Shillong, Dec 12: The Khasi Prostitutes’ Union ( KPU) has criticised the state government for promises without any response on their varied problems.
In a statement issued on December 11, the KPU said December 10, 2023 marked the 75th anniversary of one of the world’s most groundbreaking global pledges: the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).
“This landmark document enshrines the inalienable rights that everyone is entitled to as a human being regardless of race, colour, religion, sex, language, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status, the KPU said, while joining the rest of the world to commemorate Human Rights Day. The programme was held (in a rented private property) at Byrnihat, Ri Bhoi District and attended by 69 sex workers.
Addressing the gathering, P. Kurkalang President of KPU slammed the so- called “high level” meetings held from time to time in the state stating, “How long will these meetings/programmes be held on the issue of sex work without realistic solutions being made?
Recently, Health Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh told reporters that the health advisory board headed by Nongpoh MLA Mayralborn Syiem will deal with the issues related to sex workers.
“This is just a total waste of funds which sees these programme facilitators and participants receiving lucrative sums of money as sitting allowances. They would then come up with unrealistic recommendations and proposals that will be coupled with requests for huge sums of money meant to carry out activities yet these funds will end up in their pockets!”, the KPU leader said.
She urged participants in such workshops together with their facilitators to continue “drumming up nonsense” under the pretext that they are working on providing solutions to the plight of sex workers in Meghalaya yet they are just on a gravy train ride.
At the programme, Kurkalang also reminded participants of the district administration’s partnership with the Social Welfare department where they had engaged a number of NGOs and government agencies such as the Meghalaya AIDS Control Society (MACS) to approach and consult with sex- workers about their problems; however nothing tangible came up. Sex workers were made to give television interviews where they were made a laughing stock. Some were even promised would be given money to run income generating projects so that they would abandon the “trade”. It’s a pity that organisations of reputable standing are pumping in money to run these workshops when in the end, no one benefits except for those chosen few, the union leader said.
She also reminded attendees of the programme of the 2022 SC order stating that. “Even though the Supreme Court of India had directed the police not to interfere nor take criminal action against adult and consenting sex workers, recognizing sex work as a profession whose practitioners are entitled to dignity and equal protection under law, however the reality here in Meghalaya is different. Law keepers are themselves law breakers.”
The president concluded the event by narrating her own personal experiences where she had approached social welfare offices across the state for help but was made to wait outside for long hours without anyone attending to her. She was either told that the person who is supposed to attend to them is either busy or not in office. Meanwhile scores of people would be peeping through their windows to have a glimpse of the woman who was selling her bodies to earn a living, she added.
Images: General Secretary Bina and Publicity Secretary Phiba hold slogans as a sign of protest against the Meghalaya government and the district administration’s continued attempts to ban sex trade in Meghalaya.
