I will just call her Lily
I will just call her Lily. She was only
14 years old when she was sold off to a so-called matchmaker who was to
introduce her to a rich prospective husband in Manila and then bring her
back to her parents. Her impoverished parents were given the advance payment
on a dowry. That was the last they saw of Lily. Instead of a prospective
husband, Lily was introduced to as many as six men a night in a brothel. She
was raped and abused nightly, a victim of the world’s most brutal trade- the
trafficking of women and children.
The selling of hungry and impoverish
humans to the western countries for sexual exploitation is frequently done
under the guise of fake marriages and brides for sale. Many young girls are
brought across borders for illegal work in sweatshops or more commonly for
sexual exploitation. This is the most lucrative of all and is protected by
corrupt and sexually compromised politicians and police officers in many
European countries as it is elsewhere.
Three things victimize the poor: the
globalization of greed, the exploitation by Western companies and the
corruption of their own leaders. They are as desperate as those Europeans
who fled poverty and war to America since the 1800s. They are coming to pick
the crumbs that fall from the tables of the rich who continue to block their
trade while protecting their own industries. All of Africa accounts for only
1 percent of world trade down from 4 percent ten years ago.
The tables of the rich countries are
groaning with surplus food and luxuries, a contradiction of everything we
call Christian. American aid to the impoverished world is less than one
penny per $100. European aid is just slightly higher, a cause of shame in a
world where billions are malnourished, dying of disease and starvation.
Billions of dollars are being sucked out of the poor countries daily through
import tariffs and interest payments on foreign debts. The rich grow richer
the poor poorer more quickly that before. Much has to be done to redress the
injustice that causes the migration and trafficking in the first place.
Trafficking continues an increasing level The American and European
nationals behind the trade in the Philippines enjoy extraordinary protection
by corrupt police and tourism officials. Hundreds of ordinary Filipino
citizens and volunteers from around the world are bravely risking their
lives to bring justice and social change and save the children. They are
threatened and attacked.
However, the international sex mafia has
the sex business in a bind. One Swiss national, in Angeles City, North of
Manila was charged with child abuse. He has a prison record for drug
trafficking and has been ordered charged by the Philippine Deputy
commissioner of Immigration for giving bribes, false testimony and being
undocumented, yet he goes uncharged and free. More shocking is the fact that
City officials appointed him Liaison officer for the foreign community.
Likewise, in Olongapo, a German national is a city appointed liaison
officer. He runs a sleazy beach bar and has been indicted by the Bureau of
Immigration for giving false evidence, bribery, being undocumented,
overstaying and is on trial for obstructing justice, he too is untouched and
truly untouchable.
They live close to the red light district and are above the law
enjoying immunity, privilege and protection. Not so the poor Filipino
children. Last week we visited the Angeles city jail not far from the sex
industry and found four minors incarcerated without charges barely surviving
in sub-human conditions. The youngest is only ten another twelve-years-old.
Their crime was sniffing industrial glue to stave of hunger.
No wonder some Philippine officials and police have the unsavory reputation for protecting the international criminals trafficking migrants while neglecting their own children Newsweek claims that there are 20,000 children in Philippines prisons. The perception is that the Philippines are a haven for international criminals and crooks, tourists, and investors are staying away in droves. Unless foreign criminals in the Philippines who are behind the trafficking of women and children are brought to justice, the uncaring and corrupt officials will constantly walk upon the dignity of the Filipinos and turn this beautiful proud people into a nation of beggars.
Shay Cullen
preda@info.com.ph
www.preda.org
