U.S lawmakers press Obama administration on human trafficking

U.S. lawmakers have called on the Obama administration to punish those countries who do too little to fight human trafficking, including Thailand and Malaysia, and say that Myanmar should not receive a waiver to avoid possible sanctions over its record. Referring to reports on the exploitation of Myanmar’s Rohingya Muslim minority in the country as well as Thailand and Malaysia, U.S. Representative Chris Smith said authorities have done too little to help. Myanmar sees Rohingya as illegal immigrants and denies them citizenship, which has resulted in them “leaving Burma by the thousands to escape religious persecution.” "According to reports put out by Reuters, Thai authorities are selling Rohingya to human traffickers, where they are held in 'tropical gulags' until relatives pay ransom," Smith said, adding that those who do not pay are sold into sex slavery or hard labor, and a significant number die from abuse or disease. In the U.S. Trafficking in Persons report, countries are ranked in tiers. “Tier 1” countries are those who meet anti-trafficking standards, “Tier 2” do not but are making a significant effort to do so while “Tier 3” countries do not meet the standards and fail at making significant efforts to do so. Countries ranked in “Tier 3” are open to sanction by the U.S government. A U.S. law also includes a watch list, wherein countries on Tier 2 for two years are downgraded to Tier 3 unless they receive presidential wavers, which are available for an additional two years. China, Russia and Uzbekistan ran out of waivers and were bumped down to Tier 3 in the 2013 report released last June. A number of others, including Malaysia and Thailand, will run out this year.

Full account available at

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/29/us-usa-congress-trafficking-idUSBREA3S1A820140429

The “T” visa: Relief for workers who are victims of human trafficking

Hundreds of workers pay substantial sums for the opportunity to work in the United States. After doling out all this money, however, many claim they have fallen victim to human trafficking. What if the immigration status of a worker who claims to be a victim of human trafficking has already expired? Can he or she seek relief? The simple answer is yes. Human trafficking is defined broadly to include not just sexual exploitation but also the recruitment, transportation, harboring or obtaining of a person for labor or services through the use of force, fraud or coercion for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, debt bondage or slavery. Thousands of men, women and children are trafficked each year in different countries, and shocking as it may be, the United States is included. Trafficking victims are assigned to jobs in agriculture, domestic services, janitorial services, hotel services, construction, health and elder care. Recently, even Filipino teachers who enter on professional working visas claim to have been victims of human trafficking. When an individual finds that he does not have the job promised to him, he will eventually fall out of status when the working visa expires. This can be daunting especially when one is in an unfamiliar environment. The US Citizenship and Immigration Services may grant the “T” (trafficking) visa or “U” (victim of crime) visa to those who can prove that they were victims of a severe form of trafficking. If an individual is granted the T visa, they will be allowed to stay in the country for three years with work authorization. During this time, the individual must meet certain conditions: they must: (1) maintain continuous physical presence in the US; (2) remain in good moral character; (3) demonstrate that he will suffer extreme hardship involving unusual or severe harm if he is removed and (4) cooperate with the authorities when his assistance is requested in the prosecution of his oppressors. Many Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) find themselves to be victims of human trafficking and yet are afraid to approach legal authorities for fear of deportation. Kevin was one of them. To read more about his story, read the full account linked below.

Full account available at

http://globalnation.inquirer.net/102016/the-t-visa-relief-for-workers-who-are-victims-of-human-trafficking

Bureau of Immigration links 13 accredited recruitment firms to human trafficking

The Philippine Bureau of Investigation (BI) has linked thirteen government-accredited recruitment agencies to human trafficking activities. The recent interception of forty-seven prospective Filipino workers who were found using fraudulent documents led to the revelation of the “modus operandi” of these agencies. Siegfried Mison, Immigration Commissioner, said that the individuals were bound for the United Arab Emirates and were to go to Lebanon and Jordan to work as domestic helpers. Mison has requested the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) to suspend the recruitment license of the following:

  Trustworthy International Manpower Corporation,

  Experts Placement Agency, Inc.,

  Chosen Divine Mercy Manpower Services Corporation,

  Dobim International Manpower Services,

  Zareiko Productions Inc.

  Ridzkey Human Resources International Services,

  Dolma International Placement Corporation,

  Inter-Globe Manpower and Consultancy Services Incorporated,

  Caz International Incorporated,

  Dream Fame International Manpower Corporation,

  Tibiao Antique Manpower Agency Your Overseas,

  Neostar International Manpower Services,

  SMK International Agency Incorporated.

These agencies “continue to operate despite also being involved in trafficking and illegal documents” according to Mison. The offloaded OFWs had presented travel documents that include overseas employment certificates (OECs) that indicate they were to work in the UAE in a variety of professions such as assembler, barista and salesperson among others. Government authorities have always warned those who wish to work abroad of the dangers of accepting fraudulent and reprocessed work documents because many end up with abusive employers or are forced into prostitution. Mison said “tourist workers” depart the country pretending to be tourists but are actually being deployed as laborers.

Full account available at:

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/356484/pinoyabroad/news/bi-links-13-accredited-recruitment-firms-to-human-trafficking

Filipino Government Monitoring Evacuation Centers to Prevent Prostitution

The Philippine Government gave assurances that its agencies are closely monitoring evacuation centers in the central and southern parts of the Philippines in order to prevent alleged incidents of prostitution and human trafficking. 

These assurances were made by the Presidential Communications Operations Office Sec., Herinio Coloma Jr. after reports of such incidents of prostitution and trafficking in evacuation centers located in Zamboanga, where a standoff between the Philippine Government and Muslim militia took place last year, and in Tacloban, which was hit hard by Typhoon Haiyan in November 2013.

Full account available:

http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2014/04/10/1311325/govt-monitoring-evacuation-centers-prevent-prostitution-offici

Italian Diplomat Arrested in Philippines for Child Trafficking

Italian ambassador to Turkmenistan, Daniel Bosio, has been jailed in Binan, 39 km from Manila on charges of human trafficking in violation of Article 6 of the 1992 Philippines Child Protection Act.  During a holiday in the Philippines, Bosio was reported to have engaged in suspicious behavior with three children aged nine, ten, and twelve at a water park in Bynian.  Under Filipino law, in order to prevent pedophilia and sexual abuse to minors, any adult seen in the company of a child whom he is 10 or more years older than, in public, to whom he is not related, must be reported to the police.

The Italian government is providing Bosio with full legal assistance, but will not try to limit or interfere with the Filipino investigation against their ambassador.   If he is found guilty, the Italian ambassador could face a life sentence.

Full account available

http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Italian-diplomat-arrested-in-the-Philippines-for-%27child-trafficking%27-faces-life-in-prison-30780.html

Filipinos Subjected to Forced Labor in the United Kingdom

In a 58-page report, the New York-based Human Right Watch (HRW) said migrant domestic workers, including Filipino women brought to the United Kingdom by their employers, are being subjected to serious abuses like forced labor. The report documents the confiscation of passports, confinement to the home, physical and psychological abuse, extremely long hours of work with no rest, and very low wages or nonpayment of wages. Because domestic helpers work in private households, much of the abuse takes place behind closed doors, the HRW said.  The report also mentions that those who are mistreated face a horrendous choice: either endure the terrible abuse or escape and become undocumented migrants, where they are much more vulnerable to further abuse and exploitation.

A modern slavery bill would increase penalties for slavery, servitude, forced labor and human trafficking from 14 years to life imprisonment.

Full article available at:

http://globalnation.inquirer.net/101468/human-rights-group-hits-uk-for-slavery-of-migrants