WHOM TO BLAME

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