NE girls sold to Malaysian night clubs

A major incident of trafficking of girls from Northeast has come to light with reports by a Singapore-based NGO of hapless girls being sold to night clubs in Malaysia sending alarm bells ringing.
Shakti Vahini, an NGO, today released letters written by Kinderson Pamei, coordinator of Naga People’s Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR) to Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi. The organisation has urged the minister to investigate the matter and take urgent actions so that victims of human trafficking could be rescued.
The NPMHR has sought safe repatriation of Jasmine and her four other indigenous Zeliangrong girls from Tamenglong district of Manipur. They were allegedly taken to Malaysia with the promise of decent job at Singapore by NGOs based in the country. However they were taken to Malaysia and were suspected to have been sold to one club in Kuala Lumpur. “I fear that these girls are victims of human trafficking,” Pamei said.
The human rights body received an email from Rev. David, who is currently assisting the three girls who have escaped from the traffickers. At least 150 indigenous women, including children, majority of whom are believed to be Zeliangrong Nagas, were recruited with a promise of job at Singapore by the NGO called Abel and Leo Private Limited, which is believed to be headed by one Ricky Ho.
It was alleged that Ho’s agents have spread out across the country and have reached villages near Dimapur, Manipur, Shillong, Guwahati and Kolkata.
Fortunately, five village girls who were taken by Ho’s men were intercepted on the way to Singapore at Dimapur, the NGO said.
The NE States, along with North Bengal, have emerged as hot spots for human traffickers, who lure innocent women and children even boys with promises of jobs outside the region. However, this is perhaps the first instance of traffickers making inroads into interior of the Hill State’s and taking girls abroad.
The rising trend of human trafficking has forced most of the NE States to appoint senior police officials as nodal officers to coordinate with NGOs to check the menace.