Maiti Nepal has rescued 11 girls from the cluthces of traffickers and their agents in the past one week. The girls, who were to be trafficked to Dubai via New Delhi, were rescued from Nagdhunga. Four girls — one each from Lamjung and Morang, and two from Dailekh — were rescued on September 18, while two girls from Lamjung and five from Sindhupalchowk were rescued on September 21.

The agents had told them that they were flying from India as they didn’t have a work permit and other required documents and that they would get their passports in Delhi.

According to the NGO, the agents are using new routes to traffic girls, namely Itahari and Damak, due to the presence of information desks in various places. “In most human trafficking cases, the agents instruct victims beforehand what to answer if they face interrogation,” Achyut Kumar Nepal, communication officer at Maiti Nepal, said.

In this case, Ram Tamang, an agent, had told the girls to say they were going to Damak. He had not taken money from the girls, for he was planning to take their four months’ salary.

Ramesh Poudel, another agent, had kept the girls for 45 days at his relatives’ places in Kathmandu and allowed them to contact home. While the girls have been rescued, Poudel has been absconding.

Two victims from Sindupalchowk, who had returned home after working for three years in Kuwait, said, “We didn’t experience such a thing before, so we trusted the agent.”

Another victim, who was introduced to the agent through relatives, said despite submitting all the documents, the agent delayed paperwork making excuses for work permit.

He had told her that they were flying via Delhi as girls were not allowed to go and work abroad from Kathmandu. “I didn’t even know how the visa looked like. When the agent showed me a form saying it was the visa, I believed him.” Another victim narrated, “The agent said we will be picked from Kakadvitta and taken to Delhi to catch a flight to Dubai.”

Uma Tamang, legal officer at Maiti Nepal, said, “Though we are ready to support the victims, we can do nothing until and unless they demand justice.”

Published on: 24 September 2013 | The Himalayan Times