The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Human trafficking has some link with terrorism: Ganguly

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Dec 07, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Human trafficking has some link with terrorism: Ganguly

Special Correspondent

CHENNAI: The problem of human trafficking is very critical, and it has some connection with terrorism, Chief Justice of the Madras High Court A.K. Ganguly said on Saturday.

Explaining the magnitude of the problem of trafficking and its causes at a two-day workshop on ‘Handling victims of human trafficking’ for judges and law enforcement officials here, he said smuggling of humans was on the rise.

The problem was prevalent along the country’s border with Bangladesh, in Assam and some other parts, certain parts of Nepal and its border with Bihar. Poverty was the main reason for people being taken away to other countries. The victims were subjected to harassment. The money earned through trafficking was used for terrorist activities. Trafficking thrived owing to illiteracy, poverty and bad governance, he said. In this context, Mr. Ganguly referred to the confession of a terrorist in Mumbai that he perpetrated the crime for money. Unless such people were imparted education, there was no chance of their joining the mainstream. Where illiteracy was high, religious fundamentalism was equally high.

The problem was deep-rooted in the social fabric. Unless the government tackled it seriously, it would be difficult for the judiciary to deal with it. The judiciary should view the problem through proper perspective, understanding the misery and social background of victims, and see how best they could be rehabilitated.

The workshop was jointly organised by the U.S. Consulate General and the Tamil Nadu Judicial Academy.

U.S. Consul General Andrew T. Simkin said human trafficking was a fundamental, deep and shameful problem in the modern world.

Karunasagar, Deputy Inspector-General of Police, CB CID, said human trafficking encompassed the entire social order.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Tamil Nadu