LONDON: The 7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck Nepal last April claimed over a thousand lives. While people are still recuperating from the damage, an investigation has revealed that child survivors from Nepal are being sold to British families to work as domestic slaves. Kids as young as 10 are bought for a price of £5,250 by black market gangs in Punjab.
A newspaper reported the gangs are taking advantage of Nepalese refugees, feeding off of the families' misery. It also claimed that wealthy British families are buying the youngsters to work as unpaid domestic helps. The Sun newspaper has alleged that a trader named Makkan Singh lined up children for their undercover reporter to pick from. “We have supplied lads who have gone on to the UK. Most of the ones who are taken to England are Nepalese. For the supply of a boy, minimum £5,250 is involved. Then you will have other costs associated with taking him to the UK, but that's your responsibility extra to what you pay us. Take a Nepalese to England. They are good people. They are good at doing all the housework and they're very good cooks. No-one is going to come after you,” Makkan said.
Responding to the news, Home Secretary Theresa May said child trafficking is a “truly abhorrent crime” and urged the National Crime Agency to investigate the newspaper's findings. She told the newspaper, “No child, anywhere in the world, should be taken away from their home and forced to work in slavery. That is why we introduced the landmark Modern Slavery Act last year, which included enhanced protections for potential child victims of slavery and sentences up to life imprisonment for those found guilty. We encourage the newspaper to share its disturbing findings with the Police and National Crime Agency so that appropriate action can be taken against the vile criminals who profit from this trade.”
The Modern Slavery Act was introduced last October to crack down on modern day slavery and protect victims of trafficking.
