur section of the NH-39 had been keeping a close vigil for trafficking of children after various cases were reported on this route, the source said.During police interrogation, the alleged accused Apam Khamrang has reportedly disclosed that the girls were being carried to Chennai for employment in private jobs in a company.Police sources, however, said that the girls themselves could not give the exact reasons for going to Chennai.“Apam is suspected of procuring the girls, disposing them or using them for illegal purposes by cheating their parents for her wrongful gain. Her act amounts to organized child trafficking,” the police case registered against Apam states.She was produced in the court of the chief judicial magistrate, Imphal west with a prayer for remand to police custody as further interrogation is needed for investigations into the child trafficking cases in the state.The court remanded her upto October 8 in police custody, the source added.It further said that all the 18 girls have been handed over to their respective guardians through the Imphal police station.

Imphal Christians against Orissa violence

Hundreds of Christians Wednesday march on the streets in Imphal to protest against the violent attacks on Christians in Orissa.Placards with slogans like, “Safeguard freedom of religion”, “Protect secularism in India”, “Protect places of worship”, “Rebuild the houses of the victims”, “Compensate the losses”, “We denounce the killing of VHP leader” were displayed during the rally.In the rally organized by the All Manipur Christian Organization, an apex body of people following Christian religion in Manipur, people coming from different places of the state took part. Christian leaders of the state while speaking at the public meeting condemned the atrocities and violence like burning down of churches and houses of Christians in Orissa in the last around one month.Quoting a report published in a weekly “The Herald” published from Kolkata, a spokesperson of the organizers said that in the recent violent attacks on the Christians in Orissa, 4104 homesteads and shops extending over 194 villages in Orissa were torched or dismantled while more than 50 churches were destroyed.Apart from rendering homeless thousands of Christians, many schools and people including school children were assaulted by the attackers who blamed the Christian for the killing of a VHP leader in the state on August 23.The attacks on the Christians were committed despite Maoist activists owning responsibility for the murder of the VHP leader, the spokesperson said.He also said that the recent incidents of attacks on Christians in the state were not new, recounting the incidents of attacks on Christians in December 2007.He also said that there was no “forced conversion” in Orissa or any other parts of the country observing, “No one can force a man to convert his religion. It is one’s own will to follow a religion.” Today’s rally was organized to show solidarity to the Christians and demand a CBI probe into the violent attacks on Christians, he said.The Christians in Orissa, mention may be made, are demanding a CBI probe into the murder of the VHP leader and the attacks on the Christians and award of befitting punishment to the culprits behind the crimes.To arrest leaders of the organizations initiating the violence against Christians immediately, to protect minorities and their institutions, to take up relief measures and rehabilitation works for the victim people, to compensate adequately for the losses are the other demands of the Christians.

Sharmila Remanded to Judicial Custody

Irom Sharmila Chanu winner of Gwangju Prize for Human Rights 2007, has been remanded to judicial custody till October 1st 2008 after she was produced before the court of judicial Magistrate (First Class) at Lamphelpat yesterday. While at the court premise Sharmila upon hearing that her mother was feeling unwell and sick could not stop herself from crying as she regards her mother as an inspiration for her untiring endeavour to protest the imposition of the draconian law the Armed Forces' Special Powers Act 1958, She has been held up at the Security Ward of JN Hospital for over eight years and periodically produced before the relevant courts due to legal compulsion by the Manipur Government Police Department for her agitation in the form of Hunger Strike till AFSPA is removed.

Dimapur Police Rescues 17 Manipuri Girls

Kohima, Sep 18: In a suspected case of human trafficking, Dimapur police rescued 17 girls and one boy who were sent by an agent from Manipur to Chennai in Tamel Nadu. Those girls were sent back to Manipur by Dimapur Police on Tuesday. According to a report carried in a Dimapur newspaper in the Wednesday's edition, on receiving information from Manipur about suspected trafficking of minor girls and a request to stop them, Dimapur police team stepped up frisking operation at Chukumedima Check Gate in the outskirt of Dimapur and intercepted a bus coming from Manipur carrying those girls, who were immediately detained and brought to women cell of the police. Dimapur police sources said that most of the girls were minors, while 3 or 4 of them might be above 18 years of age. The newspaper reported that during the interrogation, the girls revealed that they were being sent to Chennai by an agent from Manipur promising jobs at some industry. However, the concerned persons failed to produce any documents about the authenticity of the factory/industry where these girls were supposed to be employed. Dimapur police even contacted Chennai and Manipur to inquire about the same, but they did not get any satisfactory reply and informed the Manipur Government, NGOs about the development, according to the newspaper report.Dimapur police escorted the girls back to Manipur till Mao Gate, where they would be handed over to officials of the Government, NGOs, Mao Public Organization and other organizations.

World AIDS Day - Members of the Lagislative Assembly Come out to Campaign

Stop AIDS : Keep the Promise – Leadership, is the theme for this years’ World AIDS Day. Wide Angle Social Development Organisation participated the mass rally jointly organized by the Manipur State AIDS Control Society and its NGO partners. The rally started from the Palace Compound and ended at THAU ground which was received by the honorable Governor along with the Chief Minister of Manipur. Addressing the observance of the World AIDS Day the Governor Dr. S S Sidhu gave his assurance to explore possibilities of special steps for the state and would urge the Union health ministry as well as NACO to envision "special steps" for Manipur in the light of the high prevalence of the infections. he also asserted the need for looking into the aspect of care and support for orphans by voluntary organizations, it may be noted that Wide Angle has been running a orphan home for HIV infected and affected girl children supported by the Ministry of Women and Child as a one year pilot project, we have completed the said time frame last year now the home is run by generous public contributions which is very hard to implement for a resource poor state like ours. He noted that, "It is a call or appeal to the government and policy makers seeking their response to ensure that they are in the forefront for the fight against HIV and AIDS."

The chief minister, Okram Ibobi in his presidential address said, "There is no room for procedural delay or compliancy in implementing the programmes for HIV/AIDS. These will only fuel the epidemic. The time has come to use all the resources at our disposal to fight AIDS."Pointing out that Manipur is one of the first states in the country to frame a State AIDS Policy, the CM said that time has come to revise the policy framed in 1996 to incorporate issues of women and children. Ibobi also highlighted the need of taking up HIV/AIDS awareness programmes constituency-wise so that each MLA can get involved. He opined that religious leaders, meira paibi, and other community leaders should get involve in massive scale. According to official estimates, more than 599 lives had been claimed by the dreaded disease in Manipur since its first detection in 1991 and currently 27,961 people including 7,106 women are living with the disease. Out of the 27,961 people living with HIV/AIDS, 5,464 including 2,108 women are currently undergoing ART provided by the Manipur AIDS Control Society, as of October this year.

The organization also participated earlier during the day a World AIDS Day observation program organized by the Manipur Legislators` Forum on HIV/AIDS (MLFA -which is first of is kind in the whole country) at the Manipur Assembly Secretariat`s office premises. The chief guest of the observation, Dr S Buddhichandra, speaker of Manipur Legislative Assembly and chairman of MLFA, He asserted the need for putting a full stop to HIV/AIDS in Manipur. The observation was presided by E Dwijamani, MLA & chairman of Pollution Control Board. The keynote address was delivered by MLA Dr Irengbam Ibohalbi, secretary MLFA. MLA Dr H Borajao and MLA M Thorii were the guests of honour. A rally led by the honorable Speaker & MLA of the legislative assembly proceeded towards the THAU ground where the main World AIDS Day observation is being held.

A Thoibi's Story

Thoibi got married at the age of twenty with Dinachandra, a young handsome man. He was from Kakwa a small village in Manipur, a state in the eastern part of India experiencing Arms Conflict since 1949. Manipur, one of the 6 high HIV/AIDS prevalent states with a 80% estimated HIV prevalence among Intravenous Drug Users (2001).

Dinachandra was an occasional drug user during that time and Thoibi had no knowledge of his drug habit. A year after, she gave birth to a son Bablu on the 13th April 2000. Both of them were unemployed at this time so they thought of starting a business. To start, Thoibi sold her jewelries which was given to her by her parents on her marriage. Unfortunately the business was not a success and they lost all they had.

Dina got frustrated and started taking drugs again. As time past he very often fell ill and remained bed-ridden. Thoibi had started weaving and stitching it into Phaneks (the wrap-a-round, skirt like which the local women wear here) to maintain her family. Most of the income though was used in buying medicines for her husband’s treatment. Very often husband & wife would quarrel among themselves on various issues and most of it was money related. Dina's two elder brothers were also abusing drugs which disheartened the whole family and for one reason or the other they were quarreling among themselves. His elder brother died just two years after their marriage.

Thoibi again gave birth, to a daughter named Puspa on the 30th March 2004. She could now no longer stand the physiological trauma & harassment from her husband with two small little kids to look after. She finally decided to leave her husband and moved back with her old parents. She was not allowed to take her son Bablu by her husband and her in-laws.

Struggling to fight poverty, to support her daughter & herself she worked hard in weaving and tailoring. During that period she met Pratima, a member of MSG (Mutual Support Group) formed under our Organization, WASDO (Wide Angle Social Development Organization) and supported by CRY (Child Rights and You). Thoibi finally joined MSG after attending various program on HIV/AIDS. One day she decided to get herself tested and found out that she was HIV positive. She felt very angry at her fate and wanted to commit suicide. The real challenge in front of her now was how to survive with the virus and the stigma & discrimination associated with it. She did not fear death but what she feared most was what will be the fate of her children after her death.

As Thoibi was now a member of the MSG, she was consoled by most of her peers who shared their experience and hardship they had gone through and how they over came it. She started actively participating in the work of MSG like the income generating Training Programs that were most suitable economically as well as physically...soap making, cane & bamboo handicraft making, etc. as her physical condition did not permit her to exert herself too much physically. She later became the Convener of MSG.

After one and half years, Dina visited Thoibi along with their elder son Bablu. He apologized and promised that he will not abuse Drugs any more and requested her to come back home. She agreed and also motivated him to get himself tested and also informed him of its advantages. Dina too was found HIV positive. He enrolled himself in MNP+ (Manipur Network Of Positive People) and started getting drug substitution therapy with Bruphonophin.

Thoibi is now working as a Child Animator in WASDO. Dina is now seriously ill and is on ART.

With lots of opportunities developing, the Indian Government needs to take up Intervention Program based on ground realities and not on strategies formulated by the National AIDS Control Organization as thousand of Thoibis are waiting for some hope in this dark side of North Eastern State of India.

Motorcycle Rally for HIV/AIDS Awareness

As part of the World AIDS Day observation, a Motorcycle Rally was organized by NGO Partners of the Manipur State AIDS Control Society, working in the field of HIV/AIDS today. Wide Angle with it's band of staff & volunteers participated in the above Rally which was flagged off by P.Manikanta, Deputy Director, MSACS this morning.

Street corner meetings were conducted by the Participants at Naoremthong Tera Bazaar, Kwa Keithel Bazaar, Singjamei, Khongman, Wangkhei, Nongmeibund, Lamlong, Khongnang, Ani Karak, Sana Keithel in the course of the Rally before finishing it up at the MSACS Office at Lamphelpat.

The objective behind the Rally was to encourage voluntary public participation in the World AIDS Day to be held at the State level at the Thau Ground, Thangmeibund on the 1st of Dec, 2007. Secondly, to create awareness as part of the National AIDS Control & Prevention Program - the involvement of community and civil society which is highly required. Government & NGOs alone can never fight the HIV/AIDs epidemic.