Imphal, February 09 2010: Altogether 19 children lured with free education but instead found themselves being confined for domestic work in separate unauthorized children's homes in Chennai recounted their tales of servitude and harassment before the State Social Welfare Minister N.Loken here this morning.

"There was no school or study, just work for us in Chennai � from cleaning the latrine, fetching water, sweeping and all kinds of kitchen works," narrated nine-year old Thoinu (name changed).

Thoinu, the youngest of three children born to her farmer parents, was studying in Class II in Manipur when she was sent to Chennai alongwith her elder brother, Tomba (name changed).

They were kept in separate homes on reaching Chennai.

"We didn't get a chance to see each other or talk on the phone for the nearly eight months that we were there.

Even when I called up and asked to speak to her, they won't allow that," says Tomba, cuddling up to his visibly teary mother.

"The first two or three days after we reached Chennai, they welcomed us well and treated us well.

Then onwards we were shuffled from one hostel to another.

Initially they sent us to a school, but soon afterwards, we were not sent there anymore," said another 13-year old boy Itomba (name changed).

"We were sent to work in construction sites, and made to clean the house.

We never got enough to eat, and if some among us stole a few handfuls to ease their hunger, they would beat us up.

The rice had rat droppings in it, and sometimes it would be rotten food or meat served to us.

When we said we want to go home, they would beat us," he narrated before the gathering.

"We were sent to collect firewood from the forest nearby.

Those days when we return empty handed they won't cook and there will be no food for us.

A girl from Nagaland who stole some food had her hand cut up with a blade.

They also poured hot water and salt into the ear of another child with an earache," recounted 13-year old Nganba (name changed).

Amidst these tales of harassment, there were inklings to sexual abuse and other forms of harassment.

"Benny, the son of Pastor Immaneul who was running the orphanage, would gather us and ask us to smoke rolled papers and cigarettes.

If we refuse, he would slap us," says Nganba.

"There was a Meitei girl whom the Pastor would call at night to massage him in his room.

And he would lock the door.

She used to come out crying.

Those days when she refuse to go to his room, the next day the Pastor would shout at us and beat us for nothing," he added.

When asked if there were instances when the children were touched on their bodies in a manner that they didn't like, 12-year old Lata (name changed) whispered amidst tears, "There were many instances like that." A more detailed statement was however not possible today in view of her emotional condition.

The children � 10 girls and nine boy � all in the age group of 6-12 years rescued from separate unauthorized children's homes in Chennai recently by the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) Chennai and the Tamil Nadu Department of Social Defence, were brought home yesterday by a team of the Manipur state Social Welfare Department and CWC Manipur.

The children, belonging to Bishnupur and Imphal West district, were kept overnight at the state Children Home at Takyelpat for medical check-up as well as counseling and handed over to their respective parents and guardians in a simple function today attended by State Social Welfare Minister N.Loken, Social Welfare Commissioner Letkhogin Haokip, Social Welfare Department's Director S.Saratkumar Sharma besides representatives of the CWC Manipur.

Social Welfare Minister N.Loken appealed to the general public, especially to the parents and guardians, to first cross-check with the Social Welfare Department and the CWC to verify any institutions, educational course or offer of education before sending their children and wards, so as to avoid the entrapment of traffickers.

His appeal was echoed by both Social Welfare Commissioner Letkhogin Haokip, Social Welfare Department's Director S.Saratkumar Sharma.

Sushilkumar, member of CWC Thoubal, who was among the team who had gone to Chennai to bring home the trafficked children narrated how most of the children were in a malnourished and weakened physical state when they met them in Chennai.

"Some of the girls could not even walk, they were shuffling or dragging themselves to reach us," he said, adding that two persons -- Rakesh from Sawumbung and Herojit from Lourembam � had lured the parents with promises of good education for the children.

The parents were also reportedly asked to sign an agreement saying that they will not attempt to contact the children for the next three years.

However, they could not procure a copy of the agreement as yet, he informed.

While four persons connected with the trafficking have been arrested, they have been released on bail.

However two main culprits � Pastor Immanuel and his friend Christopher � are still absconding, he added, calling upon the state government to exert their influence on their counterpart in Tamil Nadu for speedy arrest of the duo.

L.Mohalla, whose two sons are among the 19 rescued from Chennai, said, "As a parent, all I did was aspire for a good education and a good future for my sons.

As the government schools are not function properly, we thought this was a heaven sent opportunity.

How were we to know that it would come to this?" .

"Now all blame fall on us.

People think it was our greed for free stuff, but we accept all this.

However we caution other parents not to fall into the same trap," he added.

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