Some of those who voted YES had this to say:
• Very much. Because of denial of existence of child labour, we are not able to fight against it effectively. They are so many reasons why child labour has become so common in our state, but like the saying, unless an alcoholic admits to his addiction, no amount of counseling and rehab will help. Same even with child labour.
• Yes, there is random use of child labour in Nagaland today, but no one is willing to admit it is there because most of us have a child labour in our own houses. So what moral authority do we have. Our denial is only making things worse.
• Yes. When it comes to negative issues like child labour, for which majority of us are responsible for, we all keep silent. It seems like our society has become comfortable in our silence because none of us are free of this crime.
• Yes, because of public denial to recognize child labour in Naga society, we are unable to fight in effectively. This denial is preventing in addressing other related issues like sexual assaults of minor.
• Yes, because the domestic helpers are not treated with true compassionate charity. For many of us, the story of the Good Samaritan is a beautiful story that happened two thousand years ago. But it no longer apply to Christians today!
• Yes, it is a very uncomfortable topic for many people. Whether it is the rich or the poor, educated or the uneducated, church workers or non-church workers, the problem is that many of us have child labourers in our homes. Unless we stop hiring child labourers how can we expect to do away with child labour from our society.
Some of those who voted NO had this to say:
• No. When we look at the ground reality from the grassroots, there is no public denial. For majority of the people, they are only trying to make the most of the situation and survive. The conditions in our state is so pathetic. Everyone if trying to survive in one form or the other. This is the actual ground reality that the government is denying.
• No, because we don’t know the meaning of child labour. Most people think that child labour is not to allow every child not to work. This is a misconception because the legal purview of child labour is different. The wrong misconception and understanding of child labour is the main hindrance.
• No. When people are not educated and aware of 'child labour' how can we say there is public denial. First those who are working for child labour must create enough awareness on this issue.
Some of those who voted OTHERS had this to say:
• The majority of our society is not fully informed about child labour. In fact many people do not even know what child labour is. In our village life, young children look after other younger children and have to do household chores at home. When you grow a little older you go to the paddy fields. In villages, most of the schools are not even running well. The concept of quality education does not exist. There is a big gap between our town life and village life. In the middle of all this we are challenged with child labour, which is mostly children from rural areas coming to urban areas and end up working in peoples homes. Our Nagaland is in a mess. We need to set things in order.
• Should we not say that, child labour is caused by poverty, which is due to corruption or the unequal distribution of resources that initially equally belonged to everybody. On the other hand, child labour should be enforced, to serve the right to life of a lone surviving child or a family looked after by a child.
• Child labor exist in which industry in Nagaland? Domestic helpers --yes. Otherwise I do not see child labor in large number in industries as in some other states. Recently a study by the Labour Department in Brick Kilns show that there are no child labours. Why then we are making an big issue as though we are industrialias state like TN etc. Many be the government was given direction by centre to do so. But its time we address our problems as it is and not sing along always. Are you engaging children in your press or are you and me engaging children as domestic help in our homes? This may be pertinent questions for our state.
