------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Documented by Goa Desc Resource Centre Ph:2252660 Website: www.goadesc.org Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Press Clippings on the web: http://www.goadesc.org/mem/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ -------------------------------------------------------------------------- No rehabilitation package in sight as court deadline nears --------------------------------------------------------------------------
Despite the deadline given by the Panjim Bench of the Bombay High Court for the rehabilitation of commercial sex workers at Baina expiring in another two days, no rehabilitation package has yet been worked out.
On the contrary, the commercial sex workers are being �smoked out� of Baina as a result of the cordoning off of the area and human rights violations and are setting up �organised� units in other parts of the State, claim non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
In the Savera vs State case, the High Court Bench at Goa had given a number of directions to be carried out by the State government, State Commission for Women and the National Commission for Women, including that the 250 cubicles used to carry out the sex trade at Baina be closed down and the commercial workers be rehabilitated.The judgement was passed on July 21, 2003, and agencies concerned were given nine months to file a compliance report before the court.
No rehabilitation package has yet been worked out, and in fact, the ground
reality is that these girls are being �smoked out� of Baina, and their activities
being spread to other parts of the State, particularly the North, where they
are becoming �organised�, claim the NGOs.
Says Arun Pandey of NGO Arz: �some of these girls have left Baina and
are going to places like Mapusa, Baga, Calangute, Anjuna, Margao and
Colva and Sanquelim. We have been informed that in Sanquelim, the girls
operate in a hotel, but in the other places, they seem to be beginning operations
in an organised manner. They have set up rooms and have made contacts.�
It has been estimated that the number of girls operating from Baina has dropped from around 900 in November, to roughly 450 at the recent last count. These girls have either shifted to other parts of the State or have gone out of the State. �The main issue here is not the shifting of girls. While the girls might have left the State, the brothel keepers have not. They run the market,� another concerned NGO adds.
These �perpetrators� � the brothel keepers, transporting agents, trafficking agents, and even customers � have been established here in Goa for an estimated 25 years, sometimes with influential `godfathers�, and people working in the field are apprehensive that they will not move out so very easily as this business means `big bucks� for them.
In addition, Goa being a tourist destination, has the potential to have any area or locality being converted into a red light area, or another Baina, unlike other States where these activities are usually confined to certain pockets. So in the absence of a proper and adequate rehabilitation package, there is a very real danger of red light areas mushrooming in different parts of the State.
Although a rehabilitation committee has been set up, the NGOs concerned protest that this mainly comprises of government officials and only one NGO, and not those who have been involved in the field.
According to J B Singh, Collector, South Goa, �the entire proceedings (demolition of cubicles) have been kept in abeyance due to the election code of conduct.�
Chairperson of the Goa State Commission for Women Swati Kerkar says that a socio-economic survey is being conducted of the women. It will give a picture of what they want and expect. Based on this, a rehabilitation package will be worked out says an official. This survey commenced in the second week of April and is estimated to conclude by April end or beginning of May. ------------------------------------ HERALD 20/4/04 page 1 ------------------------------------
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