03 Apr 2016

Crime traverses international boundaries and presents challenges to addressing criminal activities, says the deputy manager responsible for human trafficking at the Ministry of Defence, Justice and Security, Mr Madoda Nasha.

Addressing Westwood International School pupils and teachers, Mr Nasha said the global community came together to demonstrate political will to answer a global challenge with a global response.

He said Resolution 53/111 of December 1998 set out to establish an open minded inter-governmental ad-hoc committee for the purpose of elaborating a comprehensive convention against transitional organised crime.

Mr Nasha noted that if enemies of progress and human rights seek to exploit openness and opportunities for globalisation, there should be a rise to exploit those same factors to defend human rights, defeat crime, corruption and trafficking in persons.

He said if crime crosses borders, law enforcement officials should also cross borders.

He said transnational criminals were terrorists, criminals, drug dealers, traffickers in people and those who undo the good work of civil society.

“They take advantage of open borders, free markets and technological advances that bring so many benefits to the world’s people,” he said.

Mr Nasha noted that transnational criminals thrive in countries with weak institutions and have no scruples about resorting to intimidation or violence, adding that their ruthlessness was the antithesis of all we regard as civil.

He said they were also powerful, representing entrenched interests and the clout of a global enterprise worth billions of dollars, adding, however, that they were not invincible.

Mr Nasha defined human trafficking as the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receiving another person by means of threats or use of force or other forms of coercion. He added that fraud, deception, abuse of power or position of vulnerability including giving or receiving payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person for the purpose of exploitation of that person also constitute human trafficking.

Assistant Commissioner of Police, Mr Moore Gondo said traffickers know no boundaries as they could target the rich as well as the less fortunate members of society.

Mr Gondo said they usually entice the targeted people with employment and educational opportunities, promise of love or relationships, crave to travel abroad and that communications was usually done through many mediumssuch as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and other mediums.

He said six cases have been registered in Botswana, noting that the Anti-Human Trafficking Act stipulates a fine not exceeding P500 000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 25 years or both or P1 million or 30 years if the offence was aggravated. Ends