By Adama Nyang
The National Agency Against Trafficking in Persons (NATTIP) on Tuesday embarked on a community sensitization at Kartong on human trafficking.
The sensitization was in two phases; one at the Kartong Market for students and the community and the other phase at the Kartong border area.
Tijan Faal, Depty head of investigations ofNAATIP highlighted the causes, effects, challenges of human trafficking and how to prevent one’s self from trafficking.
He said most of the traffickers are people we live together in our communities that will come promising to us with the promise of having a well-paid job abroad or sometimes they will come to your parents promising them to help their child to get a job abroad and they will be responsible for all the documents, tickets and others travelling needs. He further said that “when someone comes with such promise to you one should feel something is not right somewhere, how can someone you are not related in any way want to offer you with such, doesn’t the person have family?” he asked.
Faal continues to talk about the challenges victims of trafficking faces when they reach to those countries they are traffic to. He said some are taking into prostitution, some on hard labourworking for about 15 to 20 hours a day and sometimes may end up not paid. He further stated that some of the traffickers will sell your organ, and after some months, you will be sent back while your kidney is already removed.
Faal concluded by urging Gambian to leave out the “mind my business” attitude stressing that it is everyone’s responsibility to fight against evil things in our communities.
For his part, Saihou Cham investigator at NATTIP discussed on the importance of communities involvement in the fight against human trafficking. “Human trafficking is just like modern day slavery because when traffickers take someone away from your country, you lost all your rights as a human and will be subjected to doing all kind of jobs with little or no food sometimes and you are not given the opportunity to go out as all your documents are in the hands of your boss,” he described.
He further said that human trafficking is a crime in the Gambia and anyone found in the act or be an accomplished will face the law and may end up spending many years imprisonment or fined.
He continues to say that the fight against human trafficking is our collective responsibility, “so when one sees anyone involved in the act, you call NATTIP on their free call line 1123 and report the case.
He concluded by encouraging the community of Kartong to be more vigilant as they are at the border and some of these traffickers around ourregion in most cases use the border to bring their victims into the Gambia.
Abubacarr Kandeh, Counselor of Katong ward thanked NATTIP for bringing such important sensitization to their community while welcoming them.
According to Kandeh most of the victims of trafficking are always young girls or women who are taking to some countries overseas for prostitution or hard labour.
National Agency Against Trafficking in Persons (NATTIP) is a government agency responsible for combating human Trafficking in the Gambia. It was established in 2007 by an Act of Parliament under the Trafficking in Persons Act which provides for offences, penalties, and also provides guidelines and procedures to guide in the identification and prosecution of perpetrators of human Trafficking.
