Imphal, December 09 2008: IN CONTINUATION of the International Fortnight Against Violence and Crimes Against Women and Children which began November 25, the Women's Action for Development (WAD) and the campaign committee on Gender Violence (CCGV) have been organising series of mass rellies in different parts of the state to spread awareness on trafficking of women and children and also crimes and violence against women.

As part of the series of campaign, the WAD and the CCGV today organised a mass rally and a public meeting in Thoubal district.

Hundreds of women and students took out a rally from the ground of Youth Athletic Sepak Takrow Association (YASTA) near the Thoubal Parking and converged at the ground of Blooming Athletic Sports Union (BASU) at Khangabok Awang Leikai where a public meeting was held.

The rallyists carried placards which showed slogans like "Women are our future generations," "stop rape," "Stop crimes and violence against women and children," "kidnap is cruel activities of savages" etc.

MLA of Hiyanglam AC, E Dwijamani was the chief guest while MLA of Wangkhem AC, K Meghachandra presided over the public meeting.

Chief Judicial Magistrate Thoubal Ch Brajachand, Additional SP Thoubal P Ranjit, President of Bar Association Thoubal N Modhu and Additional District Magistrate W Rajen were guests of honour.

Addressing the gathering MLA Dwijamani said that honesty, ability to sacrifice for others and self-discipline alone can make a peaceful society.

Secretary of WAD, Sobita Mangsatabam who also spoke at the meeting said that in Myanmar where there is military rule, there is one policeman/soldier for every 100 citizens.

But in Manipur, where there is democratic government, there is a policeman/soldier for every 30 citizens.

What's surprising is that even though there are huge number of policemen or armed soldiers, the Manipur Police can't arrest the miscreants who indulge in trafficking of women and children.

However, Dimapur Police have been able to arrest women and child traffickers, Sobita said.

She also pointed out that crimes against women and children such as trafficking, rape, murder etc were increasing day by day.

In 2003, there were 61 cases of these kinds.

In 2004, there were 108, in 2005, 170, in 2006, 102, in 2007, 99 in this current year, from January upto October, there had been 150 incidents.

This year saw the highest number of crimes against women and children, Sobita Mangsatabam said.

She expressed concern that working women were unable to perform their duty freely and that there was no Juvenile Justice court to deal with crimes committed by minor children under the age of 18 .

All the distinguished persons who sat on the dais also spoke at the meeting.

In Bishnupur district, a two-day "campaign against crimes and violence against Women and Children" organised by the Bishnupur Women's Committee under the aegis of the United NGOs Mission, Manipur has begun from today.

The campaign being held as part of the International Fortnight Against Violence and Crimes Against Women and Children was inaugurated at a function held at Bishnupur block.

The campaign will conclude tomorrow at a function to be held at Moirang block.

In today's campaign, posters were pasted in public places, pamphlets were distributed and street corner meetings were held using loud speakers, our Bishnupur correspondent reported.

Topics on "Children are tomorrow's pillars, let's protect them, why trafficking human beings, who are affected the most, what should we do" etc were discussed at the street corner meetings, the reports said Yesterday, the WAD in association with the All Tribal Women's Organisation (ATWO) organised a silent rally in protest against crimes and violence including human trafficking at Chandel.

Prior to the rally, a public meeting was held in the indoor stadium located at Chandel District Head Quarter where Member of Gospel Friends of Chandel MS Grace, Speaker of Chandel Naga People's Organisation, ST Nunghalung, President of Naga Students' Union, Chandel SK Stephen Lamkang, Secretary of New Era Environmental Development Society T Angshem, Convenor of South Naga People's Movement for Human Rights Famhrig, Secretary of Chandel District Women's Committee Dhangnaidar and Secretary of WAD Sobita Mangsatabam were the members of presidium and spoke at the meeting.

Later several hundreds of people took out a rally from the indoor stadium upto the DC office Chandel.

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