Human Trafficking

(Sharing at the Novena to Our Mother of Perpetual Help on 28 January 2012)

“My soul glorifies the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour…”

At every Novena, we echo Our Lady’s Magnificat prayer.  In this prayer, she reminds us of the need to work for social justice in our society, through the words, “He puts forth his arm in strength and scatters the proud-hearted.  He casts the mighty from their thrones and raises the lowly.  He fills the starving with good things, sends the rich away empty.”

Now, what is social justice?  Our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI has taught that “love for widows and orphans, prisoners, and the sick and needy of every kind, is as essential as the ministry of the sacraments and preaching of the Gospel.”

Today’s sharing is about creating awareness on the issue of ‘Human Trafficking’.  Why?  Because it is becoming more rampant everywhere in the world, including in Malaysia. 

First, we need to understand a few words:

1)    Slaves – Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work.

2)    A refugee – is a person who, owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his/her nationality and is unable or (owing to such fear) unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country

-       To give you an example: Over 90% of the refugees in Malaysia come from Burma where ethnic minorities, such as the Chin, Rohingya and Karen, are subjected to systematic human rights abuse

What happens in systematic human rights abuses?

a.  In Burma, “The militants force men into labour, kill old people and children, rape women, burn homes, confiscate properties.”

3)    UNHCR – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

To safeguard the rights and well-being of refugees.

4)    Human Trafficking – is modern-day slavery and refugees are part of those victims.

Here are some alarming figures;

-       Over 2.2 million children are sold into the sex trade every year

-       In India, children cost less than cattle

-       In 2010, the sex slave industry profited US$ 32 billion (that is more than Starbucks, Google and Nike combined)

-       1 million new victims each year with half of them being children

-       During the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade (mid 1450s) when European countries lack of workforce, they traded African workers for agriculture.  At that time, the price of a young male worker on US soil was an equivalent to US$40,000 today.  You can buy that same young male worker on US soil for about US$300 today.

-       There are more slaved TODAY, than any other time in human history

That may look foreign to you, but do you know that human trafficking is also happening right here in Malaysia?  It was reported in international media that refugees from Burma who were arrested for illegal entry into the country were being sold to human traffickers.  Lwin Ko, a refugee from Burma, said in an interview that after processing in an immigration detention center, the immigration officers transferred him directly to a gang of human traffickers.  None knew the amount of money the traffickers paid the officers, but it is estimated to be somewhere between RM700 to 1,000 for each person sold.

The problem now is:

The Malaysian Immigration Act 1959/1963 does not make a formal distinction between a refugee and an economic migrant.

Both are subject to punishment under Malaysian Law.  Malaysia is not a signatory of the 1951 UN Refugee Convention in Geneva.  If only we can persuade the government to sign the 1951 UN Refugee Convention.

What can we do?

Let us be informed

-       Follow events in the news (online)

-       UNICEF works to see that the rights of every child are realized

Let us raise awareness

-       Share in social network

Get involved

-       Don’t support shops who exploit their workers

Speak up!

-       If you suspect someone has been trafficked, report via 999

-       Or Tenaganita 012-339 5350

Talking about speaking up, Martin Niemöller (1892-1984) said this during the rise of the Nazi era in Germany.

First they came for the communists,

and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a communist.

Then they came for the trade unionists,

and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews,

and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a Jew.

Then they came for me,

and there was no one left to speak out for me…