SOMNATH BASTOLA

After the Kosi breached its embankments last year, there has been a rise in the abduction of children by Indian human traffickers. If the refugees are vulnerable, their children are even more vulnerable.

In the desolate villages of Sunsari, local middlemen of transborder traffickers are taking advantage of the desperation. They are usually locals who partner with Indian criminal groups to sell people into India.

Local recruiter Dalu Sada offered to take 11-year-old Phuleswor Sada and his nine-year-old brother Harihar to Punjab to get a job. Now, they work as bonded labourers in a house in Ludhiana. Dalu had promised the family they would be paid IRs 1000 a month and admitted that he sold the boys to an Indian agent for IRs 2000.

A Himal Khabarpatrika investigation showed at least 23 children from flood affected Sripur and Haripur VDCs have been sold as domestic workers and bonded labourers into India. The most vulnerable are children who live in makeshift tents installed after the flood.

Supaul Sada from India convinced Sukhichand Sada's family in Sripur that he would pay their loan, which had a 15 per cent interest rate, if they let him take 14-year-old Sukhi to Punjab. Sukhichand called home last month, crying and told the family that he had been sold for IRs 10,000.

Fourth grader Sushil Sada was sold to a paper factory for IRs 8,000. Three months ago, Sushil called home and there has been no news since. Voluntary health worker in Sripur, Jhwaridebi Ram's 14-year-old son was taken away by Dalu Sada's gang last July. They paid her Rs 5000 as advance.

Child traffickers were active here even before last year's flood. But it has got much worse. Organ smugglers are also said to be active. Three suspicious innocents have been lynched to death in Sunsari in the past two weeks.

Sunsari rights worker Birendra Sah has been pursuing the traffickers and has rescued four children by buying them back from where they were working in Bihar. The middleman who sold them, Jogindar Kumar Srideb, is in jail. But he is the only one.

The children sold into Punjab have to work 16 hours a day in farms, fields and brick factories. Sah, who visited a number of places in India while trying to rescue children, say they are tortured if they fail to work and not given
food.

Somnath Bastola in Sunsari

SEE ALSO
Where the buffalos used to roam - FROM ISSUE #452 (22 MAY 2009 - 28 MAY 2009)
Flood of babies - FROM ISSUE #452 (22 MAY 2009 - 28 MAY 2009)
Silver lining? - FROM ISSUE #452 (22 MAY 2009 - 28 MAY 2009)