The Kathmandu Post
1
July 2016
WHOM TO BLAME
We frequently heard and read about the
Nepali men and women being trafficked to various countries of the world by
human traffickers either for various jobs or sex trade. The security and
immigration officials have not been successful in stopping them at the exit
points of Nepal bordering India and Tribhuwan International Airport (TIA).
Recent cases of 14 trafficked Nepalis to Micronesia surprised the government
officials when they came to learn that these people were detained by the local
authorities for the last eighteen months after they were found without any travel
documents.(“7 of 16 Nepali detained in Micronesia rescued” 29 June, Page 1).
The Nepali Embassy in Malaysia had, however, learned about this incident
only in March of this year. Who is to be blamed for this incident?
There could be many reasons behind these kinds
of unfortunate incidents. Lack of job opportunities in the country is one factor
among others for the people to desperately try to legally or illegally migrate
to other countries, both legally as well as illegally. The human traffickers
with their well established networking system seem to be looking for the
desperate and vulnerable people. Many such men and women seem to be trafficked quite
often. There is, without a doubt, no proper record of this with the government.
Many Nepalis may be behind bars in various counties for lack of official travel
documents, and are likely spending their life in dreadful conditions.
Unless the government puts its effort to find
out appropriate measures to stop Nepalis from being trafficked for known and
unknown reasons, there do not seem to be better options. For this, the
government and its concerned departments may have to establish a separate wing
to look after the scourge of human trafficking. This may demand among others
things, the deployment of special security forces at the Nepal-India border
points and at TIA for sternly screening the outgoing Nepalis. And, it should be
done sooner rather than later. Otherwise, more innocent Nepalis will continue
to be trafficked to various countries of the world in the days to come.
Rai Biren Bangdel
Maharajgunj.
http://epaper.ekantipur.com/the-kathmandu-post/2016-07-01/7
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