DUBAI: The United Arab Emirates termed a recent US State Department report on human trafficking as “disappointing and distorted.”
“The UAE government is deeply disappointed by the subjective and inaccurate assessment in this report,” the UAE’s state news agency, WAM, quoted Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Dr. Anwar Gargash as saying.
The minister also criticized the parameters applied to measure human trafficking cases. In contrast to the US report, the Annual Report 2008 released earlier this month by the UAE National Committee to Combat Human Trafficking (NCCHT) indicated that over 20 cases of human trafficking were registered last year, compared to 10 cases in 2007, doubling the number of cases prosecuted under Federal Law 51 in a period of 12 months.
The NCCHT report added that the number of prosecutions and the severity of punishments issued by UAE courts also increased significantly this year, with convictions in six cases and two people receiving life sentences.
Citing these figures, Gargash said, “The UAE made significant progress in its endeavor to fight this crime in 2008. In its last report, the State department identified UAE as “a model in the region.” It is indeed disturbing to note that this year’s report has failed to view our transparent efforts and results objectively.
“It appears that the US definition of human trafficking varies every year depending on the nature of debate on this issue in its domestic environment.
It is incongruous to equate alleged labor rights violations, which are a critical but separate issue, to the coercive and unacceptable sexual exploitation of women for profit. This report lumps all these issues together in a manner that is generalized and unconstructive.”
Citing one of the many inaccuracies, the minister questioned the veracity of the State Department report which alleges that a member of the ruling family was arrested in a Belgian court on criminal charges, a claim the UAE refutes and describes as an unwarranted and appalling display of stereotyping Arabs and the Middle East.
“This accusation alone indicates that the US prefers to rely more on sensationalized media reports in compiling its report rather than verify its facts,” Gargash said.
“The UAE monitors all international reports and assesses them objectively. It welcomes constructive criticism and help, but reserves the right to determine the agenda to tackle its problems in a manner that it deems appropriate. The fact that the report does not take into account the facts on the ground devalues and undermines how seriously it is taken,” he added.
“The government realizes that like in many other countries, the challenges pertaining to human trafficking are numerous. We are committed to fighting this crime and will continue to do so diligently,” the minister said.
The UAE continues to implement its four-pillar action plan that includes legislation, enforcement, victim support, as well as bilateral agreements and international cooperation.
The government last year ratified the United Nations Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children; and in order to increase the government’s effectiveness, the Council of Ministers expanded the size and scope of the National Committee to Combat Human Trafficking by including public prosecutors and law enforcement officers as its members.
In terms of victim support efforts, the Dubai Foundation for women and children continues to mature and provide excellent psychological and physical care for victims of trafficking and other forms of abuse — in 2008 43 cases were admitted. The newly established Abu Dhabi shelter handled 15 trafficking victims, who also aided police in the investigations of the criminals who exploited them.
