Regional cooperation sought to stem human-trafficking

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.