Why is Human Trafficking Commonly Practiced in the Middle East - Research Paper Example

Introduction Human trafficking is one of the worst forms of “modern-day slavery” and has become one of the burning human-rights issues in the 21st century (Harees 408). Human trafficking has become a serious problem in the recent human history as it is increasing rapidly across the Eastern Hemisphere. Human trafficking has been identified with the terms such as abduction, coercion, fraud, deception and so on. In the following parts, definition of human trafficking has been provided. Subsequent to that, forms of human trafficking have been highlighted and discussed. Bonded labor, servants and sexual enslavement have been described along with mentioning the difficulties faced by the migrants in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is followed by the history of human trafficking segment, highlighting the historical practices and presence of slavery in different countries of the Eastern Hemisphere. Before the conclusion, reasons of human trafficking have been included. Thesis Statement: Human Trafficking is commonly practiced in the Eastern Hemisphere due to the fact that the laws implemented by the governments are not respected nor enforced and it is silently accepted. Definition of Human Trafficking United Nations have clearly defined human trafficking. It has been defined as “the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring 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 includes, at a minimum, the exploitation of the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labor or services, slavery or practices of similar to slavery, servitude or the removal of organs” (United Nations Human Settlement Programme 63). Forms of Human Trafficking Bonded labor is one of worst manifestations of human trafficking. In such practices, services rendered to an employer are considerably higher than those mentioned in the written employment contract between the employer and the employee. Such heinous acts are common in the Middle East. For example, countries like Syria, Mauritania and Kuwait experience situations in which debt owned by father does not end with the death of the father of the family; children and the wife of deceased would be required to pay the remaining amount. Under such circumstances, the impact of inherited debt grill the family and open several exploitation ways in which the owner of money use different inhumane tactics to persecute the family members of the deceased father. This situation is also faced by the migrant workers coming from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Indonesia, India and Sri-Lanka to the Middle East. These workers are initially shown attractive packages along with handsome salary but that attractiveness does not remain for long. As soon as they migrate to the Middle East, the initial contract loses its validity and applicability and the employer uses his or her own wish to exploit the migrant workers. Under such conditions, the migrants, who are mostly women and illiterate men, have no other way but to accept the illegitimate demands of the employers. History of Human Trafficking Many cultures nurtured and supported slavery. Cultures in Egypt, Greece, India, Rome and Africa allowed and encouraged the purchase and sale of slaves. For instance, slaves were bought through wars and subsequent conquests. The defeat of opponents brought numerous spoils for the winning side. The members of defeated opponents were taken as slaves and women and girls were sexually exploited and they were forced to provide domestic and agricultural services as well. According to one estimate, between 15th to 17th centuries, around nine million Africans were abducted to the American countries for slavery purposes and it was termed as Trans-Atlantic Trade. By 1789, around 500,000 Africans were enslaved in Haiti (Newton 288). Subsequently, in 1807 British rule, slavery was declared as an illegal and illegitimate practice. However, slavery has not been completely eliminated from the Middle East but is being nurtured through the practice of human trafficking. Still, children are exploited for collecting cotton at lower wages in Egypt (Kamal 30). Young girls and women are kidnapped to become concubine in Sudan. In Mauritania and Israel, children are bought and sold for sex trafficking and prostitution. In United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Oman, young boys and children are trafficked from Pakistan, India and Bangladesh and they are compelled to ride camels and they are identified as camel jockeys. As camel jockeys, the children do not receive appropriate food but they experience inhumane treatment as they are required to keep their weight under check. Reasons of Human Trafficking in the Eastern Hemisphere Numerous reasons have increased human trafficking. They include breach of law, gender and ethnic discrimination, and a lack of employment opportunities are the primary reasons behind human trafficking in the Middle East (Shelley 37). It is not a hidden fact that absence of law implementation has fueled slavery, sexual exploitation and other manifestations of human trafficking in the Middle East. When a migrant flees for police help, the local police do not follow the rules of law rather they follow the orders of the elite. Even if the police do not listen to the elite and decide to provide a legal support to the migrant victim, the justice dispensation does not come quickly to rescue the victim but it lingers on for many years. Gender and ethnic discrimination is common. Many Arab elite discriminate between Arab and non-Arab and between caste and color. Based on this discrimination, they assign different roles and works to be performed by the particular members of society. For example, they hire Pakistanis, Bangladeshis for their domestic work and they give them sub-standard treatment. This particular sub-standard thinking gives rise to supremacy feelings which is totally against the teachings of Islam, which is the main religion being practiced in the Middle East. Huge profit is one of the most identified aspects found in human trafficking. Through illegally trafficking humans particularly women and children from one border to other, traffickers earn considerably sum of illegal money. Some estimates indicate that human trafficking business generates $ 9 billion each year (Hart 28). This figure only represents the level of activity being carried out inside the United States of America. There is no precise data revealing the exact illegal money being generated through this activity. Additionally, the regulatory and legal systems have failed to apprehend human traffickers and even if they are caught, they use money to get away from the legal repercussions. Unemployment is increasing in the Middle East. Many young graduates do not find employment quickly. The rising level of unemployment attracts many graduates to use illegal means for meeting their day to day expenses. For this purpose, many have become human traffickers and they use human trafficking as a source of income. As a result, they work in collusion with local authorities and illegally send and receive humans from the counterparts working in countries such as India, Bangladesh and Pakistan and so on. Among the migrants, the servants remain the primary targets who directly face the consequences of human trafficking. After entering into the Middle East, the passport is confiscated by the employers and the servants are asked to work more than the standard working hours. They are not given proper food, clothing, shelter and basic requirements essentially mentioned in the contract. Additionally, the servants are fully aware of that if they ask for police help; they would not be given fair treatment as the local police have closer understanding with the powerful elite members of society. Sexual enslavement is another worst form of human trafficking. Enslavement has been identified as a constituent act of crimes against humanity (Gallaghar 213).In which, young girls between the age of 13 to 30 are illegally trapped. Particularly, this phenomenon is rapidly increasing from countries like India and Bangladesh where girls are hired, kidnapped, forced, and other illegitimate means are adopted and subsequently they are trafficked to the United Arab Emirates. In the United Arab Emirates, night clubs, dance bars and other similar places use these trafficked girls for different inhumane purposes. Additionally, forced marriage and the sale and purchase of wives also constitute slavery which also directly increases the flame of sexual enslavement (Forsythe 83). Conclusion Human trafficking is a form of modern slavery. Human trafficking has a considerable presence in history particularly in the shape of slavery. Historically, the practices of slavery and enslavement have been carried out by different people, tribes, nations and social and political groups active in the Eastern Hemisphere. Insufficient or non-compliance of the law, gender and ethnic discrimination, a lack of employment opportunities remain the main reasons behind human trafficking. The local police do not follow law when a migrant worker faces exploitation at the hands of the elite. Gender and ethnic discrimination is common and is being practiced. The unemployed consider human trafficking as easy and simple way to meet their daily expenses. Works Cited Forsythe, David P. Ed. Encyclopedia of human Rights. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009. Print. Gallagher, Anne T. The International Law of Human Trafficking. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2010. Print. Harees, Lukman. The Mirage of Dignity on the Highways of Human ‘Progress’: The Bystanders’ Perspective. Bloomington: AuthorHouse, 2012. Print. Hart, Joyce. Human Trafficking. New York: The Rosen Publishing Group, 2009. Print. Kamal, Ahmad. Ed. History of the Middle East: A Research Project of Fairleigh Dickinson University. New Jersey: Fairleigh Dickinson University, 2012. Print. Newton, Michael. The Encyclopedia of Kidnappings. New York: Facts On File, 2002. Print. Shelley, Louise. Human Trafficking: A Global Perspective. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2010. Print. United Nations Human Settlements Programme. Enhancing Urban Safety and Security: Global Report on Human Settlements. London: Earthscan, 2012. Print. Read More