By Alex Guite
LAMKA, March 11: A committee of the Manipur Alliance for Child Right, MACR, Imphal, headed by its convener Keisham Pradip along with four members and councillor of the CWC, Manipur, in collaboration with the MACR, Churachandpur Chapter, went on a fact finding mission, accompanied by a group of media men, in regards to the case of organised and routine rape of minors at the North Eastern Children Home,NECH, located at Rangkai, Lamka, by its administrator Timothy L. Changsan who is now in jail yesterday.
The team went to the Home, which is one of the most well run homes of the district, where the seven minor girls, who ran away from the Home, made a formal complaint of sexual harassment, torture and rape by the administrator, who was describe by many as serials offended and a sex maniac.
The offender is currently in police custody waiting to be charge sheeted.
It may be recalled the IFP broke the news of this sex crime.
Officials of the Home told the visiting team that they are keeping by the order of the CWC and are doing everything to protect the unfortunate seven girls. They however said they are unaware of any further development in the case.
They said they did not intervene in the matter because it was beyond their jurisdiction to do so but they were aware `the girls were terrorized by the influential administrator of the Home.`
They said they were aware the test are underway if the girls were actually physically raped or else it was technical rape as per legal definition. They said they were aware under the new POCSO Act, molestation or advance with ill intention are considered rape.
The fact finding team will also meet with some relatives of the victim girls but were surprise by the fact that the response to the crime by the CCpur public was less then lukewarm with no women and student organizations coming out in the open to protest or condemn the rape.
A top functionary of a girls Home of the district confided that the lukewarm response and sombre attitude of different organizations is on account of the money power and influence of the offender. The fact that the children were orphans also may contribute to this lack of support, they said.
The MACR, Manipur `s convener echoed this line by saying that `why would even parents keep silence after knowing that their children were abused.`
The surprising fact was also the absence of child right activists of the district. Equally surprising was the police who too restrained parents to meet their wards.
It was also learned during the tour that the school, also a Home, was known for corporal punishments.
Many believe police officers are hands in gloves with the culprit.
Of the total of 28 girls borders the Home sheltered before IFP broke the scandal, the home now has only 21 girls. The remaining girls were given counselling by the MACR team.