International sex traffickers are on a prowl in the backward hill district of Churachandpur in Manipur, preying on girls from poor and vulnerable families. As many as 15 girls including minors have been rescued recently.
In a weekend raid, the Indian Embassy in Yangon, with the help of Myanmar police rescued eight Manipuri tribal girls who were to be taken to Thailand and Singapore by some international human traffickers, an official said.
Additional Chief Secretary, Manipur, S. Suresh Babu in a statement on September 11, said that the Indian government swung into action after the girls called up the police in Manipur, begging for help.
On receiving the distress call, the Manipuri home department immediately contacted the Indian Embassy officials in Yangon, who with the help of Myanmar police rescued the girls from a hotel near Yangon railway station. It was the timely action by the concerned authorities that saved the girls from being taken away to Thailand or Singapore.
The rescued girls are now under the protection of Myanmar police. Arrangements are being made to bring them back to Manipur.
Suresh Babu said, “The eight girls from Churachandpur district were taken to Myanmar via Moreh, the last border town. The girls managed to ring up the police in Churachandpur appealing to rescue them.”
Some local members of the international gang, all hailing from the Churachandpur district of Manipur, were arrested. A case has been registered at the Churachandpur women police station against them.
Earlier, three minor girls, again from Churachandpur, were rescued from the Myanmar capital Nay Pyi Taw. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Churachandpur along with the district Child Welfare Committee (CWC) rescued the girls.
The rescued girls told that the traffickers took youngsters, including boys and girls, to Chennai from where selected girls are taken to nearby Southeast Asian countries. On the way, their passports were taken away after which they were forced to join the flesh market or work as domestic servants.
Telling her story, one rescued girl said, “The traffickers had told my unlettered parents that I would be given gainful employment in a foreign country. My parents were paid Rs 10,000 with a vague assurance that more money would be paid to them later on”.
The social welfare department in Manipur had issued an advisory to the people not to be duped by traffickers who promise jobs and education to their daughters. They were advised to cross check before sending away children to foreign countries.
Some years back, three girls from Manipur managed to return home with money donated by generous tourists.
