African
Governments Protect & Promote Slavery In The Region & Around
The Globe
New
York, June 18, 2004—Following
the release of the fourth annual Trafficking in Persons Report
by the United States Department of state on June 14, 2004 detailing
abysmal performance of African countries on this issue, Africans
In America, Inc. (AIA) a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization
dedicated to end the abuse of survivors of trafficking, especially
women and girl children from Africa living in the United States
makes the following statements:
The
Report classified many African counties including Nigeria as "source, transit, and destination country
for trafficked women and children" and placed them on Tier
2 & 3 Watch List for women and children trafficking.
Furthermore, the Department's evaluation
of government's compliance with the US Trafficking Victims Protection
Act of 2000 (TVPA) stated that most African countries do not
comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking
despite making significant efforts to so do.
Nigeria, “ the oil-rich giant
of Africa” is placed on the Tier 2 Watch List because of
the continued significant complicity of Nigerian security/government
personnel in trafficking and the noticeable failure to address
this complicity.
According to the report, the Nigerian
Government does not face severe resource constraints, faced by
other countries in the region yet it commits inadequate funding
and personnel to the fight against serious trafficking in women
and children.
Of all the resources purportedly committed
to the issue and upon all about 44 reported police investigations,
there has not been a single conviction, the report noted.
The report recognized Ghanaian Government
for its effort in addressing this problem.
Here in the United States, organizations
advocating better treatment of the victims continue to receive
hostility from the associates of human trafficking syndicates
within the immigrant African community. Recently, the associates
of this syndicates lead by Nigeria-born medical doctor (plastic
surgeon) based in New York/New Jersey and a female socialite
with hardcore criminal history in the United States colluded
with Nigeria governor of Anambra State to sabotage our efforts
to raise awareness on this issue and render services to the victims.
The governor, Dr. Chris Ngige dined and wined with these syndicates
during a visit to New York in 2003. An Anambra-born ( from Nnobi
town) victim raped at age 11 and impregnated at 13 by Nigeria-born
medical doctor and currently stranded in New York did not get
the attention of the governor.
Despite public expression of support
to the victims, the Nigerian associates in the United States
and Africa do show actual support to the perpetrators and hostility
to the victims.
Who we are:
Africans In America, Inc. (AIA) is a
not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to providing
social services, self-empowerment and community awareness to
the underserved and economically disadvantaged African communities
in the New York metropolitan area.
Signed:
Bonaventure N. Ezekwenna
Executive Director
