Our Correspondent
Kohima | October 1
A debate by Kohima Police today on “Trafficking of Women and Children’ reflected on the urgent need to have more juvenile and correctional homes in the state while also underlining the need for partnership between the police force and NGOs in checking the menace of trafficking of women and children. A district-level debate competition for the police, organized by the Kohima Police was held in the Conference Hall of the Superintendent of Police of Kohima.
The debate also revealed that the state’s commercial capital, Dimapur – bordering Assam state – and Pangsha village, situated along the Indo-Myanmar border have become the key transit points from where victims are shipped to the Golden Triangle to be sold as commodities – including for use as commercial sex workers, as forced labor or as domestic help.
DSP Probationer Tiamenla Phom pointed out that people from the Northeast have become the most vulnerable targets for the lucrative human trade where people are taken to metropolitan cities and urban areas and sold for as little as Rs.2000.
Temsunochet Changkija, also a DSP probationer, while insisting that the situation in Nagaland is not as grave as portrayed, acknowledged that the NGOs and the media have greatly helped in highlighting such cases. The creation of police women cells have come as a boon, he said.
DSP probationer Ilam Lungalang attributed the alarming rise in trafficking to the economic position of the people of the Northeast region. He insisted that trafficking women and children has become the most lucrative of illegal trades after drugs and arms.
Another participant, SI Viketouzo Angami however opined that cases of migration, eloping, etc should not be clubbed with human trafficking. He also described the setting up of the state Women Commission as a blessing to the people of the state.
The participants acknowledged that the media began highlighting cases of human trafficking; people have started coming forward to report cases and to extend support. This trend was described as a positive step.
The winners were Tiamenla Phom (DSP on probation) and Ilam Lungalang (DSP on probation) from the Treasury and Temsunochet Changkija (DSP on probation) and SI Viketouzo Angami from the Opposition.
Judges for the debate included T. Metha, Addl. SP Kohima, MT Therieh, JMFC Kohima, Khetoho Nurumi, President, Kohima Press Club, and Dr. John Khuvung, Unit RMO. The winners will be representing the district at the state-level competition.
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