Why commando-style raids?
Many of these children were rescued in commando style-raids which the Society funds.
Many of our supporters ask us why these raids are necessary.
Early direct intervention in the form of unarmed commando-style raids can rescue children from further abuse and exploitation.A commando-style raid
is the fastest and most efficient way to rescue them, as children who are being exploited or abused cannot wait
indefinitely.
These operations must, however, be handled in a professional manner and with the utmost care.
Most parents have no idea where their children are.Many of them approach our partners, the Bachpan Bachao Andolan, asking them to help them find their
children.
A raid and rescue operation starts with trying to find the child, collecting intelligence on his or her whereabouts.Agents of the Bachpan Bachao Andolan
launch a detailed investigation and collect intelligence from their sources, especially in those States such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan,
Haryana and Madhya Pradesh where child labor is endemic.
As soon as a child is located, this intelligence is passed on to the parents.
THE SOCIETY IN ACTION
The Society continues to fund commando-style raids that rescue children in northern India, as well as providing some funding for the Bal Ashram center,
run by our partners, the Bachpan Bachao Andolan, which is a transit rehabilitation center for rescued children.The Society has provided further
funding for the 2011-2012 fiscal year.
THIS IS THE SOCIETY IN ACTION
The Society wishes once again to thank all our members and supporters for their support.In this issue we profile some of the children you have helped
to rescue or support.
The raid is then carefully planned.The local administration is informed about the impending raid to ensure police protection, if needed, during the operation.
However, the precise location and exact date of the raid has to be kept secret from the authorities, the police and local politicians.This is because
many local politicians and administrators are corrupt and are bribed by the owners.
This was the reason why one of the raids in late 2011 was unsuccessful.Agents had procured 500 children, either by kidnapping or by false promises
to their parents.The children were destined for sweatshops in Mumbai (it used to be called Bombay), a major city in India.The agents were taking
the children to Mumbai by train.The police were ready and waiting to seize them and rescue the children when the train arrived at Mumbai train
station.News of the impeding raid was leaked to the agents — which was very easy as they had cell phones.The agents disembarked with the
children en route before the train arrived at its destination.
A raid and rescue operation, of course, involves considerable personal risk for the rescuers.
Although these commando-style raids are unarmed, the wicked men who beat and abuse these children usually employ armed thugs and goons.An article on
page 5 of this issue describes such an attack in March 2011 and an apparent attempt to kill Kailash Satyarthi.
I remember Rama Kant Rai showing me the wounds that he had received from owners’ thugs while carrying out raids.Others have been dragged in chains
behind cars and threats made against their families.Some owners have even attempted to murder rescuers.Several attempts were made to murder my
friend and colleague, Kailash Satyarthi, who was chairman of the Bachpan Bachao Andolan and spearheads the effort to free children from the various
forms of child slavery, bonded child labor and child pawnage, thus directly undermining their profits.
Raid and rescue is not an end in itself.Rehabilitation, social reintegration and restoring them to their parents complete every rescue.Rescue without
effective rehabilitation and repatriation is futile, as there is a real risk that a rescued child will once again fall back into the cycle of exploitation.
After children are rescued, their official release certificates must be secured from the local administration.These release certificates help them
obtain their statutory rehabilitation package.This can take a long time, and obtaining these release certificates and rehabilitation packages from
government bureaucracies places an enormous pressure on the Bachpan Bachao Andolan’s resources.
The freed children are currently staying in the transit rehabilitation center of Bal Ashram (Jaipur), Rajasthan, before being restored to their parents.Rehabilitation
centers like Mukti Ashram and Bal Ashram allow rescued children to recover before being restored to their parents.Bal Ashram in Rajasthan is a
rehabilitation center where rescued children are given basic education and vocational training, along with special care and attention to their
individual development.They also participate in sporting activities.Children aged 13 and over are also provided with vocational training in a trade
of their choice (such as carpentry, tailoring, welding, motor winding, screen printing, painting, organic farming and kitchen gardening).The vocation
is chosen keeping in mind their interest in a particular trade and their earning prospects in the local area when they finish.
Who carries out these commando-style raids?
Our partners, the Bachpan Bachao Andolan.They are based in New Delhi, India.Your support helps fund these raids.
Why doesn’t the government act?
The government has laws against these practices, but they are often not enforced.Some labor inspectors who were interviewed by the BBC World Service
explained that they will not investigate unless they receive a direction from their superior or from a Supreme Court judge or from an executive
magistrate.It is therefore often rather futile forwarding complaints to the Labour Department and waiting for it to act.
RAID ON SHOE STITCHING AND WOOD CUTTING FACTORIES
On November 30, 2011, 15 children were rescued from shoe and wood cutting factories in Nangloi in the North West district of Delhi.
Fourteen boys were rescued from the shoe factories where they worked stitching uppers to shoes, while one boy was rescued from the wood cutting factory.
They were aged 10 to 14 years.
They had to work for 12 to 14 hours a day in extremely unhealthy conditions.Most were not paid.
Most of the rescued children were from Bihar.
Three factories were closed and an owner was arrested.
The raid was led by a sub divisional magistrate, accompanied by police, the Labour Department and Bachpan Bachao Andolan activists.The raid was conducted
as a result of intelligence provided by our partners, the Bachpan Bachao Andolan.
