Malawians cautioned on human trafficking
Minister of Homeland Security Ken Zikhale Ng’oma has urged Malawians to be cautious of human traffickers who disguise themselves as Good Samaritans working to bail others out of poverty.
Speaking yesterday in Lilongwe during the launch of the 2023-28 National Counter-Terrorism Strategy and the 2023-2028 National Plan of Action Against Trafficking in Persons, the minister said there are many Malawians suffering outside the country after falling victim to traffickers who promised them heaven.
Ng’oma called for concerted efforts to address trafficking in persons in Malawi and beyond.
Said Zikhale Ng’oma: “They are promised heaven by the agents, only to end up in an awkward predicament. It is becoming difficult for the government to come to their rescue in time because most of them have no passports. Their masters seized them upon arrival in those countries.”
United Nations resident coordinator Rebecca Adda-Dontoh reiterated commitment by all UN agencies to countering trafficking in persons as well as terrorism.
She said: “Human traffickers, smugglers of migrants, terrorists and violent extremists are becoming more sophisticated in their approach and, as a unit, we need to move beyond them in our fight.
“They are now using digital platforms to expand their reach and finance their evil acts. We, therefore, need to develop water-tight and robust systems that will help us strangle their operations where it matters most.”
On her part, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (Unodc) regional representative for southern Africa Jane Marie Ongolo said Malawi is a destination, transit and source country for trafficking in persons; hence, the need to invest more in prevention.
She said: “Even though there is no recorded availability of active terrorism in Malawi, there might be a possibility that due to the country’s vulnerability and its porous borders, terrorist agents could come in and start recruiting people.”
Ongolo said prevention can be achieved through working with communities to build resilience and awareness, especially among the youth as well as addressing challenges such as unemployment, food and other needs that subject the desperate youth to vulnerability.
The launch has come at a time when over 360 Malawian women had been trafficked to Oman in the Middle East and reports suggest they are facing abuse. Some have since been repatriated back home, but many are still there waiting to be repatriated.
The Malawi Government has since committed K400 million through the Ministry of Labour for the repatriation and reintegration assistance to the victims.
Malawi still faces many challenges in the fight against human trafficking, including inadequate resources, weak victim protection and limited awareness.
The National Plan of Action Against Trafficking in Persons, therefore, calls for strengthening coordination mechanisms and structures, strengthening enforcement and prosecution mechanisms, improving victim support and reintegration assistance, decision and policy direction, among others.
