Against Trafficking in Persons: Libya

Trafficking in persons has consistently remained a recalcitrant evil universally. The anomaly seems to be growing just as the world evolves, given the demands for labor in different phases of life.
Human trafficking is a serious crime and a gross violation of human rights which takes different faces given the context and location in which it is carried out.

Article 3, paragraph (a) of the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons defines Trafficking in Persons as the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons, by means of the 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 of the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labour or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude or the removal of organs.

According to the trafficking in persons Act, there must be three elements, the Act, the Means and the Purpose. The Act refers to the movement (any form) and receipt of persons.The means entails how the trafficking is done which may involve force, threat, deceit or giving money to the person in charge or care of the victim among others. The purpose above all is the reason for which it is done.

The trafficking crisis in Libya is a cause for global alarm. There's no gain saying the fact that the world has survived even worse forms of slavery and trafficking, however, the world has come too far to be taken back by a crisis it long fought and survived. The occurrence of such heinous crimes in recent times is proof of the fact that the world is probably not progressing as we think it is. It is a pointer to the fact that there are latent situations in some parts of the world that are beginning to resonate and fizzle into the modern world. It's a call for more action by everyone, you may not be in Libya but you may adopt the instrumentality of the social media for action. It's time for everyone to speak until definite action is taken by all parties concerned.

It holds no weight to argue that many of the persons trafficked consent to the act, because some voluntarily "offer" themselves to the perpetrators. Many take such decisions given their short sighted view about life as they have given up on whatever potential they wield because of their situation.

This post admonishes everyone not to take advantage of the outlook and situation of the voluntary victim but to do what is right by the tenets of justice and human conscience.

It behoves every right thinking person regardless of your position in life to speak until something is done about this obnoxious practice while ensuring that we are not perpetrators of this same evil especially under the umbrella of hiring "maids or voluntary victims".

The labor, sweat and blood of the heroes before us who long fought the battle against slavery and trafficking in persons must not be forgotten and swept under the carpet in a hurry or at all.If someone is being auctioned at this time of the century, it's a cause for alarm for everyone that is still breathing.

This post is dedicated to my friend and sister, Oluwaseun Adesanya, who is blessed with another year today.


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