Press Release
Trafficking Report Mandated by Smith Law Due Out Monday***Smith Calls on Administration to Fight Trafficking w/ Truth & Hold Nations Accountable
With the 2015 country-by-country analysis and rankings on human trafficking set to be released Monday morning by Secretary of State John Kerry, Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04), the author of the law which created the annual report, called on the Administration to produce an honest and accurate accounting and not allow non-human trafficking related factors to come into play in determining rankings.
Smith, who wrote the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA) which mandates the report, fears that the true records on human trafficking of some countries—such as Cuba, Malaysia, Vietnam and China—will not be accurately reflected in the report. In April, Smith chaired a hearing on human trafficking to evaluate the recent records of countries downgraded to the worst tier in last year’s TIP report, such as Malaysia and Thailand, as well as to examine whether China and Vietnam had records supporting their better tiers. “The report’s power lies in its credibility; if a country is rewarded without merit, or for obvious political reasons, it undermines U.S. leadership on trafficking – and American leadership more generally,” said Smith, co-chair of the House Human Trafficking Caucus. “American consumers don’t want to buy slave-made goods and we should not accept that an estimated 27 million people—the majority woman and children—live in conditions of modern slavery.” “The U.S. trafficking rankings have brought tangible results,” Smith said. “Countries have turned 180 degrees when given, or threatened with, the lowest ranking (Tier 3). No country will take U.S. trafficking rankings seriously when there seems to be a ‘wink and nod’ agreement to throw them away when it suits U.S. business or other interests. It is important to be clear and consistent, freeing slaves and putting traffickers behind bars is priority where the U.S. cannot compromise.” Since the TIP Report’s inception, more than 120 countries have enacted anti-trafficking laws and many countries have taken other steps required to significantly raise their tier rankings—citing the TIP Report as a key factor in their increased anti-trafficking response. The TVPA created the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons at the State Department. Its annual report rates 187 nations, including the United States. Malaysia “Malaysia is a safe haven for traffickers, who operate with impunity,” Smith said. “The Administration claims an upgrade is justified because Malaysia passed a modest trafficking law, well after the after the reporting period ended. Malaysia hasn’t earned a better grade, and it has neglected to implement their other trafficking laws for years.” Smith noted with disapproval the impact on the TIP rating in light of the new trade deal being negotiated by the Administration with several Asian nations. Smith co-led a 160-member letter to the Administration on the subject last week. “Let’s be honest, Malaysia is getting a ‘free pass’ to ease its TPP entry. It’s a political decision, not based in evidence. President Obama made a commitment to end modern slavery, but this decision prioritizes trade over trafficking victims and may put millions of U.S. dollars in the pockets of traffickers.” Smith also noted that neighboring nations, such as Thailand, were repeatedly told by the Administration that their actions after the reporting period—such as the arrest of a three-star general and public officials for trafficking Rohingya—would not count toward Thailand’s ranking this year. China “China should be Tier 3,” Smith said. “It is the trafficking black hole of Asia. China did absolutely nothing last year to truly address its trafficking problems. China didn’t end its Reform Through Labor (RTL) system of detention, it simply renamed the buildings. And the modest reforms made to the long standing ‘One-Child Policy’ didn’t make a dent in China’s huge gender gap, which is the primary driver of prostitution and bride trafficking in the region.” Smith, chair of the bipartisan Commission on China which is made up of appointees of White House and Members of Congress from both sides of the aisle, noted “China continues to profit from forced labor from prisoners. China forcibly repatriates trafficked North Korean refugees, knowing they will be imprisoned or killed. And China’s draconian population control policies are the reason a huge number of men who cannot find wives.” Vietnam Turning to Vietnam, Smith expressed regret at Vietnam’s Tier 2 ranking in last year’s report. Vietnam’s state-owned companies are widely known to be involved in the forced labor, including debt bondage of their own citizens abroad. Vietnam also forces drug users into commercial labor in government-run drug rehabilitation centers. Smith said, “We know the government directly profits from human trafficking, we know prisoners are used in forced labor, and we know that woman are trafficked to China as brides and prostitutes. The only reason Vietnam continues to hold its Tier 2 ranking is because of the TPP. Politics, not facts, influenced this decision. And it may consign Vietnamese women, children, and prisoners of conscience to slave status in order to ease passage of a trade deal.” Cuba Cuba has been rumored to be on the Administrations Tier upgrade list as well, despite the fact that Cuba is reportedly a top destination for child sex tourist because Cuban law allows 16-year-old prostitutes. “The trafficking ranking should not be used in hopes of bringing about better bilateral relations with Cuba; rather, better relations with Cuba should be pre-conditioned on real protection for Cuba’s prostituted children, and other human rights issues,” said Smith. “The trafficking ranking should not be used as a sweetener thrown in to better relations with Cuba; rather, better relations with Cuba should be used to secure real protection for Cuba’s prostituted children. Indeed, given the apparent complicity of Cuban government officials in trafficking and sex tourism, one wonders how we can normalize relations without first seeing evidence of a change in behavior.” Under the TIP report, Tier 1 countries fully meet minimum standards. Tier 2 countries do not meet the minimum standards but are making significant effort to do so. Tier 3 countries do not meet the standards and are not making significant effort to do so. Along with the embarrassment of being listed on Tier 3, such countries are open to sanction by the U.S. government. The Congressman said all Tier 3 countries are subject to potential sanctions that include the United States using its voice and vote to deny such countries loans from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and other multi-lateral banks, and barring non-humanitarian, non-trade related foreign assistance, as well as certain education and cultural exchange programs. ### |