Excerpts: Trafficking in persons.Haifa Arabs beyond the law.6 June 2005
+++JORDAN TIMES 6 June '05:"Editorial:Global stigma"
[IMRA: Some areas are significant uses; some areas are significant
suppliers. Both areas are conspicuously Islamic.]
QUOTES FROM TEXT:
" Trafficking in persons is a global curse and its treatment reqires a
global
perspective"
"alert all communities to the need to work effctively to combat human
trafficking"
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EXCERPTS:
The US Department of State's fifth annual Trafficking in Persons Report
released on Friday again takes a hard look at what governments around the
world are doing to stop this hideous activity.
...The report is ... interspersed with account after account of victims of
forced labour, child sex tourism, prostitution and sex trafficking.
The countries ...are placed into one of the three lists called tiers.
Placement is relative to the degree of a government's actions to eliminate
human trafficking. Governments that fully comply with the US' Trafficking
Victims' Protection Act's minimum standards are placed in Tier 1. Those
...making "significant" efforts to comply are put on Tier 2. And those that
are identified as doing neither are dropped to Tier 3.
[IMRA: The wealthy Gulf Arab states are in Tier 3.]
The report estimates that between 600,000 and 800,000 people, mostly women
and children, are trafficked across borders worldwide. It admits that among
those figures are 14,500-17,500 persons trafficked into the United States.
[IMRA: The US acts against this vial legislation.]
. . .
Trafficking in persons is a global curse and its treatment requires a global
perspective.
[IMRA: Tier 3 countries need to be pressured.]
This is where awareness, education and cooperation come into play. The
victims of sexual and labour exploitation are more often than not poor,
uneducated, vulnerable and desperate. They often come from areas of high
unemployment, overpopulation and civil or international conflict. It is
these innocent people who fall prey to the criminal activity of predators of
all sorts.
Even a cursory look at the US State Department's report is disturbing enough
to alert all communities to the need to work to effectively combat human
trafficking.
[IMRA: The Arab Gulf states have especially stict entry requirements.
Clearly the security officials cooperate with the illegals. For instance, In
Saudi Arabia with widespread morality police, there must be a blind eye to
these activities.]
These victims often pass unnoticed. Border controls can help identify them
and repatriate them, and prosecute the offenders. Governments, NGOs and
citizens' groups can help raise awareness of this scourge and work to
protect and assist its victims.
Consider one more estimation of the report: Of the 600,000 to 800,000 people
trafficked across international borders every year, 80 per cent are female,
and up to 50 per cent are minors. In the 21st century, this is a global
shame.
+++HAARETZ 6 June '05:
"Has demolition of `illegal' house ruptured Haifa's coexistence myth?"By
David Ratner
QUOTES FROM TEXT:
"The family then tried to obtain the required building permits, but in
vain."
"Haifa is generally a calm city, something that fits in well with the
coexistence myth"
"People objecting to the demolition said they were sure that Yahav would
back down, as he did regarding the demolitiion of Arab houses in the city's
Halisa neighborhood."
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EXCERPTS:
A ... bulldozer rammed into the wall of the Bushkars' home in Haifa
yesterday. ...half an hour later, no trace remained of the little one-story
house.
Thus ended the short battle ... . On one side stood about 100 armed
policemen from the Yasam special patrol unit backed by dozens of regular
policemen, mounted police and fire fighting trucks, and opposite them stood
a few dozen Bushkar family members, including women, children and elderly
people, as well as a few Jewish left-wing activists and Arab Knesset
members.
Altogether, some 200 policemen took part in evacuating the house. Twelve of
the people holed up inside were lightly injured, including MK Issam Makhoul
(Hadash-Ta'al); 13 were arrested.
The court-issued demolition order obtained by the Haifa municipality was due
to expire last night. The house was built seven years ago, replacing a tin
shack on a plot owned by the Israel Lands Administration. The family
acknowledged it hadn't bothered to apply for permits, saying they believed
the city would never issue them, as it wanted to build a road there.
Five years ago, city inspectors demanded to tear the house down. The family
then tried to obtain the required building permits, but in vain.
[IMRA: Because it was on public land.]
In the middle of the demolition conflict yesterday, one of the women on the
roof ignited a gas canister. A Yasam policeman flung himself at her, and
extinguished the fire before it caused any damage. On the patio below,
policemen were exchanging blows with family members. MK Mohammed Barakeh ...
endured a shower of blows, pushes and gas grenades for a few seconds before
being shoved back, with other Arab MKs, coughing from the tear gas. ... the
Arab MKs were injured worse than the others. Makhoul was evacuated by
ambulance, ... MK Ahmed Tibi's arm was bandaged and MK Azmi Bishara ... was
curled up with pain in his car.
...Miriam Bushkar sat in what was once the yard of her home, with a bleeding
gash on her cheek. Her eldest daughter, 4, lay in her lap looking stunned.
"The mayor is a son of a bitch and will pay," she said. "Today, his intifada
has begun in Haifa."
"My children will sleep here tonight, on mattresses on the ruins of the
house ...The police came with guns and we defended ourselves with our souls.
This house will rise again," she said.
The police are not taking any chances. As of yesterday, a bodyguard and
police van are following Mayor Yona Yahav around.
Coexistence is frequently mentioned in the same breath with Haifa, and is a
popular term among politicians. However, it is manifested chiefly in Haifa
residents' fondness for eating hummus in the city's Arab restaurants and
shopping in Arab neighborhoods on Saturdays and holidays.
. . .
Still, Haifa is generally a calm city, something that fits in well with the
coexistence myth. During the events of October 2000 only one - nonviolent -
demonstration took place there. A year later, Arab merchants from the Wadi
Nisnas neighborhood prevented Arab residents from demonstrating, fearing
business would suffer.
Yesterday, everyone spoke of the destruction of the "delicate fabric of
Haifa's coexistence." However, this may just have been a reflex reaction to
the rare spectacle of Arabs and policemen clashing violently in Haifa. ...
. . .
Jewish activists from several organizations had joined the vigils that were
held day and night in the house last week ... . The Arab MKs intervened,
asking the mayor to cancel the demolition. But Yahav remained adamant. Some
say his insistence was a result of local political pressures.
People objecting to the demolition said they were sure that Yahav would back
down, as he did regarding the demolition of Arab houses in the city's Halisa
neighborhood. The local papers are now calling for Yahav's resignation,
saying he is not decisive enough.
Dr. Joseph Lerner, Co-Director IMRA
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