25 Slaves Free in One Day

Successful Operations at Four Rice Mills Bring Freedom to 25 Slaves in One Day

CHENNAI, INDIA - Through a single day of carefully coordinated operations, 25 people have been freed from slavery in four different rice mills.

IJM investigators had discovered four rice mills rice mills in close proximity to each other in which entire families were forced to live and work in slavery. After carefully documenting the violations at the facilities, IJM staff presented four reports detailing the forced labor crimes to the local authorities.

Due to the proximity of the mills, IJM’s staff knew conducting an operation at only one mill would result in a tip-off, ending chances to free the slaves from the other mills on subsequent days. The challenge was clear: The local authorities needed to free the victims in all four of the mills on a single day. With the local government committed to bring relief to the victims, the plan was set and the operation was on.

The Operation – Four Mills in one Hour

11:06 a.m. – The team, including IJM and government officials, arrived at the first and largest of the mills. Twelve victims were found inside. After government officials questioned the slaves, IJM staff began assisting the victims, who loaded all of their belongings into sacks and boarded the truck that would bring them to freedom. By 11:32 a.m., the desolate cement rooms where they had been forced to live were empty.

11:34 a.m. – The team arrived at the next facility. Two families – a total of seven people – were quickly brought to the truck with their belongings to join the other newly freed slaves. Within six minutes of arriving, the victims were riding off the premises toward the official government enquiry with IJM aftercare staff.

11:43 a.m. – The team arrived at the last two facilities, which were joined by a single low wall. Upon their arrival, it was clear the mill owners had been tipped off, as the mills were almost empty and the victims were running away through the large fields surrounding the premises. Once the team found the scared laborers, they revealed that the owners had chased them off the property, seeking to hide the “evidence” of their crimes. Once assured of their safety, the victims returned to the mills with IJM staff to gather their belongings.

12:03 p.m. – The team left the mills with the last victims. All four operations were successfully completed in less than one hour.

By evening all, 25 victims were issued official release certificates from the government identifying them as forced laborers and entitling them to generous government rehabilitation funds. The victims are now in IJM’s aftercare program where they receive counseling and assistance as they transition into new schools and jobs. IJM staff will work with relevant government authorities to pursue the prosecution of the perpetrators.