From my Diary

I have been reported that parents and guardians have been alleging some NGOs for ‘stealing’ their children and keeping them in their rehab homes as orphans. It sometimes coaxes me why are so many children still on the streets of Nepal even after the long involvement of the Ministry of Women and Children, police, ILO, UNICEF, Save the Children, Bal Mandir, CWIN, etc. against this problem.

It is alleged that policemen abuse street children by forcing them to pick pockets, and steal money and things from shops and houses. Police later took away the money from these children. Police also alleged that they sexually abused children.

Blue Diamond Society complained to me that police harass and abuse them unnecessarily. But other sources say that BDS are also not good people. They also harass people loitering at late night.

It has come to my notice that there are some persons [foreigners?] engaged in pedophilia activities in Kathmandu city. The police have no information about it. I think there is a need for a separate unit to investigate such crimes.

Recently, Anju Chhetri has claimed that there are around 17000 Nepali sex workers in several cities of India. (“17000 Nepali girls in Indian sex market”, The Himalayan Times, Vol. IV, No. 124, Sat 25 Mar 2005, p. 4.)  This figure is comparatively much below the previous estimation of 100, 000-200, 000. ILO’s 12000 per year and UNICEF’s 5000-7000 per year reporting are much higher than the police annual records. Police records of trafficking swing in between 10-150 cases annually in the last thirty-one years.