Our Correspondent
KOHIMA, APRIL 21
Director General of Police L.L. Doungel Thursday called for a concerted effort from all sections of the society, particularly the stakeholders, to fight against human trafficking and child labour.
Speaking as the chief patron at the State Level Workshop and Consultation on Human Trafficking at Police Headquarters’ conference hall, the DGP urged upon the general public to join hands with the police in curbing the acts of human rights violation.
Doungel said society has more to achieve if the police can be assisted in fighting against any form of crimes. “Be it any crime, it is not alone the duty of the police. We should be assisted and given cooperation at any moment of time,” the DGP said and further called upon the NGOs and public to be part of the police functioning. To this, he also implored upon the public to dispel and demystify the mistrust they have on the police personnel. “The police department and personnel are part of the society,” he added.
He noted human trafficking as a very serious issue starting to take its berth in our society. “In regard to human trafficking, it concerns the police as much as it concerns the public, stakeholders and parents of the victims,” he said adding “If you are human, you must act against it.”
The two-day workshop, which will conclude on Friday, is being organized by AnyayRahitZindagi (ARZ) and State Resource Centre for Women (SRCW) in collaboration with Nagaland Police and supported by Terres Des Hommes, Netherlands. The workshop has been organized with special emphasis on commercial sexual exploitation and child labour.
Earlier, delivering the keynote address, Daisy Mezhür, Mission Director, SRCW, said the workshop is not only aimed at sensitizing the public, but also to bring all the stakeholders to a single platform in order to address these burning issues. The SRCW mission director shared her deep concern with Northeast and Nagaland becoming a ‘hotspot’ for human trafficking. “It is time we come together and work as a team and zip it down when it concerns human trafficking, Mezhür remarked.
With human trafficking becoming a serious issue, she pointed out that the Nagas, at one point of time, have been gullible, ignorant, leading to many of the trafficking cases go unreported. “When it concerns trafficking, the educated people cannot be ignorant anymore,” she added and highlighted the grievous issues pertaining to inter-state human trafficking.
On child labour, Mezhür pointed out that it is silently becoming a great cause of concern in the State. “It is visible, and we cannot deny that many children have been exploited at early stage. This issue also needs a concerted effort from the society,” she said.
DIGP (HR & SJ) W Krome, who also spoke as a resource speaker, highlighted about the activities of the Anti-Human Trafficking Units (AHTU). He informed that AHTU has been set up in all the districts of Nagaland, and therefore appealed to the society to approach the police and further play a pro-active role in curbing the anti-social elements.
The other resource speakers for the day were ArunPandey, Director, ARZ & member, Standing Committee on Anti-Human Trafficking of MWCD, Government of India, Er. L NunshiyangerAier, Labour Commissioner, Nagaland, C.J. George, Consultant, Terres Des Hommes, Germany, Nino Iralu, member secretary, Nagaland Legal Services Authority, JayantPaunikar, OSD, Women & Child Development, Maharashtra, Dr. VinitoChishi, consultant, Legislature Forum on AIDS, NLA and BanoVinito, chairperson, Nagaland State Social Welfare Board.
The workshop was attended by representatives from various stakeholders representing government departments and non-governmental organizations.
