Sailing to Yemen with human traffickers

From Aljazeera: 

By Glen Johnson

There were more than 30 people crammed on the back of the truck as the vehicle bumped through the desert in eastern Djibouti.

The passengers were men, women and children from Ethiopia and Somalia and myself. And all would be smuggled in boats from Djibouti to Yemen, as part of wider trafficking operations involving six countries - Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Djibouti, Somalia, Ethiopia and Eritrea - that apparently trafficks tens of thousands of people from the Horn of Africa to Arabian nations each year.

I had arrived in Djibouti on June 7 to research human trafficking. Having lived in Yemen for part of 2010, I was aware that the Africa-Arabia smuggling trade was one of the myriad challenges facing Yemen, yet one of the troubled nation's least discussed. In Djibouti, I quickly established links with smugglers, some of whom agreed to let me accompany migrants from Ethiopia and refugees from Somalia by boat to Yemen.

The truck drove slowly through the desert. No one talked. A distant beam from a lighthouse swept across the night sky. The silhouettes of coarse thorn scrubs, bent back from the wind, stood under a yellow moon that was ill-defined from the dust and sand that swept up into the night.

Occasionally the truck would grind to a halt and men would get out swinging sticks wildly, telling the passengers to keep still. A woman spoke to a child - his hair a mass of coarse, black curls; his spindly legs sticking out the bottom of his trousers.

The child was travelling with his brother from Mogadishu, the Somali capital. They hoped to reach Kharaz refugee camp, administered by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), in South Yemen. A place where his brother said: "There is food and a house. They [UNHCR] give money."

According to a 2010 Chatham House report, Yemen and Somalia: Terrorism, Shadow Networks and the Limitations of State-building, the Horn of Africa smuggling trade - based on the number of registered arrivals in Yemen 2009, 77,802, could be worth more than $20m each year.

Read more

Emmanuel Jal - Warchild

Emmanuel Jal, child-soldier of Sudan turned Hip-Hop artist, has incorporated his experiences into his album "Warchild," released on May 13, 2008. The inspirations for the 13 songs on "Warchild" are rooted in Jal's impossible past.

Learn more about Emmanuel

Kenya: Sex-trafficked women and girls also vulnerable to organ trafficking

From Women News Network:

By Gitonga Njeru

With the highest rate of human trafficking in East and Central Africa, several nongovernmental organizations in Kenya are now under investigation by INTERPOL , the world’s largest international police organization, with 188 member countries. The Interpol Sub-regional Bureau for Eastern Africa is based in Kenya’s capital in Nairobi.

Young women as well as girls who are trafficked can also become a living supply for human body organ transplants.

“Trafficking in human beings for the purpose of using their organs, in particular kidneys, is a rapidly growing field of criminal activity,” says INTERPOL. “In many countries waiting lists for transplants are very long, and criminals have seized this opportunity to exploit the desperation of patients and potential donors,” continues Interpol.

The trail of corruption in Kenya may also reveal human trafficker’s collusion with Kenyan authorities which may include the police and intelligence, as well as the judiciary. This alleged collusion may enable the illegal industry to grow as it goes ‘unchecked’ inside the country.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the most prevalent destinations for trafficked organs is Western Europe and the United States. These destinations have the highest number of patients waiting for a new kidney, liver, heart or pancreas.

Organizations currently under investigation are based in Kenya’s capital Nairobi and in Kisumu, Kenya’s third largest city. For legal reasons the organizations cannot be named since investigations are ongoing and there are pending court cases.

Read the full article

Operation to Uncover Illegal Fishing Leads to Discovery of Slavery

Slavery' uncovered on trawlers fishing for Europe

Exclusive: Violence and incarceration for months or even years found on ships off coast of west Africa
Felicity Lawrence
The Guardian, Thursday 30 September 2010

Shocking evidence of conditions akin to slavery on trawlers that provide fish for European dinner tables has been found in an investigation off the coast of west Africa. Forced labour and human rights abuses involving African crews have been uncovered on trawlers fishing illegally for the European market by investigators for an environmental campaign group.

The Environmental Justice Foundation found conditions on board including incarceration, violence, withholding of pay, confiscation of documents, confinement on board for months or even years, and lack of clean water. The EJF found hi-tech vessels operating without appropriate licences in fishing exclusion zones off the coast of Sierra Leone and Guinea over the last four years. The ships involved all carried EU numbers, indicating that they were licensed to import to Europe having theoretically passed strict hygiene standards.

"We didn't set out to look at human rights but rather to tackle the illegal fishing that's decimating fish stocks, but having been on board we have seen conditions that unquestionably meet the UN official definition of forced labour or modern-day slavery," EJF investigator Duncan Copeland said. A report on the abuses is published by the foundation today. Its photographs and film of the areas in which the crews were working and sleeping show quarters with ceilings less than a metre high where the men cannot stand up. Temperatures in the fish holds on some vessels where men were being required to sort, process and pack fish for lucrative European and Asian markets were 40 to 45 degrees, with no ventilation,

On some vessels the crews of up to 200 had little access to clean drinking water. The trawlers have mostly been identified engaging in pirate fishing off west Africa. Many of the men on board have been recruited from the area around the Senegalese capital, Dakar. Others have been recruited from rural areas of Asia, including China and Vietnam, by agents.

According to a recent estimate illegal fishing accounts for between 13% and 31% of total catches worldwide each year, but accurate figures are hard to come by.

*****************************************************

Investigators for an environmental group discovered slave like conditions aboard ships fishing illegally off the coast of West Africa. These conditions included violence, confinement and withholding of documents. The ships were fishing in restricted areas and while they did not have licenses to fish there, they did have licensed to sell fish in European markets. The men had little if any access to clean water and were often in confined spaces where the temperature would reach over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Many of the men were recruited from Senegal but some also came from Vietnam and China. It is still unclear what will happen from here. For example will the men be able to bring charges against the ship owners and if so where, since at this point (at least for the public) it is unclear which flag the ships were flying under? This is one interesting situation of human trafficking involving unclear legal jurisdictions.

photo from copyright-free-photos.org.uk

Project Development Officer Vacancy with IOM

From the IOM:

Position Title : Project Development Officer
Duty Station : Nairobi, Kenya
Classification : Associate Expert
Type of Appointment : Fixed term, one year with possibility of extension
Estimated Start Date : As soon as possible
Closing Date : August 03, 2010

Note: Only applications from United States citizens will be considered in accordance with the Cooperation Agreement between the Government of the United States of America and the International Organization for Migration on the Associate Expert Programme.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The IOM Mission with Regional Functions (MRF) for East and Central Africa is based in Nairobi/ Kenya and covers the following countries: Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda, Djibouti, Burundi, Rwanda, Sudan and all three regions of Somalia. The East and Horn of Africa are diverse regions composed of states in conflict, post conflict and development stages.

The regions produce and serve as host to the world’s largest refugee population. The emerging migration trends in the region indicate an increased mixed migration flow of irregular migrants and asylum seekers to, through and from the countries along various routes that have been mapped by recent studies. These flows and other movements are posing new migration challenges to the governments in the region in their efforts to manage migration due to increased internal displacements, increased vulnerability to human trafficking and smuggling, return and reintegration, lack of protection for migrant rights. Labour migration, large remittances flows, linkages with the Diaspora and skill transfer from national experts abroad are some of the existing benefits the region states should better capitalize on. Governments in the East Africa region are also faced with the challenge of ensuring harmonized regional integration with the coming into effect of the EAC Common Market Protocol in 2010 that will allow for the free and safe movement of persons with the East Africa Community Partner States.

MRF Nairobi is highly involved in supporting the government and regional economic bodies
in the region to address the above mentioned migration challenges and to better benefit from the opportunities. In recent years the number of projects managed directly by the MRF
and their thematic and geographical coverage has extended dramatically to more than 35
projects, with much support from the Project Development and Implementation Unit (PDIU).

The primary function of the Project Development and Implementation Unit (PDIU) is two fold:

1. To enhance the functions of the MRF Nairobi through project/ programme development, donor liaison, resource mobilization and coordination with IOM field missions within the East and Central African region.
2. To directly implement and provide technical support for the implementation of countertrafficking, AVR, labour migration and diaspora projects as well as migration related
research.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

Education and Experience
a) Advanced university degree in International Development/ Relations, International Law or related field;
b) professional experience in project development, project implementation, monitoring and evaluation;
c) experience in liaising with national and international institutions.

Competencies
a) Excellent drafting ability, in particular ability to draft clear and concise papers in English;
b) ability to analyse and present facts, evidence and precedents as well as present clear opinions;
c) self-directed, ability to work with a high degree of autonomy as well as part of a team;
d) personal commitment, efficiency, flexibility, drive for results, creative thinking;
e) ability to adapt to changing circumstances;
f) ability to work effectively and harmoniously with colleagues from different cultural backgrounds;
g) demonstrated gender awareness and gender sensitivity;
h) familiarity with standard computer packages (MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint as well as electronic mail and use of the Internet as a research tool).

Languages
Thorough knowledge of English. Good knowledge of French would be an advantage.

How to apply:

Interested candidates are invited to submit their applications via PRISM, IOM e-Recruitment
system, by August 03, 2010 at the latest, referring to this advertisement.

For further information, please refer to: http://www.iom.int/jahia/Jahia/pid/165

In order for an application to be considered valid, IOM only accepts online profiles duly filled
in and submitted with a cover letter not more than one page specifying the motivation for
applications.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. You can track the progress of your application
in your personal application page in the IOM e-recruitment system.

For the full description of the position, please download the vacancy announcement here.

Children Carry Guns for a U.S. Ally, Somalia

From the New York Times:

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Awil Salah Osman prowls the streets of this shattered city, looking like so many other boys, with ripped-up clothes, thin limbs and eyes eager for attention and affection.

But Awil is different in two notable ways: he is shouldering a fully automatic, fully loaded Kalashnikov assault rifle; and he is working for a military that is substantially armed and financed by the United States.

“You!” he shouts at a driver trying to sneak past his checkpoint, his cherubic face turning violently angry.

“You know what I’m doing here!” He shakes his gun menacingly. “Stop your car!”

The driver halts immediately. In Somalia, lives are lost quickly, and few want to take their chances with a moody 12-year-old.

It is well known that Somalia’s radical Islamist insurgents are plucking children off soccer fields and turning them into fighters. But Awil is not a rebel. He is working for Somalia’s Transitional Federal Government, a critical piece of the American counterterrorism strategy in the Horn of Africa.

According to Somali human rights groups and United Nations officials, the Somali government, which relies on assistance from the West to survive, is fielding hundreds of children or more on the front lines, some as young as 9.

Child soldiers are deployed across the globe, but according to the United Nations, the Somali government is among the “most persistent violators” of sending children into war, finding itself on a list with notorious rebel groups like the Lord’s Resistance Army.

Somali government officials concede that they have not done the proper vetting. Officials also revealed that the United States government was helping pay their soldiers, an arrangement American officials confirmed, raising the possibility that the wages for some of these child combatants may have come from American taxpayers.

United Nations officials say they have offered the Somali government specific plans to demobilize the children. But Somalia’s leaders, struggling for years to withstand the insurgents’ advances, have been paralyzed by bitter infighting and are so far unresponsive.

Several American officials also said that they were concerned about the use of child soldiers and that they were pushing their Somali counterparts to be more careful. But when asked how the American government could guarantee that American money was not being used to arm children, one of the officials said, “I don’t have a good answer for that.”

According to Unicef, only two countries have not ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which prohibits the use of soldiers younger than 15: the United States and Somalia.

Many human rights groups find this unacceptable, and President Obama himself, when this issue was raised during his campaign, did not disagree.

“It is embarrassing to find ourselves in the company of Somalia, a lawless land,” he said.

All across this lawless land, smooth, hairless faces peek out from behind enormous guns. In blown-out buildings, children chamber bullets twice the size of their fingers. In neighborhoods by the sea, they run checkpoints and face down four-by-four trucks, though they can barely see over the hood.

For the full article, please click here.

From the release of the US TIP Report yesterday, with child soldiers are listed as a Topic of Special Interest, Somalia is not given a tier ranking for the eighth consecutive year due to a lack of a viable government. The information on Somalia, however, goes into detail about the different methods by which child soldiers are recruited, kidnapped or forced into supporting militias throughout the country. This article, however, is a reminder that human trafficking, in this case for the purpose of child soldiers, is affected by the wider policy decisions we make concerning security, economics, trade, immigration. It will never be enough to simply say, "We are against slavery," but then ignore the implications of our larger policy decisions. Or to say that it is embarrassing to be in the company of Somalia because the U.S. also has not signed the CRC, but then continue on without ratifying the convention. It will take more than that to put words into action.

South Africa Introduces Human Trafficking Bill Before 2010 World Cup

South African Justice Minister Jeff Radebe announced Tuesday that South Africa is planning to fast track a newly introduced anti-human trafficking bill before the World Cup, which starts in June.

The Prevention and Combating of Trafficking in Persons Bill creates new offenses, including trafficking in persons, debt bondage, possessing or destroying the travel documents of trafficking victims, using the services of trafficking victims, and facilitating human trafficking. Traffickers could face heavy fines or life imprisonment.

The bill will give courts jurisdiction over cases involving offenses committed outside of the country, as well as require internet service providers to report internet addresses suspected of containing information that facilitates or promotes human trafficking. The law also provides multiple protections for victims, including prohibiting prosecution of trafficking victims.

Radebe emphasized that the bill is not motivated by the World Cup and has "been a work in progress since 2003," but noted that 2010 will present its unique challenges because of the possibility of increased trafficking activity during the World Cup.

Emmanuel Jal: The music of a war child

For five years, young Emmanuel Jal fought as a child soldier in the Sudan. Rescued by an aid worker, he's become an international hip-hop star and an activist for kids in war zones. In words and lyrics, he tells the story of his amazing life.



Learn more about Emmanuel Jal

Obama's Visit to Former Slave Outpost in Ghana and Old and New Slavery

Picture from the Telegraph

Today, U.S. President Barack Obama made a side trip during an official visit to Ghana to see a former outpost of the Atlantic Slave Trade, where millions of Africans were sent to become slaves all over the world, including the U.S. Most of the media commentary related to his visit talks about the emotional pull that touring such a place has for the person visiting; this piece by Komla Dumor from the BBC I particularly feel is very well written.

Cape Coast, Ghana

Before heading to the Cape Coast to see the physical remnants of the Atlantic Slave Trade, Obama mentioned human trafficking during his official speech in Accra; more than once, actually:

Picture from Amnesty International

It is easy to point fingers, and to pin the blame for these problems on others. Yes, a colonial map that made little sense bred conflict, and the West has often approached Africa as a patron, rather than a partner. But the West is not responsible for the destruction of the Zimbabwean economy over the last decade, or wars in which children are enlisted as combatants. In my father's life, it was partly tribalism and patronage in an independent Kenya that for a long stretch derailed his career, and we know that this kind of corruption is a daily fact of life for far too many...

Time and again, Ghanaians have chosen Constitutional rule over autocracy, and shown a democratic spirit that allows the energy of your people to break through. We see that in leaders who accept defeat graciously, and victors who resist calls to wield power against the opposition. We see that spirit in courageous journalists like Anas Aremeyaw Anas, who risked his life to report the truth. We see it in police like Patience Quaye, who helped prosecute the first human trafficker in Ghana. We see it in the young people who are speaking up against patronage and participating in the political process...

That is why we must stand up to inhumanity in our midst. It is never justifiable to target innocents in the name of ideology. It is the death sentence of a society to force children to kill in wars. It is the ultimate mark of criminality and cowardice to condemn women to relentless and systematic rape. We must bear witness to the value of every child in Darfur and the dignity of every woman in Congo. No faith or culture should condone the outrages against them. All of us must strive for the peace and security necessary for progress.

In the course of the trainings we conduct on behalf of the International Institute of Buffalo, in order to talk about the development of modern anti-trafficking laws, we explain that the conditions of trafficking existed prior to 2000 in the U.S., we just didn't have a name for it [i.e. a federal law that gave it a name]. Inevitably at the end, one participant will mention, "Well, we did have a name for this before the federal law, didn't we? I mean, isn't this slavery?"

True. Human trafficking is a modern-day slavery. Ron Soodalter and Kevin Bales devote some of their first pages in The Slave Next Door to talk about the old and new forms of slavery:

Picture from About.com

Most Americans' idea of slavery comes right of Roots - the chains, the whip in the overseer's hand, the crack of the auctioneer's gavel. That was one form of bondage. The slavery plaguing America today takes a different form, but make no mistake, it is real slavery. Where the law sanctioned slavery in the 1800s, today it's illegal. Where antebellum masters took pride in the ownership of slaves as a sign of status, today's human traffickers and slaveholders keep slaves hidden, making it all the more difficult to locate victims and punish offenders. Where the slaves in America were once primarily African and African American, today we have "equal opportunity" slavery; modern-day slaves come in all races, all types, and all ethnicities. We are, if anything, totally democratic when it comes to owning and abusing our fellow human beings. All that's required is the chance of a profit and a person weak enough and vulnerable enough to enslave.

This is capitalism at its worst, and it is supported by a dramatic alteration in the basic economic question of slavery. Where an average slave in 1850 would have cost the equivalent of $40,000 in modern money, today's slave can be bought for a few hundred dollars. This cheapness makes the modern slave easily affordable, but it also makes him or her a disposable commodity. For a slaveholder it's often cheaper to let a slave die than it is to keep the slave alive. There is no form of slavery, past or present, that isn't horrific; however, today's slavery is one of the most diabolical strains to emerge in the thousands of years in which human have been enslaving their fellows.

So, again, yes, human trafficking is a modern form of slavery, and some victims today suffer from the same humiliation and physical violence used in historical slavery: degrading physical inspection and bargaining for their sale, kidnapping, chains, back-breaking field and housework, among many others. However our historical understanding of slavery should not hinder our ability to understand its modern form: just because we don't see physical chains or public auctions does not mean we should assume that when someone is being exploited for labor or sexual purposes that it is not slavery or trafficking, as it is now known.

I hope that I will be able to make the trip to Cape Coast Castle at some point in the near future because I believe the trip would be a powerful reminder that so many of our modern human rights problems, including trafficking, have their roots in historical human rights abuses. However, the modern form of slavery needs a modern response: simply declaring it illegal isn't enough. Ensuring that our fellow human beings aren't victimized by traffickers will take an educated public and collaboration among government, non-government, international and law enforcement agencies alike to address root causes and consequences. It will also take a persistence that defies any notion that just because a problem has thousands of years of history, it is impossible to overcome.

African Union starts campaign against human trafficking

From UNGIFT:

16 June 2009 - Nearly 130, 000 people in sub-Saharan countries, and 230,000 in the Middle East and Northern Africa are in forced labour, including sexual exploitation, as a result of human trafficking. These International Labour Organisation (ILO) estimates paint a grim picture of human trafficking in Africa. A greater number of trafficking victims of African origin are found within the continent, while a sizeable proportion constitutes victims who are transported to Western Europe and other parts of the world, according to a recent UN.GIFT report on global trafficking in persons.

The African Union has chosen the Day of the African Child, celebrated today [June 16], to launch AU.COMMIT, an initiative to fight human trafficking in Africa. This campaign seeks to put the fight against trafficking in persons as a priority on the development agenda of the continent. It also calls on African States to build on The Ouagadougou Action Plan to Combat Trafficking in Human Beings, which guides AU Member States in developing and reforming their policies and laws on trafficking in persons.

Many African countries still do not have legislation on human trafficking, or they have laws that criminalize only some aspects of human trafficking (such as child trafficking).

"Such a campaign is badly needed" says UNODC Executive Director Antonio Maria Costa. "The evidence available tells a woeful tale of how many regions of Africa are highly vulnerable to trafficking. Shockingly, in West and Central Africa, most of the perpetrators are women. Across the continent, many of the victims are children," he adds.

UNODC as the guardian of the world's anti-human trafficking instrument, innovator of the Global Initiative to fight Human Trafficking (UN.GIFT), and provider of technical assistance, supports the African Union initiative. UNODC also collaborates with the African Union under the framework of the implementation of the AU Plan of Action on Drug Control and Crime Prevention.

From the African Union:

I. Introduction to AU.COMMIT Campaign

Recently, the fight against trafficking in human beings has gained more prominent place in the international and regional forums pertaining to global governance. This is particularly true with regard to the United Nations Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking (UN.GIFT) programme and the Blue Heart Campaign. In addition, the recent Sixth African Development Forum, jointly organized by the UN-Economic Commission for Africa, African Development Bank, and the African Union calls for the popularization and implementation of the Ouagadougou Action Plan to Combat Trafficking in Human Beings Especially Women and Children (the Ouagadougou Action Plan). Similarly,the Africa-EU Strategic Partnership (Lisbon Action Plan) particularly the Africa-EU Partnership on Migration, Mobility and Employment calls for more action to combat trafficking in persons.

II. Justification

The Department of Social Affairs (DSA) of the African Union Commission (AUC) in its 2009-2012 Strategic Plan and 2008 Programme of Activities has provided several initiatives with regard to the popularization and implementation of the AU policies on migration and development, one of which is the Ouagadougou Action Plan.The AU Commission Initiative against Trafficking (AU.COMMIT) Campaign is one of the major Programme of Activities of DSA on Migration and Development for 2009-2012.

At the centre of the AU.COMMIT Campaign is the implementation of the Ouagadougou Action Plan. The Ouagadougou Action Plan urges Member States and RECs to utilize the same action plan as a reference to develop and reform their policies and laws on trafficking in persons. It also requests the AUC in consultation with the International Organization for Migration and other relevant partners, to assist Member States and RECs with its implementation and development of a follow-up mechanism. The Chairperson of the African Union Commission is also to report periodically on the implementation of the Ouagadougou Action Plan. It further calls the International Community to continue providing assistance towards the attainment of the objectives contained in the Ouagadougou Action Plan.

This concept paper provides the major components of the launch of the AU.COMMIT Campaign.

The official launch of the AU.COMMIT Campaign is to be conducted in a such a way that the messages could be heard louder than before, while raising awareness of the AU’s continued commitment towards tackling the problem of trafficking in human beings in a more strategic and programmatic manner. The launch will thus serve to communicate the overall objectives and messages of the AU. COMMIT Campaign through media and press coverage.

The AU Commission believes that through the launch of the AU.COMMIT Campaign on prevention of trafficking, protection of victims of trafficking and prosecution of traffickers, it will be able to contribute its share to the global fight against trafficking in persons.

For the general and specific objectives, participants, expected outcomes, format and activities of launch, as well as a list of working and background documents, please click here.

Music Video: Blood Into Gold - Peter Buffett featuring Akon

Press Release:

Blood Into Gold is the compelling new song from Peter Buffett featuring Akon, pinpointing the issue of human trafficking and slavery. The poignant video, produced by UNICEF, is a powerful visual representation of the songs message, utilizing moving images and video from around the world that depict the severity of this issue. As a complementary advocacy tool to the song, the hope of the video is to call attention to the issue and inspire others to help bring an end to the atrocities associated with human trafficking.

Visit istheresomethingicando.com for more info.

Buy the song in the iTunes store here

Human trafficking arrest in Nigeria

From The Punch:

Eighteen foreigners and a Malian suspected to be the kingpin of human trafficking in Nigeria, were on Friday, handed over to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons and Other Related Offences by the Lagos State Command of the Nigerian Immigration Service.

The alleged kingpin, Mr. Mahmud Culibaley, was arrested after a tip-off by the NIS at a border town in Lagos, while trying to arrange for the distribution of the 18 foreigners to different parts of the country.

The 18 illegal immigrants were from Niger, Burkina Faso, Guinea Bissau, Guinea Conakry and Mali.

Culibaley was alleged to have facilitated the entry of hundreds of illegal immigrants into the country in the last few months.

According to the Comptroller, Lagos Command of the NIS, Mr. Ayo Oredipe, the upsurge in illegal immigrants is becoming a major threat to national security as the motives or intention of the immigrants cannot be immediately ascertained.

Worried by this development, the Comptroller-General of NIS, Mr. Chukwurah Udeh, had recently summoned the top hierarchy of the Immigration to discuss and find a solution on issues of human trafficking.

He said, “We have a serious issue that had been of concern to government. We discovered that so many able-bodied men are being brought into the country. We are not certain about where they are going, but we want to put a stop to it.

“It is true that there is poverty, but it has not got to the stage of bondage. What is going on is a threat to national security; this is a situation where the productive manpower from other countries is entering Nigeria illegally.

He added, “We were given a mandate to fish out Culibaley and here he is with 18 other foreigners waiting to be distributed to different parts of the country. We are going to hand him over to NAPTIP and we suggest that he should be prosecuted.

“He said he had been in this business in the last six months, but today, his business empire had collapsed.”

The Public Relations Officer, NIS, Lagos command, Mr. Sunday Abutu, said that investigation carried out could not link their movement with terrorism, stressing that it was more of human trafficking.

In an interaction with our correspondent, Culibaley, who said he was the leader of Malians in Nigeria, disclosed that the foreigners usually gathered at a point from where they were brought into Lagos by motor cycle operators.

While admitting that the illegal immigrants were brought in for labour, Culibaley, however, said that he knew that what he was doing was illegal.

Child Trafficking in Malawi

The Slave Hunter

Sex Slaves, Drug Trade and Rock n' Roll

Human Rights Watch Urges Guinea to Rein in Security Forces

Ahmed Tidiane Souare

From AFP:

Human Rights Watch called on Guinea's Prime Minister Ahmed Tidiane Souare to put the country's "chronic human rights problems at the top of his agenda", in a statement released Friday."

The government's continuing inaction in the face of gross human rights abuses really hurts ordinary Guineans," said Dustin Sharp a researcher with the movement.

"If prime minister Souare is to break with the past, he needs to insist that security forces responsible for murder, rape and torture are brought to justice," he added.

The security forces have been an important pillar for the regime of President Lansana Conte, 74, who has ruled the West African nation since 1984.

Human Rights Watch said it had written to Soaure on August 7 calling on him to "exercise bold leadership."

It urged him to tackle Guinea's most acute human rights problems, which it listed as: impunity for unlawful killings, torture, prison conditions, child labor and child trafficking.

Guinea had been rocked by civil unrest in the last few years which "has typically been met with brutal and excessive use of force by government security forces," said the group.

Souare was appointed prime minister on May 20, having previously served as mines, and then education minister.

South Africa: Bill to Allow for Prosecution of All Forms of Human Trafficking

From allAfrica.com:

By Gabi Khumalo
August 15, 2008

Legislation is being formulated that will allow for the prosecution of all forms of human trafficking.

"The draft Bill (the Trafficking in Persons Bill) allows for all forms of human trafficking to be prosecuted including labour exploitation and not only sexual exploitation," said National Prosecuting Authority's (NPA's) Sexual Offences and Community Affairs (SOCA) Unit, National Co-ordinator, Malebo Kotu-Rammopo.

She said that in the absence of specific legislation criminalising the offence, the NPA has encountered unique problems in ensuring an adequate response to the occurrences of this phenomenon.

"Prosecutions have proceeded on an ad hoc basis overtly demonstrable to the facts such as kidnapping, indecent assault and rape, which do not individually attract as heavy sentences as a specific trafficking in persons would impose," Ms Malebo Kotu-Rammopo said.

The absence of legislation also limits prosecutors to deal with only the perpetrator directly linked to the offences, while excluding the perpetrators behind the scenes, which is often an organised crime activity.

Giving an update on the country's strategy to counter human trafficking, Ms Kotu-Rammopo said last year the country had signed and ratified the United Nations Convention Against Translational Organised Crime and the Parlemo Protocol.

The protocol aims to prevent, suppress and punish human trafficking, especially among women and children.It also obliges member states to criminalise trafficking in persons, investigate and prosecute traffickers as well as undertake border control measures.

The SOCA, together with Government and civil society, has also established an Inter-sectoral Task Team to develop a programme to co-ordinate a comprehensive strategy to counter human trafficking.

The strategy, which started after the government received the protocol in 2007, would lead to the adoption of a National Action Plan as required by the Palermo Protocol.

Read the full article

Turbulent Waters: 21st Century Galley Slaves

Most of the goods we consume are transported by sea on ships where working conditions recall those of the galley ships of another age. Turbulent Waters takes us into this murky world where ship owners, (like the family of former Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin) avoid operating standards and working conditions in force in their own countries by registering their ships offshore in tax havens like Panama, the Bahamas, or Liberia. They then hire seafarers for cheap in the Philippines, India, China, or the Ukraine. Turbulent Waters tells the story of some of these seafarers - equivalent to 21st century galley-slaves - and of the turbulent seas they inhabit in the world of corporate globalisation. The feature-length documentary is directed and written by Malcolm Guy and Michelle Smith.

An excerpt from the film:

Sprite Zungu, an inspector with the International Transport Federation, defends seafarers who have decided to go on strike because they have not been paid for several months. Turbulent Waters tells the story of these seafarers -- equivalent to 21st century galley slaves -- and of the turbulent seas they inhabit in a world of corporate globalisation. Scene from the film Turbulent Waters by Malcolm Guy and Michelle Smith.



Visit the Turbulent Waters website

Former Sudanese Child Soldier Turned Hip-Hop Artist Performs at UN

Emmanuel Jal, child-soldier of Sudan turned Hip-Hop artist, has incorporated his experiences into "Warchild," due out May 13, 2008. The inspirations for the 13 songs on Warchild are rooted in Jal's impossible past. In "Forced to Sin," Jal recounts, "I lived with an AK-47/By my side/Slept with one eye open wide / Run / Duck / Play dead." His love and loyalty for his homeland of Sudan shines in "Stronger" - "I pledge allegiance/To My Motherland/That I'll do everything possible/To make a stand/Yes I can." Jal pleads with rapper 50 Cent on "50 Cent" to be a better role model for his young fans: "You have done enough damage selling crack cocaine/now you got a kill a black man video game/We have lost a whole generation through this lifestyle/now you want to put it in the game for a little child to play..."

Jal plans to support the release of Warchild with a tour of North America; details will be announced shortly. In addition, he frequently speaks on college campus about his experiences in an effort to raise awareness of and halt the inhumane treatment of children in Sudan. "I believe I've survived for a reason," says Jal in Warchild. "To tell my story, to touch lives."

UN News bit:



Emmanuel Jal - Warchild music video



More info on the album here

Should Prostitution Be Legalized at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa?

From Business Day:

By Chantelle Benjamin

A RESEARCHER on organised crime has warned that the legalisation of prostitution for the 2010 Soccer World Cup could lead to a boom in human trafficking and the commercial sex industry such as that seen in Germany, if it is not regulated.

With the World Cup looming nearer, discussions about the decriminalisation of prostitution have intensified, supported by advocacy groups.

An international conference on prostitution and trafficking, specific to the 2010 Soccer World Cup, is to be held in East London next month to discuss the problem.

Shanaaz Parker, a researcher for the organised crime and money laundering programme of the Institute of Security Studies, said on Friday the legalisation of prostitution in Australia, Germany and the Netherlands was not a decision taken lightly, but in the case of the latter two countries human trafficking has increased.

Discussions about the legalisation of prostitution have been promoted by advocacy groups such as the Sex Workers Education and Advocacy Task Force , which believe it would prevent unnecessary arrests of sex workers and improve conditions in the sector.

“The argument is that the World Cup will push up the demand for sex workers and the services they provide, so we should simply decriminalise this form of work and give the sex industry some dignity,” Parker said.

“But even then, if sex work is recognised as a profession, there is no guarantees that the women (or men) engaged in it will be treated with respect and that human trafficking in terms of the commercial sex industry will decrease. On the contrary, Germany and the Netherlands have seen an expansion of human trafficking and commercial sex industries during its legislation.”

The situation is of particular concern as SA had been identified as a transit destination for human trafficking.

Read the full article

Interrupting Your Regular Radio Broadcast

By Tonya Graham

Radio stations across Zambia and Mozambique will soon play host to an exciting new radio drama, titled Dealers in Zambia and Troco in Mozambique. The drama, a project of the International Organization for Migration’s (IOM) Southern African Counter-Trafficking Assistance Programme (SACTAP) and produced by Johannesburg-based Community Media for Development (CMFD) Productions, uses a blockbuster storyline to raise awareness around human trafficking, migration and related issues in the Southern African region.

The drama follows a family of cross-border traders who inadvertently get caught up in a mafia scandal and underground trafficking ring. The drama takes listeners on a roller coaster ride of love, lies, betrayal and daring escapes, while subtly passing on information about human trafficking, how it happens, what to look out for, and how to support survivors.

With the upcoming 2010 FIFA World Cup to be held in South Africa, organisations and activists are gearing up for a likely increase in trafficking activities. Borders in Southern African countries are notoriously porous, and this coupled with high rates of poverty, pervasive gender inequalities and nonexistent or ineffective trafficking laws make the region ripe ground for human traffickers. Zambia and Mozambique are both key source and transit countries for human trafficking activities to South Africa and Europe. According to the IOM, at least 1000 people are trafficked from Mozambique into South Africa each year.



Dealers/ Troco aims to encourage people to make sure that when they want to migrate, they find out exactly what they are getting into; it promotes safe migration practices in order to prevent people from getting into trafficking situations. It also aims to give people the tools they need to support survivors of trafficking, report cases and get help if they need it.

The drama was developed through a participatory process involving consultation with migrants, trafficking experts and potential audiences. As part of the early stages of development, CMFD conducted interviews with 100 migrants living in Johannesburg about their experiences with migration as well as related issues such as xenophobia. The stories these interviews yielded were used to inform the Dealers/ Troco storyline and ensured it was grounded in lived experience.


The cast and crew of Dealers on location in Lusaka, Zambia.

CMFD held focus groups in Zambia and Mozambique before recording began to make sure the drama was appealing, exciting, and that the characters and situations reflected reality. Feedback from the focus groups was overwhelmingly positive, with participants saying that they enjoyed the story, and that it reminded them that even though you think it won’t happen to you, trafficking is real.

During the recording, the response from the actors involved was much the same. Interestingly, one of the actors in Zambia had recently been offered a lucrative-sounding job in Canada, and was considering taking it. After recording the drama, and discussing the job offer with other people on the team, she decided the offer was not worth the potential risk, and turned it down.



Though it is too early to make a definite judgment, this may be an indication of the effectiveness of this story, and of radio drama in general, to talk about human trafficking in a way that encourages people to really think about the issues.

The drama also includes an original theme song that both complements the story and stands alone as a strong message for people seeking to migrate to be sure of what they are getting into before they leave home.

Accompanying the drama is a media guide that will give radio presenters or community organisations the information they need to initiate discussion about the characters and the issues they face. Radio stations will be encouraged to have live phone-in discussions after each episode, and CMFD has set up a blog for the drama in both English and Portuguese. The blogs contain images, audio and information about both the project and human trafficking, and can be found at www.dealersradio.org and www.trocoradio.org.



Since the drama was to be developed for Zambia, a land-locked English-speaking country and Mozambique, a coastal Portuguese-speaking country, careful adaptation was also key to the process. Cultural, geographic and linguistic details were fleshed out both in focus groups and in consultations with the translator and Mozambican project coordinator. For example, in Dealers one of the characters unknowingly trafficks a Congolese girl through Zambia to South Africa; Mozambique does not see traffic in Congolese, so this detail was changed to a girl being taken from Northern Mozambique through Maputo to South Africa. The media guide was also adapted to reflect local issues and affairs.

Troco had its official launch in Maputo, Mozambique on 20 June 2008. Dealers is expected to launch in line with the Zambian government’s national anti-trafficking campaign, ‘Break the Chain’ of Human Trafficking. In addition to airplay in the two target countries, Troco has been picked up by RDP-Africa, an Portuguese service based in Lisbon that broadcasts in Portuguese-speaking African countries. This will increase the reach of the drama exponentially. Dealers has also been picked up by an English radio service in Dakar, Senegal.

Listen to the Dealers theme music

Listen to the Dealers trailer

Visit the Dealers website

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