West Bengal human-trafficking survivors urge CM to ensure adequate compensation

New Delhi: Human-trafficking survivors in West Bengal have urged Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to ensure adequate funds for providing compensation that would warrant financial security to them.

Members of Bandhanmukti, Utthan and Bijoyini — three collectives of people who have survived trafficked for commercial sexual exploitation — have written a letter to Banerjee seeking her support so that no such survivor has to wait long to get their right.

Altogether, there are 150 members in the three collectives from the North 24 Parganas and South 24 Parganas districts of West Bengal.

“We know that in 2015 you had started a scheme called ‘Muktir Alo’ to ensure financial security for trafficking survivors which has given us a lot of hope of support from you… We request you to take necessary actions to protect our lives and ensure that we and our families have a healthy and secured life.” the letter said.

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“We are hopeful that with your support and direction, the State Legal Services Authorities can get necessary funds for compensation to the survivors and can ensure that no trafficking survivor has to wait longer than the time as given in law for their right. We are depending on you for this, the survivors said in the letter,” the survivors wrote.

They also requested a meeting with her.

“We’d also like to request for a meeting with you, either online or in-person, so we can share with you what are the challenges being faced by trafficking survivors residing in West Bengal in accessing their victim compensation,” they said.