As a follow-up of anti-trafficking campaign, Project Swarajya has done the following activities during Nov-Dec-03 in Kendrapada district of Orissa
Distribution of Leaflets and Posters- The organisation distributed about 2,000 leaflets and 100 posters among the NGOs, PRI members, SHG members, CBOs, teachers, and general public during the month of November. 4 Nos. of Banners were displayed in different places.
A Rally of Inner Wheel Clubs of undivided Cuttack district was jointly organized at Cuttack on 16th Nov, 03 in collaboration with Project Swarajya. The Secretary of Project Swarajya presented a paper on how the Women and Children are being sold across the country. She sensitized the members of both Rotary Club and Inner Wheel Club about this. A booklet published on behalf of the Rally Committee of the Clubs, in which an advertisement on Women and Child trafficking was also published. The same was distributed among the participants and all members of both clubs. About 2000 books were distributed.
In order to observe the anti-trafficking campaign week during 25-30 November, 03 two street plays were organised in two different places. One was at Oliha village under Deulipada Panchayat in Mahakalapada Block of Kendrapara district on 29.11.03 and other one was on the same date at Kendrapada District headquarters.
Before the play started, an introductory speech was given by Ms. Dolli Dash Secretary of the organization. She briefly described the background of the programme and also mentioned about the aim of the Jagnyaseni network and its future plan.
The name of the play was "Chalan", and it was presented by the staffs of ISWO, an organisation based in Dhenkanal. The play was of two hours duration.
The theme of street plays was how an uneducated and minor girl of a poor family is being trafficked by a trafficker who was a mere stitching man . He was coming regularly to that village for collecting waste cloth for making mat. In course of time he came in contact with the family. Then he tried to create an impression whereby family members started believing in him strongly. Since the parents of the girl were innocent and illiterate, they couldn't understand his evil mind. Playing the role of a reliable and honest uncle of the girl before her parents, he proposed to give marriage of the girl to a boy from a rich family in Jhansi. Since the parents were living in poverty and having a big family including 5 children, they immediately agreed with the stitcher for disposing of their daughter as per his advice. Ultimately they allowed that person to take their daughter for the proposed marriage. He happily took away that girl by bus from her village to Railway Station in the nearby city. They got into the train and traveled to another station, which was a totally unknown place for the girl. As per his earlier plan one vendor waited for them at that railway station. They met each other and discussed something about the girl. But the girl could follow their discussion and then broke down. While the middleman give some money to her uncle she observed. Then planfully that trafficker goes for bringing food for the girl, nut not come back. In the meantime the middleman who waited for purchasing the girl came and asked her to go with him. She didn't agree to go with an unknown person. The middleman pulling her hand forcefully pushed her into the train. After reaching at the concerned place the middleman left the girl. One senior person came out and discussed something with the middleman. During nighttime 3 brothers came to her separately. They wanted to do sex with her. She didn't understand. But she didn't like their behaviour. She wanted anyway to escape from their clutch. Tactfully she came back to her home. Every body looked at her and found that the girl looked very thin, weak and malnourished. One social worker came to know about the mishap and tried to counsel her to be normal. Again the stitcher came to her house. But the villagers who were meanwhile united, punished the trafficker. The villagers assembled in a meeting and took promise that henceforward whenever a girl would go out for a long time for any purpose, they will record it with the village leader. They also decided further, if any marriage of a girl be proposed to be held with a boy, then parents of both sides should agree. They suggested that the Sarapanch would keep a register in which the parents from both the sides would put their signature. The Sarapanch would also sign the register.
The Street Plays were directed by Ms Puspanjli Jena, Secretary of ISWO, Dhenkanal. Ms Abanti Behera inaugurated it at Oliha.
After the play was over, Mrs Dash delivered her speech regarding how the trafficking problem could be checked in Orissa. She told about the different types of trafficking adopted by the traffickers.
The Secretary of "Mahiyasi" Mrs Kadambini Samal expressed her opinion that any girl should not get biased by the false assurance of the traffickers.
Lastly, the vote of thanks was given by Mr. Pravat Singh, Social Worker of Project Swarajya.
Report on the Public Meeting held at Oliha Village in Mahakalapada Block of Kendrapada District on 1st Dec, 03
A public meeting was organized by JEETA in collaboration with Project Swarajya at Oliha Village on 1st Dec,03. Ms. Dolli Dash Secretary of Project Swarajya briefly presented the aims and objectives of this programme. She also told about the background of Jagnyaseni. The meeting was presided over by Mr Pravat Ranjan Jena, Panchayat Samiti Member and Inaugurated by Mr Balaram Parida, Chairman Mahakalapada Block.
Some villagers presented some case studies on how the illegal displacement of girls was taking place in their area. One eminent person Mr. Nityananda Beura (Retd S.D.O.) spoke that the parents were feeling the burden of girls. So they try to dispose of their daughters at any cost. Most of such incidents were happening in the illiterate and poor families.
Mr.Gopal Ch. Rout said, some people were doing such nasty work for earning more and more money illegally. If the organizations like JEETA and Project Swarajya came forward to make aware the people, such types of illegal trafficking will be stopped.
Mrs Kadambini Samal spoke about the registration of marriage. She told, every marriage should be registered so that the trafficking will be minimised. She showed a sample register prepared by Narishakti, in which the form for marriage registration is printed out. She also requested the Block Chairman to make maximum use of that register in his area. The resource persons who were present there wanted to know the method for use of the register. They asked as to how could it be filled up and by whom. Then Mrs.Samal replied that any person with little literacy can fill up the registration form. It is just like a marriage registration form.
Mr. Balaram Parida Chairman presented a case study in course of his speech. While a minor girl was being trafficked by some agents at Jambu, a woman came to know this and intervened immediately. As a result, the girl could be saved. He assured that the marriage registration would be maintained in his Block, and he shall make the necessary arrangement for this shortly. He told that he would request all PRI members to make use of the register widely. He further said that he would try to motivate the enforcement agencies for registering all the marriages. At the end he praised Jagnyaseni for the noble efforts made in this direction.
Lastly, on the request of the President, the Project Director of Project Swarajya Mr. Ashis Senapati told about the important role of media to expose the cases of trafficking. He assured that he would try his best for a media campaign on anti-trafficking movement. He gave vote of thanks to every body.
There were about 600 of people present in the meeting. They were villagers both men and women, media personnel, officials, politicians, teachers, PRI members, SHG members, NGOs and CBOS.