Regional cooperation sought to stem human-trafficking
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja and Rita A. Widiadana, The Jakarta Post, Nusa Dua, Bali
President Megawati Soekarnoputri asked the international community on Wednesday to seek comprehensive and humane solutions to prevent the people-smuggling and the increasing trend of transnational crimes.
Addressing the opening ceremony of the international conference on Illegal Migrants and Related Transnational Crime here on Wednesday, President Megawati said illegal migrants were merely people looking for a better life and future.
Illegal migrants have become a global problem as they generally come from politically unstable countries and travel with the help of organized syndicates, the President said in her speech.
"They (refugees) are the reflection of the very fundamental law of humanity, namely migration in search of a better future for themselves, their children, grandchildren and descendants," Megawati said.
"Around us there exist practices of people smuggling, which lead to even bigger crime against humanity and undermine human dignity, by way of trafficking them."
Megawati said unilateral actions from certain countries had proven ineffective and would provoke negative judgment from other countries.
"I am convinced that only through multilateral or at least regional cooperation can we address the problem effectively," the President said.
Similarly, Australian foreign minister Alexander Downer expressed hope that the people-smuggling issues would be handled by the international community as a whole.
"People-smuggling is a global problem of concern to us all... As a global problem, it requires global solutions. No country can hope to resolve the problem alone and no country is immune," Downer said.
Indonesia and Australia have been at odds for the past year over the issue, following the influx of illegal migrants who had been using Indonesia as a transit point before leaving for Australia as their final destination.
Interpol secretary-general Ronald K. Noble, who also attended the conference, said that Interpol had cooperated with the Chinese government in handling people-smuggling. Noble said many organizations smuggling people were found in China, as compared to Middle East countries.
Later in the day, ministers attending the international conference agreed that human trafficking should be handled globally and there should be stronger deterrents to stop activities that could support transnational crime and terrorism.
Aware that there are many legal loopholes in domestic and international regulations and systems that are exploited by organized people-smugglers to facilitate their lucrative and yet dehumanizing business, ministers said such weaknesses should be dealt with immediately.
"There is a common awareness of the weaknesses in our security system along with the legal loopholes in the human trafficking issue. We should create deterrents so the smugglers think twice before conducting their activity," Indonesian foreign minister Hassan Wirayuda said after the ministerial meet.
He said there was an urgent need to insert human trafficking as a criminal activity into the criminal code as in many countries, including Indonesia, people-smuggling was often perceived as just another form of smuggling.
The minister went on to say that the criminal law should encompass cases where one citizen is involved in the trafficking of other country's citizens to a third country.
"The organized crime of people-smuggling is sophisticated and with the current laws and regional cooperation, sometimes it is difficult to resolve the people-smuggling cases," he remarked.
The two-day international conference was attended by a total of 370 delegates from 53 countries and a number of international organizations such as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organization on Migration (IOM).
A common understanding was reached that countries of origin, transit countries and countries of destination each had their own difficulties, so there should be comprehensive solution to stop human trafficking in the future, Hassan said.
"For example the country of origin can ask assistance from the international community to help them deal with poverty, thereby discouraging people from migrating," the minister said.
"While on the other hand there should be the understanding on the part of the destination countries of the need to increase their intake of these migrants."
The ministers agreed to form two working groups to pinpoint recommendations and in the next 12-months the results of the team would be evaluated to determine subsequent steps that should be taken.
"Actually there are only two choices left for these migrants, that is to stay in the destination countries or to go home to their country of origin. Either way those countries should be prepared to accept them," Hassan remarked.
Separately, Afghanistan Minister of Justice Abdul Rahim Karimi said that his country would welcome back its citizens who had become illegal migrants, but underlined that the country was still facing terrible economic conditions.
"Their voluntary return is most welcome. The source and host country in the region will work together to facilitate their return and make sure that they make the necessary arrangements to welcome them," Abdul Rahim said.