Not For Sale Global Advocacy Days

Join Not For Sale this spring in Washington D.C., and Ottawa, Canada, to ask legislators to re-Abolish modern-day slavery.

Global Advocacy Days from David Hepburn on Vimeo.

According to Not For Sale, "Being a modern-day Abolitionist means advocating for stronger legislation against human trafficking, as well as protection and care for survivors. These two-day events will combine advocacy training, networking, and meetings with your elected representatives as you give voice to those in captivity."

Registration for the two visits is now open.

Washington, D.C
March 1-2, 2010
Day 1: Breakout Sessions; Advocacy Training
Day 2: Capitol Hill; Meet with your elected representatives
General Admission: $49; Students and Military: $39

Ottawa, Canada
Day 1: Training
Day 2: Meet with members of Parliament
General Admission: $49; Students and Military: $39

Space is limited.

GO VOTE!

Time for change.

Obama on Human Trafficking

U.S. Trafficking in Humans Report Criticizes China on Eve of Olympics

From Freedom Center:

By Paul Bernish
June 6, 2008

The U.S. State Department’s annual Trafficking in Persons Report was released [this past June], but if you blinked, you probably missed hearing about it.

That’s a shame because the report — despite its flaws and allegations of political influence impacting its data — does give the general public an overall look at the nature and extent of human trafficking around the world. Neither the New York Times nor the Washington Post, for example, have yet run stories on the report, and broadcast news has been largely silent.

The 2008 report, released by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, concludes that while progress in combating human slavery is being made, the lack of enforcement of anti-trafficking laws in many nations is enabling perpetrators to escape punishment. The focus on prosecutions, Rice said, was a new emphasis of this year’s report.

The annual human trafficking assessment was mandated by Congress in the 2000 Trafficking in Persons Protection Act. It annually evaluates the efforts of 170 countries to combat human trafficking. The report aims to raise awareness of the scourge of modern slavery and to encourage countries to take action to prevent it.

A controversial aspect of the report is its ranking of countries in “tiers” based on an assessment of the government’s compliance with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking as explained in the 2000 anti-trafficking legislation. Tier 2 and Tier 3 countries have moderate to severe challenges in controlling trafficking. Another category, “Tier 2 Watch List,” indicates countries in danger of falling to the bottom Tier 3.

The controversy arises for two reasons: while the State Department ranks the anti-trafficking efforts of other nations, the United States itself is not ranked, which has prompted many governments — including some allies — to accuse the American government of placing national self-interest above objective analysis. (Trafficking into and within the United States is detailed in a separate report each year. In the U.S. an estimated 14,500 to 17,500 victims are trafficked into the country each year).

Second, the rankings of nations appears to many to be unduly influenced by global political and economic factors that result in human rights violations being ignored.

The State Department counters this criticism by pointing out that U.S. efforts to combat trafficking involve partnerships with other countries, international and nongovernmental organizations. In fiscal year 2007, the U.S. government spent approximately $79 million to fund 180 anti-trafficking projects in about 90 countries. Since fiscal year 2001, the United States has funded more than $528 million for anti-trafficking projects worldwide.

Still, it’s hard to fathom the relatively benign Tier 2 ranking for China — which is hosting the 2008 Olympic Games in August. China, the report charges, has made insufficient efforts to combat trafficking, especially in regards to North Korean women who are trafficked into China as “wives” or prostitutes. Those North Koreans unlucky enough to be returned by authorities to North Korea routinely are punished by the North Korean regime, said Ambassador Mark Lagon, the director of the State Department’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons.

Whether China deserves a lower ranking, one thing’s for sure: with the Beijing Olympics about to begin, it would have been reasonable to expect that the trafficking report would have generated much more extensive world-wide coverage. It still might, but it’s disappointing to see the international news media ignore profoundly important human rights issues to focus, instead, on athletic competition in a nation that appears to flaunt essential protections for its citizens.

The Fight to Abolish Human Trafficking Within the United States

From the National Ledger:

By Paul M. Weyrich
Jul 23, 2008

Without doubt the Federal appointee who was most effective dealing with sex-trafficking was former Representative John R. Miller (R-WA). President George W. Bush has sought to end sex slavery within the United States and provide international leadership on the issue. Miller was appointed Director of the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons for the U.S. State Department and became an Ambassador-at-large on the issue of modern slavery. Miller elevated the fight to a high priority in the Bush Administration.

Recently, Miller wrote an op-ed in THE NEW YORK TIMES which suggested that the effort to oppose sex slavery has met opposition in the Department of Justice (DOJ). Miller also made a presentation to a group with which I am involved. Upon hearing Miller’s presentation I realized that the situation is worse than he described in THE NEW YORK TIMES.

After nurturing the 21st-Century abolitionist movement from 2002 to 2006, Miller believed that President Bush supported him despite objection to his efforts from numerous Ambassadors who did not want their host countries criticized. Miller stated that the President made it clear that his work was important. While he did not win every battle, he prevailed, often thanks to White House support.

One could imagine Miller’s surprise when he learned that DOJ initiated a campaign to oppose a new Congressional bill which would strengthen the Federal Government’s anti-trafficking efforts. In a 13-page letter, DOJ blasted nearly every aspect of the proposed legislation. In its annual report which rates how well countries are combating sex slavery, DOJ does not want to consider whether governments put traffickers in jail, nor does it want the Departments of Homeland Security and Health and Human Services to streamline their efforts to help the victims of sex-trafficking acquire visas and assistance. DOJ does not want to pool data with the Departments of State, Homeland Security and Health and Human Services on sex-trafficking and to devise prevention strategies.

DOJ opposes the creation of Presidential awards for groups leading the struggle against this modern-day slavery. It is against a citizens’ task force to develop a pamphlet for victims. It does not want the State Department to give the telephone numbers of American anti-trafficking organizations to visa applicants at American Consulates worldwide.

Miller believes the vehement opposition by DOJ to this proposed legislation goes far beyond the usual turf battle which usually rears its ugly head in Washington, D.C. Miller states that DOJ opposes changes which would expand its own authority to combat trafficking. For example: Should they prosecute American tourists who create the demand for sex-trafficking in foreign countries? Should Congress provide increased penalties for Americans who sexually abuse children abroad? Should American jurisdiction extend to Americans who traffic human beings aboard? Should the Attorney General include information in his annual report on his department’s efforts to enforce anti-trafficking laws against federal contractors and employees? No, it should not do any of these.

Read the full article

McCain's Delicate Immigration Dance

From Time.com:

By Michael Scherer

Back on the campaign trail late last year, amid snowdrifts and ice storms, candidate Tom Tancredo spoke often about the possibility of defecting from the Republican Party if its eventual nominee failed to meet his benchmarks of conservatism, most importantly a zero-tolerance policy for undocumented immigrants.

"I am absolutely tired and sick and tired of being forced to go to the polls and say I'm going to make this choice between the lesser of two evils," the Colorado congressman said at an October debate in Michigan, standing across the stage from his ideological opponent, John McCain, who supports a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants. "I really don't intend to do that again."

But just months later, with Washington sweltering in humidity, the hawkish immigration reformer, who wants to deport the nation's 12 million illegal immigrants, has declared his support for McCain. "I expect to be supporting him in November," Tancredo told TIME last week. "But certainly it is not set in stone."

In other words, he still holds out hope of pressuring McCain to shift his positions on immigration, or at least not moderate them, by threatening to resort to the kind of public criticism that could erode the Republican base in key states. On Tuesday, Tancredo shot off a warning flare of sorts in the form of a public letter calling on McCain to clarify his position on immigration reform. "Maybe it's just wishful thinking on my part," Tancredo said in an inteview. "I guess I am holding out hope that when he says he 'got the message,' that means something."

Tancredo is not the only one unclear about McCain's immigration position after the contentious primary campaign, in which the issue regularly polled as the second most important among likely Republcian voters, next to the Iraq war. "I will tell you, there is some confusion right now, some need for clarity," says Janet Murguía, the president of the National Council of La Raza, a Latino advocacy group. "There are some folks in our country who are confused about exactly where he is."

For months, that confusion has been somewhat intentional on the part of the McCain campaign. It was the issue of immigration, after all, that almost sunk McCain's candidacy back in the summer of 2007, when the Senate debated and defeated a comprehensive immigration bill that was dubbed the McCain-Kennedy bill and derided as an "amnesty bill" by opponents. After the defeat, McCain's public rhetoric on the issue changed significantly, even as his actual position only altered slightly. "I got the message," he told Republican crowds hundreds of times in the early voting states. "We will secure the borders first."

But in public comments, McCain often delivered a somewhat mixed message of his own. He continued to favor all the parts of his comprehensive plan — border security, increased employer sanctions for illegal hiring and a path to citizenship for the undocumented — but he mostly refrained from using the word "comprehensive." Instead, he spoke of a two-stage solution. First, he would secure the borders, a process that would be certified by border state governors. Then he would push for a process to allow the 12 million undocumented immigrants to become full citizens.

More recently, however, McCain has switched back to his earlier rhetoric on the issue. In late May, he took time at an event in California to point out that he had worked with Sen. Ted Kennedy on the immigration bill. "We must enact comprehensive immigration reform, and we must make it a top agenda item," he said. A couple of weeks later, McCain released the first ads of his general election campaign — for Spanish-language radio in Nevada and New Mexico. This week, he plans to travel to Colombia and Mexico, to burnish his credentials as a leader who understands Latin America. Next month, he will address La Raza at its annual conference in San Diego, along with Democrat Barack Obama.

The reason is not hard to fathom. McCain's campaign has already announced that it expects to do well among Hispanic voters, especially in key states like New Mexico, Colorado and Nevada. (President Bush won about 40% of the Hispanic vote in 2004, though most public polls now show McCain getting just under 30% of the same group, compared with 60% for Obama.) McCain aides openly talk about how the immigration issue that was a burden for their candidate in the primary could become an asset in the general election.

Read the full article

What should the U.S. do about the millions of illegal immigrants now living in this country?

From AJC.com:

In the weeks leading up to the July 15 primary election, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution will pose questions to candidates for the U.S. Senate seat held by Republican Saxby Chambliss. Candidates are given 150 words to answer. The winner of the Democratic primary will face Chambliss and Libertarian Allen Buckley in November.

What should the U.S. do about the millions of illegal immigrants now living in this country?

The Republican

Saxby Chambliss
Congress must make every effort to secure our borders and enforce our existing laws. Illegal immigrants will then have no alternative but to leave. Unfortunately, Senate Democrats continue to block measures to stem the tide of illegal immigration.

I absolutely oppose amnesty for illegal immigrants. I co-sponsored a measure to fund border security, immigration enforcement and criminal alien removal programs. I introduced "The Effective Immigration Enforcement Partnerships Act of 2008" and I formed the Border Security and Enforcement First Caucus in the U.S. Senate.

We are making progress. We have increased the number of border security agents; construction of a border fence has begun; and we are training local law enforcement to fight illegal immigration at the local level.

Despite this progress, our healthcare, educational and judicial systems continue to be overburdened with illegal immigrants. I will continue to address this problem one legislative effort at a time.
*U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss is a former representative and attorney from Moultrie.

The Democrats

Vernon Jones
The failed amnesty bill supported by President Bush and rubber-stamped by Senator Chambliss is not the answer. We must secure the border and enforce the law.
*Vernon Jones is CEO of DeKalb County and a former state legislator.

Rand Knight
The United States must enforce existing immigration laws, fine individuals who employ undocumented workers; require employers to open jobs to American citizens first; run checks on social security numbers of all hires; give those here illegally a chance to start the process of citizenship – to be granted after they pay back-taxes; and we must act diplomatically to help other governments find ways to employ their own citizens. In Georgia, we benefit from the labor of undocumented workers. Many of these workers labor for below minimum wage and in jobs that few others desire to perform. Georgia's economy would suffer a major setback if the proposed immigration reform does not include recognition that both a social and economic transition must occur. While we all came here in separate boats, we're in the same boat now, and we must help this country to come together to eliminate injustice and restore our economy.
*Rand Knight is an Atlanta businessman.

Dale Cardwell
Most of us agree on the need to secure our borders and reform immigration. The problem is corporations that fund campaigns want something else: cheap, undocumented labor. If we break the stranglehold those special interests have on their "bought" politicians, we can base immigration reform on pursuit of the American dream: If you contribute to our economy (but don't take an American's job,) speak or commit to learn English, and want to assimilate, then you should have an equal chance to apply. At the same time, we must, in the next term of Congress, implement a foolproof document verification system (burden on the government) employers have to access before applicants can be hired. Going forward, illegal employers will be prosecuted for hiring undocumented workers. Illegals already employed will not be fired or "rounded up," but will have an incentive to go home, get in line, and legally pursue the dream.
*Dale Cardwell is a former investigative reporter for WSB-TV in Atlanta.

The Libertarian

Allen Buckley
Provide employers advance notice of potential audits and reliable means to verify legal status of workers that can be used only for employment purposes. Simultaneously eliminate food stamps for people able to work. After 90 days, audit employers in industries known to employ illegal aliens. Employers breaking the law could avoid substantial penalties only by offering jobs at 1.33 times the price paid to illegal aliens. For jobs not filled by Americans, illegal aliens could qualify for VISAs if they owe no taxes and pay a $5,000 fine and a $1,500 fee for immediate VISA eligibility. Illegal aliens unable to prove that all taxes have been paid for the preceding 4 year period would be required to pay the lesser of proven taxes due, interest and penalties or $10,000. The taxes due could be paid over a few years, with interest. Free transportation to Mexico would be offered.
*Allen Buckley is an attorney/CPA who lives in Smyrna.

Read the full article

Call from Mexican Human Rights Ombudsman

A translation of an article from La Jornada:

The National Human Rights Commission demands a vigorous response from the State against human trafficking

The growing phenomenon of human trafficking requires the most vigorous response from the Mexican state because it is an attempt against the dignity, freedom, and the right to free development of individuals, stated the President of the National Human Rights Commission (CNDH), Jose Luis Soberanes.

He asserted that this crime involves the unacceptable transformation of a human being into merchandise since it reduces him to a source of profit, deprives him of freedom and person, and he is dehumanized without the least consideration of his rights and dignity.

In a communication, he reported that the CNDH signed a convention of collaboration with the Program of Support to Victims of Human Trafficking (Protection) with the purpose of combating these activities.

The agreement includes the administrative obligation of the authorities for Mexico to fulfill its commitment to protect the rights of people who are on its territory.

The National Ombudsman reported that through collaborative work and with the participation of other institutions and organizations, Protection and the Program Against Human Trafficking of the CNDH "will promote the homogenization of the national judicial framework and will generate means through which social awareness with respect to this scourge, a modern version of slavery.

He added that in the global context, especially in Central and North America, many migrants run the risk of becoming trapped by traffickers, which adds to the many adversities that confront this sector. He stated his concern for young girls, boys, adolescents, and female migrants, who are captured by force or through deception to become the victims of sexual and labor exploitation.

"The Mexican state is obligated to provide them with protection and give them every guarantee to safeguard their integrity, dignity and freedom," he emphasized. He said that the governmental response will be more effective if they unite efforts and capacities in order to prevent trafficking and alter the conditions that make it favorable, as well to rescue victims and reintegrate them into society and prevent other people from falling into these networks.

The program of the CNDH and Protection includes the joint production of a short film on the topic of their various methods, the co-authorship of the national judicial framework on the matter of trafficking, the creation of an Internet page for disseminating information on the crime, and the design and facilitation of training courses for public servants, members of civil organizations and society in general for appropriate prevention.

Links to more about human trafficking and Mexico:

The Organization of American States

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

The Courage of Washington

By John C. Bersia

From the Anniston Star:

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — In 1799, George Washington, America's first president, personally took an important but still-debated step against one of the most despicable practices in human society: slavery.

Standing near the spot where he freed his own slaves in a deathbed will, viewing every accessible documentary and file on the subject (for more information, visit www.mountvernon.org), and paying my respects at the slave memorial here, I thought about Washington's decision to defy the accepted standards of his time. And I wondered what might have happened, had he advocated an anti-slavery position as president.

Sadly, despite Washington's example, the Civil War, the outlawing of slavery in the United States, the fight for civil rights in this country, the end of colonialism and the moves by nations the world over to give at least constitutional attention to human rights, the scourge is more prevalent than ever. Some 30 million people suffer the indignities of one form or another of human trafficking, as the problem commonly is known today.

Modern slaves are found everywhere, including in the United States, which leads me to ask: Where are the 21st-century abolitionists? And, in the context of American politics, which of the leading candidates for the 44th U.S. presidency will follow in Washington's footsteps?

Time is running out for them to make a difference in this campaign, and I do not mean in the sense of offering general statements. The top contenders should put serious thought and energy into no less than a global strategy to confront slavery. The U.S. government's current program to monitor human trafficking, while commendable, falls short of the challenge.

Read the full article

Kenyan Negotiators Resume Talks to End Crisis

*The political instability in Kenya has displaced 300,000 people creating a large population that is extremely vulnerable to trafficking. Click HERE for a profile of trafficking in Kenya.

From Reuters:

NAIROBI- Kenya's feuding parties resume talks on Tuesday after a calls from home and abroad to solve a post-election crisis that has killed 1,000 people and jeopardized the east African nation's reputation.

Foreign powers and the majority of Kenya's 36 million people are impatient for President Mwai Kibaki and opposition leader Raila Odinga to find a political solution to their country's darkest moment since independence in 1963.

Their dispute over who won the December 27 election unleashed protests and ethnic attacks that have traumatized the population, displaced 300,000 people, and hurt Kenya's reputation as a stable democracy and peacemaker in the region.

"The time for a political settlement was yesterday," U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said at the end of a lightening trip to Kenya on Monday to push for a power-sharing accord as the best way out of the impasse.

Apart from hardliners on either side, a similar message is reverberating around Kenya from businessmen, clerics, civil society groups and ordinary citizens, who are increasingly angry with the political class.

"Where are the leaders who will put selfish gains aside and accede to the higher commitment to serve and honor a country's craving for peace?" said Daily Nation columnist Mildred Ngesa.

Former President Estrada Convicted of Plunder

Source: Corbis

On Wednesday, September 12th an anti-graft court found former Philippine President Joseph Estrada guilty of plunder and sentenced him to life imprisonment.

From the Inquirer:

The jailing of former president Joseph Estrada for massive corruption is a warning for the nation's political elite but means precious little for the legions of poor, analysts say.

In a country riddled with corruption and dirty politics, Wednesday's guilty verdict failed to ignite any semblance of the anger that followed his removal from power in 2001, when 300,000 people rallied to his side in the streets. Then, his successor, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, called in the Army to quash the demonstration, which she said was an uprising aimed at toppling her. Four people were killed and more than 100 arrested.

Enrique Esteban, a political scientist with the University of Asia and the Pacific, said that while Estrada still has popular support with the poor, they simply do not see the point of taking to the streets any more. "They see it as part of the political game no matter what side you are on. At the end of the day the poor are still poor," he told Agence France-Presse.

Read the full article

This Week in the Philippines #6

Kickbacks, economic gains, kidnapping, Doogie Howser, and remittances...


Source: Corbis

Corruption mars broadband contract
Once again, corruption reared its ugly head under the Arroyo administration with kickbacks galore amounting to way over $100 million, divided accordingly among a high-ranking poll official. “Kickbacks” in the contro-versial broadband contract with Chinese firm ZTE Corp. practically ate up the project’s cost and ended up 300-percent higher than the original or proposed amount, with highly-placed public officials and public figures said to have pocketed the “loot” amounting to over $200 million.

Government to boast of economic gains at APEC meeting
The Philippines will show off the Arroyo government’s so-called “long-term economic achievement” during this week’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meetings in Sydney, Australia, despite a poor investor index rating by the Apec. In his departure statement, Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo yesterday commented, “our performance has shown the resiliency and robustness of our economy. Our fiscal and economic reforms have taken root and are showing concrete results. We have had consecutive quarterly growths since 2001.”

Kidnapping cases decrease in the Philippines
Director General Oscar C. Calderon, chief of the Philippine National Police, reported yesterday a 45 percent decline in the number of kidnap-for-ransom cases recorded in the country from July 2006 to June 2007 as compared to July 2005 to June 2006. Calderon said there were 27 kidnap-for-ransom cases from July 2006 to June 2007 as compared to the 49 recorded from July 2005 to June 2006.

Youngest doctor in the Philippines ready for work
At 22, Adrian Paul Rabe is the youngest member of Class 2007 of the University of the Philippines' seven-year Integrated Liberal Arts-Medicine (Intarmed) program. He passed the medical licensure examinations this month. When he was young, his family lived in Kuwait. His father, Pete, an engineer, was a contract worker while his mother, Zenaida, also an engineer, took care of him and his four siblings. He was six years old when the Gulf War broke out in August 1990 and the family decided to return to the Philippines.

Cheaper remittance system developed for migrants
A nationwide federation of cooperatives launched on Tuesday a one-dollar remittance scheme for overseas Filipinos. Dubbed as National Cash Card program, or simply N-Cash, the new remittance system offers overseas Filipinos a much cheaper option in sending money to their loved ones in the Philippines. It is a project of the National Confederation of Cooperatives (Natcco) in coordination with the government-owned Development Bank of the Philippines. Natcco executive officer Cresente Paez commented, “Filipinos in all areas of our island nation will now be able to conduct many financial transactions without having to go to their nearest urban center which is often many kilometers and many hours away."

This Week in the Philippines #5

Riots, US military sneakiness, UN misconduct, bomb threats, and a quick fix to illegal immigration...


Source: Corbis

Possible uprising in support of former President Joseph "Erap" Estrada
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is apparently bracing for a repeat of Edsa III in the aftermath of a verdict on the plunder case against detained President Joseph “Erap” Estrada.Edsa III, an uprising led by thousands of Estrada’s mostly poor supporters in an attempt to restore him to Malacañang on May 1, 2001, was suppressed by former Vice President Gloria Arroyo, who, on Jan. 21 of that year, led a military-backed coup that toppled the now jailed leader and catapulted her to the presidency.

US military builds "temporary structures" in the Philippines
American officials in Manila yesterday denied that the United States is building a military base in Mindanao, but admitted that it is constructing “temporary” structures across Mindanao worth at least $14.4 million for “medical, logistical and administrative services” to be used by US soldiers.

UN asked to recall its highest official in Philippines
Former senator Wigberto Tañada and 48 other leaders of non-government organizations have asked the United Nations to recall its highest official in the Philippines for alleged arbitrariness, unilateralism, abuse, and harassment. In a petition, members of the civil society community said: “Arbitrariness. Unilateralism. Abuse. Harassment. These are words we do not normally attribute to the UN.”

Manila under alert for terrorist bombings
Police have tightened security in malls in the eastern part of Metro Manila following reports that groups aligned with the Abu Sayyaf—the Jemaah Islamiyah and Rajah Solaiman Movement—could be planning “sympathy attacks” in public places in the metropolis.

Immigration bureau asks illegal aliens to stay
The Bureau of Immigration urged all overstaying aliens on Monday to come out and legalize their status as he assured them that they would not be arrested should they request for an extension of their stay in the country.

This Week in the Philippines #4

The war on terrorism, politics, linguistic technicalities, medical tourism, and sustainable development...


Marines on patrol (Source: Corbis)

More Troops Deployed to Destroy Abu Sayyaf
The presidential palace has given the military blanket authority to finish off the Abu Sayyaf, a Philippines-based terrorist faction with alleged ties to Al Qaeda. At least 3,500 soldiers are stationed in Sulu for the renewed campaign.

Congressman Asks Pres & VP to Call it Quits
Results of a recent Pulse Asia survey showed President Arroyo’s trust rating slipped to 25 percent. In the survey conducted from June 28 to July 10, military chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon Jr. also got a low trust rating of 19 percent while Philippine National Police chief Oscar Calderon posted an even lower trust rating of 17 percent.

Pilipino, Filipino, or Tagalog?
The 1973 Constitution, through Article XV, Section 3, made a distinction between “Pilipino,” which together with English was made an “official language,” and “Filipino,” which was envisioned as the “common national language.” But what is the difference between Pilipino and Filipino? When is one used over the other? How are they viewed under law?

Medical Tourism will Retain Doctors & Nurses in the Philippines
"Once medical tourism in the country is in full stride, local salaries will become competitive and nurses, doctors, and people in the health profession would prefer to stay in the country," said a director of the Department of Health.

Vietnam's Economic Boom & the Philippines
Vietnam successfully revitalized its moribund economy starting in 1986. Since then it has powered ahead with an average annual growth of 8 percent while reducing poverty, thus achieving the elusive goal of sustainable economic growth and equitable income distribution. How can the Philippines learn from this?

Enslaved in the U.S.A.

Source: Corbis

From the National Review Online:

As public awareness has grown about global sex trafficking, Americans were shocked to learn that victims from places such as Mexico, Korea, and Ukraine were sexually enslaved in their towns and cities. In communities across the country, concerned citizens voiced calls for zero tolerance for modern-day slavery.

President Bush made combating human trafficking a priority. Both Attorney Generals Ashcroft and Gonzales have spoken out against trafficking in the U.S. and made the investigation and prosecution of trafficking a priority. Most of the focus on identifying and assisting victims and prosecuting offenders has been on foreign nationals trafficked into the U.S.

There are more American citizens than foreign nationals victimized by sex traffickers in the U.S., yet there are no federally funded services for them, particularly if they are over age 17.

Service providers who have requested funds from the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) to assist American victims have been turned down repeatedly by government agencies. The recent attorney general’s report states that TVPA funds are dedicated to non-U.S. citizen victims. Therefore, if you are a victim of sex trafficking in the U.S. from Mexico or Ukraine, there is money for immediate services ($1300 a month), but there are no funds similarly available for an American victim.

Read the full article…

This Week in the Philippines #3

Graft, international trafficking to Iraq, and the Peace Corps...


A Filipino worker applying for a job in Iraq, lights candles during a rally in Manila (Source: Corbis)

Corruption rampant in GMA regime
In a recent survey, seven out of 10 Filipinos, or 71 percent, gave President Arroyo a failing grade in her anti-corruption efforts

New batch of Peace Corps volunteers arrive in Philippines
Fifty seven new volunteers arrive in the Pearl of the Orient for a two-year stint

11 Filipinos trafficked to Iraq to help build US embassy
Kuwaiti company illegally recruits Filipino workers despite Philippine govt travel ban

Lack of enforcement mechanism blamed for trafficking to Iraq
NGO accuses Philippine government of doing too little to prevent trafficking- more important than issuing a travel ban, enforcement mechanisms were absent

Filipino migrant workers share stories of life in Iraq
There are an estimated 10,000 Filipinos in Iraq despite the standing government ban on travel to the war-torn country

This Week in the Philippines #2

Vote-Rigging, Medical Tourism, and Human Trafficking: Shaken, Not Stirred

Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo shows her finger marked with indelible ink after casting her vote in her hometown of Lubao. (Source: Corbis)

Philippines Probing Election Cheating
After the dust settles from the May 14th elections, allegations of vote-rigging abound.

The Philippine Peso Gains on the Dollar
Remittances and foreign investments are credited.

The Emerging Industry of Medical Tourism in Asia
High-quality medical care on the cheap, and afterwards you can get a facial and relax on a private beach.

Four Jailed on Human Trafficking
The Philippine justice system lives up to its name.

UN Criticizes Japan on Sex Slaves
Japan denies involvement in government-sanctioned forced prostitution of women across Asia for its soldiers during WWII.

This Week in the Philippines #1

Election Season: Let the Madness Begin...

*This Week in the Philippines is a new section that will provide a weekly glimpse into the political and cultural climate of the Philippines.



Vote Osama Bin Laden
Educator, environmentalist, peace advocate?

Nation goes to polls today
What's at stake: 12 senators who will serve for six years and 250 congressmen and partylist representatives, 81 governors, 81 vice governors, 770 provincial board members, 118 city mayors, 118 city vice mayors, 1,510 municipal mayors, 1,510 municipal vice mayors, 1,322 city councilors, and 12,092 municipal councilors.

Police form task forces to curb election violence
173 election-related violent incidents, 113 dead, and 121 wounded

Politicians and their private armies go overboard
Pistol packin' politicos, high powered rifles, and unlicensed firearms

Election fraud
A recent survey shows that 70% of the public in Metro Manila expects there to be cheating in vote-counting

Until next week...

Pacman the Politician

Manny Pacquiao: Boxing Hero, National Icon... Politician?



Jorge Solis falls in eight rounds to the whirlwind of oddly angled ferocious hooks, upper cuts, and never-ending combinations launched by the Tasmanian Devil of boxing known as Pacman.

Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao is a national hero of the Philippines who has toppled dozens of contenders, including legendary Mexican fighters Erik Morales and Antonio Barrera, with his flurries of non-stop punches that drop his opponents to the canvas (his current record is 44 wins, 3 losses, and 3 draws).


Pacquiao vs. Solis- Sunday, April 15th, 2007 in San Antonio, Texas

In the Philippines you can see Pacman in advertisements ranging from karaoke machines to ice cream, soy sauce to socks, sports drinks to beer (including a new commercial with former rival Erik Morals). In short, his smiling mug is plastered on just about any billboard space available. A Pacquiao fight is like an undeclared national holiday in the Philippines. The country shuts down, the streets are empty, and everyone is huddled next to their television sets anxious to see their chosen son bring one more victory home for the pride of the Philippines. When he returns from fights Pacquiao is greeted by screaming fans and politicians alike and treated like royalty. He is also sent congratulatory messages from the president.


The new San Miguel Beer commercial starring Manny Pacquiao and Erik Morales

On a sunny Sunday morning in April I watch the Pacquiao-Solis fight in a packed movie theater. The audience cheers with each Pacquiao punch and gasps as his opponent, the relatively unknown but previously undefeated Mexican fighter Jorge Solis (32 wins, 2 draws prior to the fight), connects with his own punches. More details on the fight from ESPN.

After Pacquiao is announced the winner to his adoring masses, the lights have dimmed, and the gloves are cut off, Pacman must now prepare for a different kind of fight. Manny is running for a congressional seat in his hometown of General Santos City, Mindanao in the upcoming May 14th election. The opposition candidate for reelection, Rep. Darlene Antonino Custodio, is the youngest legislator in the country and a member of one of the elite political families from Mindanao.


Darlene Antonino Custodio- Pacman's competition

With political and financial power hanging in the balance, elections in the Philippines are a dirty business.

From In Asia:

Though the highest office in the land is not on the ballot, citizens will vote for 17,889 different positions at different levels: Senators (twelve elected nationwide), Members of Congress (both district and party list), provincial governors, vice governors, and board members, and city or municipal mayors, vice mayors, and councilors.

From Reuters:

So far [in 2007], 95 people have been killed since campaigning started in January, including two gunned down last month when police acting as bodyguards for rival politicians exchanged fire at a road block. In the 2004 presidential elections, 189 people were killed and 279 wounded.

"Elections in the Philippines have always been violent," said Benjamin Lim, political science professor at Ateneo de Manila University, adding mid-term polls were more bloody due to intense rivalry among local politicians. "The stakes are much higher. If they lose, they will lose prestige, money and connections because political offices have been a source of good income for our politicians."

Recently Pacquiao has openly accused Ms. Custodio's camp of offering P 100 million (2.1 million US) to have him killed, a charge which Ms. Custodio vehemently denies. Pacquiao has responded by doubling the size of his personal security detail and rallying the support of actors and entertainers for his candidacy.



As election day draws closer, please browse the following articles to get a taste of the cult of Pacquiao, his entry into politics, and the inevitable drama of election season in the Philippines:

1. Pacland- The Official Manny Pacquiao Website
2. In the Philippines: The Build-up to May 14th Elections (In Asia)
3. Election Violence Escalating in the Philippines (Intl. Herald Tribune)
4. Pacquiao Announces His Decision to Enter Politics (The Manila Bulletin)
5. Pacquiao Accuses Political Rival of Assassination Plot (GMA News)
6. Rumor of Pacquiao Ambush Spreads (GMA News)
7. Pacquiao Hires Additional Security (ABS-CBN News)
8. Pacquiao Supporter Switches Sides (GMA News)
9. Split Personality: Pacman vs. Politician (The Manila Times)
10. Election Season Violence In the Philippines (Reuters)
11. Yet Another Victim Linked to May 14th Elections (Asia News)

Ready, get set, vote!