By Nykoel Dinardo
Senior Desk Officer, Middle East
WASHINGTON, D.C., United States – United States Department of State (State Dept.) released its annual Trafficking in Persons Report (TIP Report) for 2009 on June 16. It is the ninth TIP Report created by the State Dept. in their efforts to reduce human trafficking. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stated that the report “sheds light on the faces of modern-day slavery and on new facets of this global problem,” and that she hoped that the U.S. will be seen as a partner when working towards elimination of human trafficking. However, the report has not been well received by several Middle Eastern countries that were placed in the ‘worst’ category in the report.
The report creates four categories to define a country’s progress towards compliance with the Trafficking Victim’s Protection Act (TVPA). Tier 1 countries – those considered to be in complete compliance with the TVPA – are mostly Western, developed countries, including most European countries, as well as Australia and New Zealand. Tier 2 countries – those who are not in compliance but are considered to be making significant progress towards compliance – are most of the remaining Western nations, and is the largest group of countries in the report. Tier 2 Watch List Countries differ from Tier 2 countries in that the U.S. considers these countries to be losing ground in their progress, or the U.S. has found the number of persons trafficked in these countries to be numerous. Finally, Tier 3 countries are those who are not in compliance with the TVPA and who appear to be making no progress towards compliance.
Most Middle Eastern Countries were placed within the Tier 2 Watch List, although four Middle Eastern nations – Iran, Syria, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia – were placed in Tier 3. Many countries have yet to make an official statement in response to the report. However, human rights groups throughout Bahrain, which was placed on the Tier 2 Watch List, have put out a “Trafficking Battle Call,” asking Bahrain to take steps towards compliance with the TVPA.
Other countries have not had such a positive response. Kuwaiti National Assembly Speaker Jassem Al-Khorafi made a statement on June 18 harshly criticizing the United States for placing Kuwait in Tier 3. “I have repeatedly said that Kuwait is not a country of angels but what hurts me is that the United States thinks itself to be a country of angels,” al-Khorafi explained to reporters when asked to comment on the report. He went on to say that he believed the report falsely depicted Kuwait, stating that the U.S. “is not the world’s police and not a guardian of the world and if it wants to be so it should make sure that the information it gathers is true.” Countries that have been placed in the Tier 3 category could face economic sanctions, and be barred from any trade not related to humanitarian aid.
For more information, please see:
Gulf Daily News – Trafficking Clamp Underway – 21 June 2009
Kuwait Times – Khorafi, MPs Blast US over Trafficking Report – 18 June 2009
Time – Human Trafficking Rises in Recession – 18 June 2009
Jerusalem Post – Four Countries ‘Blacklisted’ by US – 17 June 2009
AFP – Malaysia, Six African States Listed for Human Trafficking – 17 June 2009
U.S. Department of State – Trafficking In Persons Report 2009
