Global News 30/07/2010
South Asia
Follow Siddharth Kara as he researches trafficking around South Asia. He will be accessing the heart of the problem, telling CNN.com readers what he discovers every week over the next ten weeks. So far “…it’s not just construction, but commercial sex, agriculture, mining, leatherwork’s, fishing… Business is business and slavery is no different.” Read his first report here and see pictures and video:http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/07/29/kara.human.traffic.india/#fbid=oVPPIoS8LKn
England & Wales
Prosecutors have launched a draft policy on prosecuting “modern-day slavery” in a bid to increase the number of victims testifying in England & Wales. Last year 102 people were prosecuted for sex trafficking and 19 for labour trafficking. Successful prosecutions are difficult, partly because victims are afraid to come forward despite their evidence being a key starting point for investigations. http://www.guardian.co.uk/law/2010/jul/29/human-trafficking-prosecutions-policy
Thailand
There are an estimated 1.36 million trafficking-related victims in the Asia-Pacific region- more than half the global total. Thailand is on the US State Department watchlist of not doing enough to combat trafficking. Victims, mainly from Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos, form part of a huge shadow economy across Asia making about $10 billion a year. Thai authorities identified about 530 foreign victims last year and rehabilitated 79 Thai citizens overseas- only the “tip of the iceberg.” http://www.hindustantimes.com/Human-traffickers-prey-on-vulnerable-in-Thailand/Article1-579310.aspx
Germany
German authorities have asked Bulgarian authorities to extradite two Bulgarian citizens- a father and his 24 year old son- over charges including human trafficking and pimping. This follows a tip off from Czech police when one of the victims, a 19-year-old girl, managed to send a text message to her relatives. The pair allegedly confiscated the passports of three women, and then abused, exploited, drugged and raped their victims in the German city of Bremen. http://www.sofiaecho.com/2010/07/29/939606_two-bulgarians-charged-to-be-extradited-to-germany-charged-with-human-trafficking
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