Survivors of human trafficking lauds PM Modi for “bringing in” a comprehensive law; urges early passage for anti-trafficking bill

New Delhi, August 9: As many as 1000 survivors of human trafficking on Wednesday wrote an open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking for an early passage of the anti-trafficking bill in the Rajya Sabha. 

Notably, human trafficking, which kills “humanity” is one of the most heinous crime in the world. In India, the human trafficking rate is high and most if the Indian women are trafficked to the Middle East for commercial sexual exploitation.

The survivors in an open letter firstly thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for an honest attempt" by the government to break the criminal nexus of organized human trafficking and further urged for an early passage of the anti-trafficking bill in the Rajya Sabha.

The survivors in an open letter said, "We also thank the government for passing the Bill in the Lok Sabha and we now urge you to pass the Bill in Rajya Sabha as early as possible. We have waited for a long time and we will keep fighting for it but India shouldn't wait anymore."

"At some desperate moment of our life, we were lured with a hope of better life and forced to become a labourer without rights, a bride who was raped, a girl who was sold like groceries, a beggar, a farm for organ harvesting and what not. The traffickers tortured us, beat us, gave us drugs, transported us like cattle and did everything possible to break our spirit, just for money," the survivors said in the letter.

But we survived, and these tragedies made us stronger. Having witnessed all these heinous crimes first hand, we want to ensure that no other fellow Indian suffers the same fate," letter added.

On July 26 this year, The Trafficking of Persons (Prevention, Protection and Rehabilitation) Bill, 2018 was passed in the Lok Sabha on July 26. This is India’s first comprehensive anti-trafficking bill that provides for the prevention, rescue, and rehabilitation of trafficked persons. The bill was introduced by Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi in Lok Sabha.

The Trafficking of Persons (Prevention, Protection and Rehabilitation) Bill, 2018 was passed by Cabinet chaired by PM Modi in February this year.

Key features of The Trafficking of Persons (Prevention, Protection and Rehabilitation) Bill, 2018 are as follows:

• National Anti-Trafficking Bureau: The Bill provides for the establishment of a National Anti-Trafficking Bureau to investigate trafficking cases and implement provisions of the Bill. The Bureau will comprise of police officers, and any other officers as required. It may take over the investigation of any offence under the Bill, that has been referred to it by two or more states. Further, the Bureau may: (i) request the state government to co-operate in the investigation, or (ii) transfer the case to the state government for investigation and trial, with approval from the central government.
• Functions of the Bureau: Key functions of the Bureau include: (i) coordinating and monitoring surveillance along known routes, (ii) facilitating surveillance, enforcement and preventive steps at source, transit and destination points, (iii) maintaining coordination between law enforcement agencies and non-governmental organisations and other stakeholders, and (iv) increasing international cooperation with authorities abroad for intelligence sharing, and mutual legal assistance.
• State Anti-Trafficking Officers: Under the Bill, the state government will appoint a State Nodal Officer. He will be responsible for: (i) follow up action under the Bill, as per the instructions of the State Anti-Trafficking Committee, and (ii) providing relief and rehabilitation services. The state government will also appoint a Police Nodal Officer at the state and district levels. The state government will also designate Anti-Trafficking Police Officers for each district, to deal with all matters related to trafficking in the district.
• Anti-Trafficking Units: The Bill also provides for the setting up of Anti-Trafficking Units (ATUs) at the district level. ATUs will deal with the prevention, rescue, and protection of victims and witnesses, and for the investigation and prosecution of trafficking offences. In districts where an ATU is not functional, this responsibility will be taken up by the local police station.
• Anti-Trafficking Relief and Rehabilitation Committee: The Bill provides for the establishment of Anti-Trafficking Relief and Rehabilitation Committees (ATCs) at the national, state, and district levels. These Committees will be responsible for: (i) providing compensation to victims, (ii) repatriation of victims, and (iii) re-integration of victims in society, among others.
• Search and rescue: An Anti-Trafficking Police Officer or an ATU can rescue persons, if there is an imminent danger to them. They will be produced before a Magistrate or Child Welfare Committee for medical examination. The district ATC will provide relief and rehabilitation services to the rescued persons.
• Protection and rehabilitation: The Bill requires the central or state government to set up Protection Homes. These would provide shelter, food, counselling, and medical services to victims. Further, the central or state government will maintain Rehabilitation Homes in each district, to provide long-term rehabilitation to the victims. Rehabilitation of victims will not be dependent on criminal proceedings being initiated against the accused, or the outcome of the proceedings. The central government will also create a Rehabilitation Fund, which will be used to set up these Protection and Rehabilitation Homes.
• Time-bound trial: The Bill provides for setting up designated courts in each district, which will seek to complete trial within a year.
• Penalties: The Bill specifies the penalties for various offences including for (i) trafficking of persons, (ii) promoting trafficking, (iii) disclosing the identity of the victim, and (iv) aggravated trafficking (such as trafficking for bonded labour and begging). For example, aggravated trafficking will be punishable with rigorous imprisonment of 10 years up to life imprisonment, along with a minimum fine of one lakh rupees. Further, the publishing of any material which may lead to the trafficking of a person will be punishable with imprisonment between five and 10 years, and a fine between Rs 50,000 and one lakh rupees.