VOICEOVER: Bilkis Tara’s trip to mecca turned into a nightmare. Her face says it all. Memories of her trip to Saudi Arabia are still fresh. She was taken to Mecca to beg during the Holy Hajj. She brings back horrid tales and a deep scare.
BILKIS TARA: One day, I went out to beg, as usual. While crossing the road, I had an accident and was taken to the hospital. I was sent back again to beg by the people who had taken me there and the police caught me.
VOICEOVER: This 11 year old was lent by her mother to a child trafficker for some Jewelry and some money.
RUKKA BIBI: He promised us 2 pounds of gold and 10 pounds of silver. He also said that if she earns well he would also give us Rs.6000 ($120) and took her.
VOICEOVER: There are many children like Bilkis from the state of West Bengal in Eastern India, who are taken to Saudi Arabia to beg.
SWAPAN MUKHERJEE, CHAIRMAN 'FREE THE CHILDREN' INDIA: At least 250-300 children are sent to Saudi Arabia every year for begging, if not more. And this is from the North Bengal districts of Murshidabad, Maldah and Nadia.
VOICEOVER: Renting children to child traffickers is a popular business in this poverty stricken region, some times for an OK sum and most of the times for a meager total.
SONG: Don’t laugh at us, Poverty is our misfortune, With our children, We live in Misery.
VOICEOVER: Poverty could be a bane for them but for the patrons of this begging racket it is a boon, as they would only hope to up their turnover with every passing year. Some like Rukka Bibi is repentant for bartering her daughter for money but many like Mumtaz Bibi are not. Mother of a badly burnt Marina. These pictures were taken when she had been deported back to India along with some 220 kids, by Saudi Arabian authorities in 1997. This year she has again been sent.
MUMTAZ BIBI: The people from Shahzadpur, the neighbouring village took her to Mecca. But I didn’t let her go the next time. This time she has gone again. She woouldn’t be back before the Qurbani (Sacrifice). She was burnt when she was very young and was taken to Mecca. She’s grown up now.
VOICEOVER: Having been promised $500 she has already received $100 as token money. She pins her hope on almighty for her daughter’s return this time. Not all kids who go to Mecca return to their parents. Non Government Organizations who work in tandem with the parents of the missing children to get them back have many unresolved cases in their files.
SWAPAN MUKHERJEE, CHAIRMAN 'FREE THE CHILDREN INDIA': Basically, all the children who go to Saudi Arabia never return the same year. Some remain over there, some are just traceless. There are many such cases that are traceless for about 15 years.
VOICEOVER: In 1996 a trafficker called Murad Hazi took nine-year-old Sageera to Saudi Arabia promising her parents Amir Hussein and Bilkis Bibi $150 and 3 pounds of gold. Until today there is no trace of their daughter.
AAMIR HUSSAIN: How do we know where she is? In which country? As we talk to you, it really hurts, it’s really painful. We don’t know what god has stored for us its all his will. We can’t say any thing.
VOICEOVER: Living every day with a few memories they have of hers and a dress she left behind. Perhaps she knew they won’t see her again. The recruitment of kids happen all-year round and traffickers are always on the look out. It’s the handicapped children who catch their attention. Allahuddin, a seasoned child trafficker from this area has been to Saudi Arabia thrice on different passports and has sent many who’re part of his wider begging racket.
ALLAHUDIN SHEIKH, CHILD TRAFFICKER: People think that we take children to engage them in immoral activities. But it’s not so. We only make them beg. We take handicapped children, make their passport. We pay some to their families. Actually we contact them and offer some times Rs.10000 ($200) some times Rs.20000 ($400) to lend their children for a season till Ramdan and Quarbani (sacrifice). We take them to Saudi Arabia only.
VOICEOVER: Traffickers often establish a fake relationship with the children to avoid the eyes of vigilant immigration authorities and generally start flying just before the end of Ramadan. But for the kids it’s just the beginning of a traumatic journey. Roshan Aara’s heart-rending story is another case in point. She was rented for a mere 11 pounds of wheat.
ROSHAN AARA: The day I didn’t earn, they used to beat me up with belT.
VOICEOVER: Interestingly, none of the children or their parents have the passport in their possession as the traffickers who arrange passport for them, find it risky.
ALLAHUDIN SHEIKH, CHILD TRAFFICKER: Generally we keep the passport of the children. It’s only when we send children to beg we let them keep the passport. As any one who has the passport can easily return to India.
VOICEOVER: Child Trafficking for begging is no secret in this area. Elected Member of Indian parliament from the district accuses police of turning a blind eye.
ADHIR CHOWDARY, MEMBER OF INDIAN PARLIAMENT: Especially police authorities, I think they are well aware of these incidents. And every thing is being done in full glare.
VOICEOVER: Though the Police are vigilant and deny large scale trafficking, but their vigilance has its own loophole to the advantage of the traffickers.
ALLAHUDIN SHEIKH, CHILD TRAFFICKER: We have to pay Commission. When the police comes for passport verification we pay Rs. 500 ($10) some times Rs. 2000 ($40), as they know we are not the real parents. They send favourable report to the passport office, as we are known to each other.
VIRENDA, SUPT. OF POLICE, WEST BENGAL: In case if it takes place, may be one or two takes place even it is not in a large number. Still if it’s taking place. Definitely there is a black sheep one or two and if we get a complaint will definitely take action against them.
VOICEOVER: A new year has begun and so has the search for right recruits.
ALLAHUDIN SHEIKH, CHILD TRAFFICKER: I have planned to take at least one child with me during Ramdan next year.
VOICEOVER: Even as Sageera’s parents' optimistic wait continues for her to come back, Allahudin and many aspirant traffickers are on the prowl for suitable prey, to put up the next contingent.
BILKIS TARA: One day, I went out to beg, as usual. While crossing the road, I had an accident and was taken to the hospital. I was sent back again to beg by the people who had taken me there and the police caught me.
VOICEOVER: This 11 year old was lent by her mother to a child trafficker for some Jewelry and some money.
RUKKA BIBI: He promised us 2 pounds of gold and 10 pounds of silver. He also said that if she earns well he would also give us Rs.6000 ($120) and took her.
VOICEOVER: There are many children like Bilkis from the state of West Bengal in Eastern India, who are taken to Saudi Arabia to beg.
SWAPAN MUKHERJEE, CHAIRMAN 'FREE THE CHILDREN' INDIA: At least 250-300 children are sent to Saudi Arabia every year for begging, if not more. And this is from the North Bengal districts of Murshidabad, Maldah and Nadia.
VOICEOVER: Renting children to child traffickers is a popular business in this poverty stricken region, some times for an OK sum and most of the times for a meager total.
SONG: Don’t laugh at us, Poverty is our misfortune, With our children, We live in Misery.
VOICEOVER: Poverty could be a bane for them but for the patrons of this begging racket it is a boon, as they would only hope to up their turnover with every passing year. Some like Rukka Bibi is repentant for bartering her daughter for money but many like Mumtaz Bibi are not. Mother of a badly burnt Marina. These pictures were taken when she had been deported back to India along with some 220 kids, by Saudi Arabian authorities in 1997. This year she has again been sent.
MUMTAZ BIBI: The people from Shahzadpur, the neighbouring village took her to Mecca. But I didn’t let her go the next time. This time she has gone again. She woouldn’t be back before the Qurbani (Sacrifice). She was burnt when she was very young and was taken to Mecca. She’s grown up now.
VOICEOVER: Having been promised $500 she has already received $100 as token money. She pins her hope on almighty for her daughter’s return this time. Not all kids who go to Mecca return to their parents. Non Government Organizations who work in tandem with the parents of the missing children to get them back have many unresolved cases in their files.
SWAPAN MUKHERJEE, CHAIRMAN 'FREE THE CHILDREN INDIA': Basically, all the children who go to Saudi Arabia never return the same year. Some remain over there, some are just traceless. There are many such cases that are traceless for about 15 years.
VOICEOVER: In 1996 a trafficker called Murad Hazi took nine-year-old Sageera to Saudi Arabia promising her parents Amir Hussein and Bilkis Bibi $150 and 3 pounds of gold. Until today there is no trace of their daughter.
AAMIR HUSSAIN: How do we know where she is? In which country? As we talk to you, it really hurts, it’s really painful. We don’t know what god has stored for us its all his will. We can’t say any thing.
VOICEOVER: Living every day with a few memories they have of hers and a dress she left behind. Perhaps she knew they won’t see her again. The recruitment of kids happen all-year round and traffickers are always on the look out. It’s the handicapped children who catch their attention. Allahuddin, a seasoned child trafficker from this area has been to Saudi Arabia thrice on different passports and has sent many who’re part of his wider begging racket.
ALLAHUDIN SHEIKH, CHILD TRAFFICKER: People think that we take children to engage them in immoral activities. But it’s not so. We only make them beg. We take handicapped children, make their passport. We pay some to their families. Actually we contact them and offer some times Rs.10000 ($200) some times Rs.20000 ($400) to lend their children for a season till Ramdan and Quarbani (sacrifice). We take them to Saudi Arabia only.
VOICEOVER: Traffickers often establish a fake relationship with the children to avoid the eyes of vigilant immigration authorities and generally start flying just before the end of Ramadan. But for the kids it’s just the beginning of a traumatic journey. Roshan Aara’s heart-rending story is another case in point. She was rented for a mere 11 pounds of wheat.
ROSHAN AARA: The day I didn’t earn, they used to beat me up with belT.
VOICEOVER: Interestingly, none of the children or their parents have the passport in their possession as the traffickers who arrange passport for them, find it risky.
ALLAHUDIN SHEIKH, CHILD TRAFFICKER: Generally we keep the passport of the children. It’s only when we send children to beg we let them keep the passport. As any one who has the passport can easily return to India.
VOICEOVER: Child Trafficking for begging is no secret in this area. Elected Member of Indian parliament from the district accuses police of turning a blind eye.
ADHIR CHOWDARY, MEMBER OF INDIAN PARLIAMENT: Especially police authorities, I think they are well aware of these incidents. And every thing is being done in full glare.
VOICEOVER: Though the Police are vigilant and deny large scale trafficking, but their vigilance has its own loophole to the advantage of the traffickers.
ALLAHUDIN SHEIKH, CHILD TRAFFICKER: We have to pay Commission. When the police comes for passport verification we pay Rs. 500 ($10) some times Rs. 2000 ($40), as they know we are not the real parents. They send favourable report to the passport office, as we are known to each other.
VIRENDA, SUPT. OF POLICE, WEST BENGAL: In case if it takes place, may be one or two takes place even it is not in a large number. Still if it’s taking place. Definitely there is a black sheep one or two and if we get a complaint will definitely take action against them.
VOICEOVER: A new year has begun and so has the search for right recruits.
ALLAHUDIN SHEIKH, CHILD TRAFFICKER: I have planned to take at least one child with me during Ramdan next year.
VOICEOVER: Even as Sageera’s parents' optimistic wait continues for her to come back, Allahudin and many aspirant traffickers are on the prowl for suitable prey, to put up the next contingent.