U.S. stalls on human trafficking

The Mercury News ^ | Dec. 28, 2005 | Cam Simpson

[Lorianne]

WASHINGTON - Three years ago, President Bush declared that he had "zero tolerance" for trafficking in humans by the government's overseas contractors, and two years ago Congress mandated a similar policy.

But .... the Defense Department has yet to adopt a policy to bar human trafficking.

A proposal prohibiting defense contractor involvement in human trafficking for forced prostitution and labor was drafted by the Pentagon last summer, but five defense lobbying groups oppose key provisions and a final policy still appears to be months away, according to those involved and Defense Department records. The lobbying groups opposing the plan say they're in favor of the idea in principle, but said they believe that implementing key portions of it overseas is unrealistic. They represent thousands of firms, including some of the industry's biggest names, such as DynCorp International and Halliburton subsidiary KBR, both of which have been linked to trafficking-related concerns.

Lining up on the opposite side of the defense industry are some human-trafficking experts who say significant aspects of the Pentagon's proposed policy might actually do more harm than good unless they're changed. These experts have told the Pentagon that the policy would merely formalize practices that have allowed contractors working overseas to escape punishment for involvement in trafficking, the records show.

The long-awaited debate inside the Pentagon on how to implement presidential and congressional directives on human trafficking is unfolding just as countertrafficking advocates in Congress are running into resistance. A bill reauthorizing the nation's efforts against trafficking for the next two years was overwhelmingly passed by the House this month, but only after a provision creating a trafficking watchdog at the Pentagon was stripped from the measure at the insistence of defense-friendly lawmakers, according to congressional records and officials. The Senate passed the bill last week.

[taxed2death]

"Three years ago, President Bush declared that he had "zero tolerance" for trafficking in humans..........."

I wonder how giving tens of thousands of Mexicans a "pass" each week as they stroll across our borders fits in with this policy. Are there human traffickers involved there?

LOL

[USNBandit]

But .... the Defense Department has yet to adopt a policy to bar human trafficking.

I don't know about this. I just had an hour of mandatory "trafficking in persons" training. I wish McCain would get an amendment passed to protect me from this type of training...it was pure torture.

[Dan Cooper]

...DynCorp International and Halliburton subsidiary KBR, both of which have been linked to trafficking-related concerns

Does this imply that they have done work for the Saudis?