Slaves of globalisation

By Mahmoud Murad

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We used to think that slavery was over, but apparently it is back albeit in a new guise. Recent incidents in Chad, Mauritania and Sudan suggest that organised gangs are smuggling children to Europe. No one knows what happens to those children, but they are in obvious risk of being exploited in the sex trade or worse, as involuntary donors of human organs. Recently, Egyptian authorities uncovered an attempt to smuggle Asians and Africans to Israel through Sinai. The attempt was most likely not the first, and again one can only guess at the fate of those people. Remember the Ethiopian falashas who went to Israel looking for better future and ended up living in horrific conditions?

The international community seems to be horrified by human suffering in various parts of the world, especially Arab and African countries. And yet it hasn't done anything to protect African children from European gangs. Europe is eager to protect itself from illegal aliens. But who is to protect hopeful immigrants from Europe?

What we see is only the tip of the iceberg, for not every case of smuggling comes to world attention. Trade in humans is both thriving and lucrative, and unless action is taken it is likely to go on for decades. Demand is high on humans in prosperous countries, where birth rates are decreasing all the time. We cannot allow international gangs to make money by selling people. We cannot allow the poor and disenfranchised to become a flesh and bone commodity. Globalisation may have proven successful in communications and trade, but the line has to be drawn somewhere. We cannot allow globalisation to revive a practice humanity took centuries to abolish.

Trade in humans must end. The UN needs to take action. Human rights organisations need to take action. And we ourselves should play a part.

This week's Soapbox speaker is deputy editor- in-chief of Al-Ahram.