Participants of the online workshop series on human trafficking
By ACMI KK
Aug 30 2021
KOTA KINABALU – “The pandemic has brought about disastrous impacts on almost every aspect of life. If locals are badly affected, the more so for migrants who are more vulnerable to exploitation and manipulation.”
This message was highlighted during the final series of the Human Trafficking Online Workshop jointly organized once a month by Kota Kinabalu Archdiocesan Commission on Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerants (ACMI) and Global Shepherds Malaysia for three consecutive months since June 2021.
Around 40 participants from the dioceses of Sabah and neighboring Sarawak participated at the interactive Workshop. In its first series held on June 26, they were first led to examine their attitudes towards migrants.
The transformation of mindset is important. In an environment where xenophobia is played up resulting further marginalization of migrants and refugees during the pandemic, we are called to welcome, promote, defend and integrate them into our communities (ref. Pope Francis’ World Day for Migrants and Refugees, 2018).
Many would challenge such call as unpatriotic, but Christian faith demands us to uphold and defend the dignity of every person. The principle of solidarity with the most vulnerable too would justify us to go the extra mile.
In the July series, the topic of human trafficking was elaborated, which is the trade of humans for profits. It is a crime against the person and a violation of human rights. Trafficked people are held against their will through acts of coercion, and forced to work for or provide services to the trafficker or others. The work or services may include anything from bonded or forced labour to commercial sexual exploitation.
Human trafficking is the third largest crime industry in the world, behind drug dealing and arms trafficking, and is the fastest-growing activity of trans-national criminal organizations. These activities thrive well in the current pandemic since the lockdowns have made it difficult for enforcers to monitor the movements of the syndicates.
For a case to fall under human trafficking, the three elements of “acts, means, and purpose” have to be fulfilled. The definition of human trafficking states that there should be evidences of “recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons, by means of threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation.
Exploitation shall include, at a minimum, the exploitation or the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labour or services, or practices similar to slavery, servitude or the removal, manipulation or implantation of organs.” (Palermo Protocol, 2003).
After given some awareness on this topic, the third series of the Workshop which has just been concluded on Aug 28 invited participants to spell out their responses for the next two years as individuals, parish or diocese.
Generally, it was agreed that further awareness programs have to be designed within the circles where the participants come from. Those who are engaged in migrant ministry are particularly urged to make human trafficking part of their main concerns.
Networking with NGOs and relevant authorities too are deemed necessary as combating this crime is a multi-sectoral effort in undertaking the three P’s: protection, prosecution, and prevention.
