N-E India: Joint Meet Identifies Areas to Combat Human Trafficking

Guwahati: A joint conference organized by North East Diocesan Social Forum (NEDSSS) and Caritas India zonal office at Guwahati on June 10 identified areas to combat human trafficking in the North-East region.

Human trafficking or modern slavery is a growing global crisis. No state in North-East India is immune to many crimes of human trafficking. This modern slavery needs local, national, regional and global action to eradicate.

Bishop Lumen Monterio, in his keynote address highlighted the concepts of human trafficking of prevention, protection, prosecution, and partnership in dealing with human trafficking.

Rev. W. C. Khongwir, former moderator of PCI, spoke on the greater need for networking on the lines of rescue and rehabilitation.

Fr. Jose SVD, the director of SANSKRITI, opined that human trafficking was the third biggest modem crime in the world, after arms and drugs trade. “It is estimated that most of the trafficked persons are children and the saddest dimension of the issue is that they are sold or exchanged a multiple times,” he said.

Miss Ruth, representing Caritas India Zonal office Guwahati, said that there have been instances where women have become agents of trafficking in N-E India. “Women are lured to become mediators for other girls. During Assam monsoon, flood and relief camps became prosperous time for traffickers,” she said.

The inaugural session was followed by a technical session animated by Ms Malathy and team from Justice and Hope Foundation, which is based in Chennai. Sharing the experience of working on anti-human trafficking especially from N-E India, the community restoration and prevention model and tools used by Justice and Hope Foundation brought out some useful insights for all participants.

Sr. Prema Chowallur SCC, the vice president of Amrat Talitha Kum India, shared the network of religious sisters who are actively involved in preventing and rescue works, related to anti-human trafficking in India.

The objective of the roundtable conference was to facilitate learning, reflection and common action on the topic of human trafficking.  Inputs from participants and interactions with several organizations working to prevent and address the issue of human trafficking were highlights of the conference.

The valedictory function, presided over by  Fr.Jose SVD and Dr.Athpariya, made the following recommendations with the active participation of the participants.

1. Awareness campaign needs to be augmented to address human trafficking in North-East India
2. Education is a key factor to counter the menace of trafficking.
3. Strengthening the networks in North East region, different parts of India and abroad need to be addressed if we are to counter the crime of human trafficking.
4. Empowering the civil society groups with the government agencies is important. There is a need for local and regional structures and mechanisms of people to collaborate with government agencies, NGOs, churches and other faith traditions.
5. Connecting with Justice and Hope Foundation with their toll free no.and services are available structures in South India.
6. Providing safe migration though the help of profile mapping of people leaving for jobs outside the region with village structures and NGOS and Churches can minimize instances of trafficking.
7. The role of media in preventing, rescuing and prevention of human trafficking should become part of media education and awareness.
8. Churches in North East have tremendous resources to pool together and address the issues related to human trafficking. These churches have local presence and capacity to know our people and know what’s happening in our villages. They can gather up information from villages, and use their influence to find out whom they can collaborate with to bring in training where necessary, what referral mechanisms exist, and so on. The Scriptures and the experience of our faith reveal a God who longs to see his people set free from the yoke of injustice. The book of Isaiah captures this beautifully as it describes a redeemed creation: Isaiah 65. 17- 20, ‘The LORD said, “For I am about to create new heavens and a new earth; the former things shall not be remembered or come to mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in what I am creating; for I am about to create Jerusalem as a joy, and its people as a delight. … no more shall the sound of weeping be heard in it, or the cry of distress.  No more shall there be in it an infant that lives but a few days, or an old person who does not live out a lifetime.” We see the story of liberation worked out supremely in the life, ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ who said ‘I have come that you might have life, and have life in abundance’. Therefore, we take our mandate from the Gospel and that mandate needs to be reflected in our commitments to end Human trafficking. Hence, we are in a position to understand and engage prophetically and develop local and regional strategies in response to trafficking.

During the inaugural ceremony, on behalf of NEDSSS executive director Fr.Sebastian Ousepparampil, Fr.Tom Mangattuthazhe welcomed the participants. The lighting of the lamp was done by the Chief guest Bishop Lumen Monteiro, the Bishop of Agartala, guests of honour Rev.W.C.Khongwir, former moderator of PCI, Fr.Jose SVD Director of SANSKRITT, Ms.Chihanphi Luiram, (Program Associate, AHT, Caritas India).

The round table conference came to end with a common prayer and vote of thanks proposed by Fr.Tom Mangattuthazhe.