04 March 2007, Biratnagar, 10.00 am: Holi is one of the biggest
festivals in both India and Nepal and obviously the children started
playing Holi early in the morning. The celebrations continued amongst
songs and dancing till 11.00 A.M. when the marchers were invited to
play Holi by the Biratnagar Chief Development Officer Mr. Modraj Dotel,
the administrative and judicial head of the district.
After traditional putting of colour, the local organizations Mahila
Adhikar Sushasan Shantiko Laagi, Rajbanshi Samaj Vikas  Samiti, ABC
Nepal, CPC Nepal, Maiti Nepal, Jagaran Nepal, Nepal Aadiwaasi Janjati
Samanvayak Samiti, Viratnagar and others welcomed the marchers. Local
children sang welcome songs and initiated a small meeting by shouting
slogans. Subol Khanal from CWIN started the meeting by introducing the
purpose of the gathering and said that even on Holi we must all
remember all the children that are not able to celebrate Holi as they
are in slavery. Neera Kumari from BBA urged all the adults to work
towards stopping trafficking of children.

Kailash Satyarthi, Chairperson of the Global March Against Child Labour
recounted the mythological story of Holika and Prahlad and why Holi is
celebrated today. He emphasized upon the fight of good vs evil and
trafficking and sale of children for slavery, prostitution, organ trade
and other illegal trades as the biggest evil being faced by the world
today.

The Chief Development Officer pledged his support in the fight against
trafficking and thanked all the marchers for coming to his house and
making it as one of his most memorable Holi celebrations.
The children went back to the Atithi sadan to continue with their celebrations.

*****

The South Asian March Against Child Trafficking organised by the
Bachpan Bachao Andolan in partnership with local NGOs, teachers
associations, and UN agencies, is a 2,500 km physical march across
Indo-Nepal-Bangladesh border starting on 25 February 2007 in Kolkata
and culminating on 22 March 2007 in New Delhi. There will be about 100
core marchers joined by thousands of supporters along the way everyday
for the duration of the March. Child trafficking is one of the worst
forms of child labour and its elimination is a non-negotiable. Through
the South Asian March Against Child Trafficking we aim to build
peoples' movements, mobilise civil society efforts, to hold the
authorities and states accountable and responsible, to expedite the
enactment and enforcement of legal measures for withdrawal,
repatriation and rehabilitation with dignity of the victims of
trafficking, and generate political will through the genuine and active
participation of child and adult victims of trafficking for forced
labour.

For more information on the South Asian March Against Child Trafficking visit: www.globalmarch.org and www.bba.org.in

Day 7: 12.30 P.M.-Pani Tanki/ Kakarbita border (Nepal)

Day 6: Kishangunj (Bihar) and Siliguri (West Bengal)

Day 5: Malda, Raigunj, (West Bengal), Kishangunj (Bihar)

Day 4: March moves through Behrampore, Umarpur - Murshidabad District

Day 3 : Barasaat: March moves through Behrampore, Umarpur - Murshidabad District

Day 2: Barasaat: The March Against Child Trafficking Reaches Barasaat

Day 1: Bengali film actress Ms. June Maliya flags off South Asian March Against Child Trafficking