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Posted
on 20-Oct-02 05:06 AM
Parents sending children to work for circuses
Our Correspondent
MAKWANPUR, Oct. 19: The trend of sending children to work in Indian circuses growing in the district, but, there is no data as how many of them go there every year.
The prevention camp of Maiti Nepal, Hetauda, had rescued 10 children last year. Maya Lama, coordinator of the camp, said that eight of them were rescued while being taken to India, while two were rescued from the circuses. The NGO has involved in preventing trafficking of girls.
Dil Bhadur Gole, a resident of ward No. 10 of Hetauda, was taking his own daughter and a seven-year-orphan Santoshi Sangtan to India to 'sell' them to a circus. He had already sent his elder daughter there.
Lama said that Santoshi is presently living with Maiti Nepal, and said that they were looking for a guardian.
There are gangs who are active in luring parents to send their children to work in the circuses. Poor parents are given false promises of good jobs and money for their children. And they lack knowledge of what might happen to their children.
In fact, children are forced to do hard and risky work. They are even exploited physically and sexually. Many are even forced into prostitution.
A DSP of the district police office said that there is no clear law and policy to punish those involving in taking children to India under the pretext of giving them work in the circuses.
Most of the children have the consent of their parents, making it difficult to nab the traffickers, he said, adding several children from Basmadi and Chatiyan VDCs and even from the municipal areas are taken to work in the circuses.
But, Lama said if the victims file a petition against those involved in sending the children to circuses they could be brought to book under the anti-trafficking act.
(Courtesy: The Rising Nepl)
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