With Divine Help, These Nuns Silently Battle Against Human Trafficking

By Fr. Tom Mangattuthazhe –

In the Bible we find women who showed extraordinary leadership and courage. Deborah was a homemaker at the time she was selected for service to her country. She described herself as ‘a mother in Israel’ (Judges 5:7) before she became a judge. This can be reflection of her own expression of her spiritual motherhood towards every son and daughter of Israel. Deborah displayed her leadership first as a counselor discussing and suggesting solutions to people with problems near her home. Her compassion had been awakened by the atrocities suffered by her people. She arose to make herself available, and she was victorious as she herself trusted God and then inspired others within her sphere of influence with that same trust.

Huldah, the Prophetess played a significant part in the history of Israel. Huldah participated in the spiritual revival. God used Huldah to bear testimony and deliver a message from him to the high priest and to the king (2 Kings 22:14–20). All the reforms set forth by King Josiah were based on the Word of God as given to this woman. Huldah was apparently so well known as a woman of God and so highly trusted with regard to her understanding of God’s law that for a time her nation’s whole religious consciousness and practice was reignited in faithfulness to God.

Rahab was an intelligent woman who showed remarkable humour and knowledge. Although not an Israelite, she showed great understanding of the history of Israel. She was aware of what God was doing for the Israelites when they approached her country. She was also a woman of great courage. (Joshua 2:9–11, Joshua 1:2, 11, 13). Rahab is a role model for making the right decisions and standing firm, even when it means going against own peers.

There are thousands of women religious or Catholic Sisters in India who silently work for the millions in India. We have sisters who go into villages, streets, refugee camps, schools, hospitals, tea plantations, prisons, slums and sisters who encounter human traffickers too.

Human trafficking is a sad reality even during the Covid-19 pandemic. ILO says, more than 40 million people are victims of this modern slavery. Some 71 per cent of them are women. Women and girls comprise 84 per cent of victims of forced marriage and 99 percent off victims of forced labour in commercial sexual exploitation. A quarter of victims of modern slavery are children. Observe any sector, there are forced labourers, bonded labourers, women, young girls and children engaged in multiple activities. The human trafficking is unbridled in India; predominantly trafficked for sexual exploitation, abuse, bonded labour, domestic work, etc. within the states and outside.

Asian Movement of Women Religious Against Human Trafficking (AMRAT – Talitha Kum India) is an alliance of women religious in India fighting against human trafficking. The movement held its first meeting in Goa in the year 2009, the same year it was founded. It’s network of consecrated nuns against human trafficking called Talitha Kum is named after a biblical phrase in Aramaic meaning ‘Little girl, arise’.

Human trafficking is the second most organized crime next to arms and ammunition overtaking drugs in India. Today there are several organizations both government and non-government, involved in addressing this huge issue. The most appalling reality is that the persons involved in this crime are also well organized. To respond to this multipronged reality, AMRAT – Talitha Kum India have evolved some strategies. Recognizing this reality, they have entered into prevention, rescue, protection, rehabilitation, reintegration, networking and advocacy to combat human trafficking.

Several reasons make human trafficking vulnerable during Covid-19 pandemic a serious issue. Loss of job, difficulties to return to native villages and abject poverty contribute to making it exposed to human trafficking. Contrasting with other forms of crimes against humanity like drugs which can only be sold once, a person can be sold multiple times, the saddest part of reality.

The Foundress of AMRAT – Talitha Kum India Rev. Sr Jyoti B S (The Congregation of the Sisters of the Little Flower of Bethany) was awakened to the heart rending realities of the modern day slavery – human trafficking. Sr. Jyoti motivated not only her congregation but also the other groups of congregations to join hands to combat this heinous crime. This network has been doing wonderful work during the Covid-19 pandemic. There are 73 women religious congregations from India who are members to this alliance.

Thanks to Sr. Arpan — based in Delhi and Sr. Prema based in Guwahati — they have connected and reached out to thousands of men and especially women and children who were stranded in different parts of India from North-East India. I have been working very closely with this network for the last several weeks in connection with the helpline services that was launched by Hope Charitable Foundation and North East India Regional Bishops’ Council Commission for Ecumenism. These sisters have not only saved lives but also acted like Deborah, Huldah and Rahab. Like them, each of these consecrated sister has impacted lives.

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Fr. Tom Mangattuthazhe is the secretary for NEIRBC Commission for Ecumenism