Speeches & Op-Eds
Opening Remarks, Anti-Trafficking In Persons Course For Investigators
June 19, 2006
British Colonial Hilton Hotel
Good morning. Mr. Jim Puleo from the International Organization for Migration, instructors, participants, and guests. I would like to thank the International Organization for Migration for their work on trafficking in the Caribbean region, particularly, for coordinating this conference.
I am delighted to be with you this morning to open the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Course for Investigators. The Department of State and the International Organization of Migration have together made great strides in raising awareness and increasing nations’ capacities for dealing with trafficking in persons. This course represents one element of our commitment to working with your countries -- The Bahamas, Guyana, Saint Lucia, Guyana, and the Netherlands Antilles -- to combat this scourge and assist those who have been victimized by it.
More than 150 years ago, the United States fought a devastating war that culminated in the elimination of slavery in our country. Although most nations have eliminated servitude as a state-sanctioned practice, a modern form of human slavery has emerged. It is a growing global threat to the lives and freedom of millions of men, women, and children. Today, only in the most brutal and repressive regimes, such as Burma and North Korea, is slavery still state sponsored. In most countries, including my own, human trafficking typically involves organized crime groups who make huge sums of money at the expense of trafficking victims and our societies.
Human traffickers prey on the most vulnerable and turn a commercial profit at the expense of innocent lives. That is why the United States has made such a serious commitment to work with international partners such as the IOM as well as countries in the Caribbean and other regions to secure the freedom of those who are exploited. This why we call on governments worldwide through our annual Trafficking in Persons Report to be effective and accountable in prosecuting those who exploit other human beings. And that is also why President Bush has twice called the attention of the international community to his issue in addressed to the UN General Assembly.
I was very pleased to read in this morning's paper the Government of the Bahamas' affirmation that it will vigorously pursue claims of human trafficking, enact and implement legislation to criminalize human trafficking, and do all in its power to prevent human trafficking.
As many Bahamians are aware, there has been considerable attention to this issue since our 2006 TIP report listed The Bahamas as a so-called 'special case.' Unfortunately, much of the commentary missed the key point, which is that The United States wants to work with countries throughout the world to put an end to this horrible practice. One of the principal ways we can do this is to call attention to potential problems and identify steps countries can take to ensure that trafficking is prevented in their territories.
That is why we are here today. Our Caribbean Regional training workshop aims to build the capacity of law enforcement and prosecutors to address this issue. Taking a victim-centered and regional cooperation approach, we will develop investigative skills, review latest policy guidelines and legislative developments on trafficking, study victim identification techniques, and develop the ability of law enforcement personnel to work with victims to secure convictions of human traffickers.
Please allow me to extend a heartfelt thank you to each of you for participating in this seminar. The United States is pleased to sponsor this seminar as part of our commitment to work with countries in the region to improve the lives of the most vulnerable in our midst. Your dedication and commitment will be the first and most essential step to ending this awful blight on our global community.
Thank you.