Credibility of US report on human trafficking questioned (AFP)

[Up2Late]

Credibility of US report on human trafficking questioned

15/08/2006 05h51

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The credibility of an annual US report that blacklisted countries linked to human trafficking has been questioned in a Congressional probe that called the report inconsistent and incomplete.

The report by the State Department analyzes the issue in about 150 countries and ranks them by their efforts to combat trafficking for forced labor, prostitution, military service and other purposes.

But the explanations for ranking decisions in the annual "Trafficking in Persons Report" "are incomplete" and "not used consistently to develop antitrafficking programs," said the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the investigative arm of Congress, in a damning study released Monday.

While the annual report raised the risk of sanctions against governments that did not comply with minimum standards to eliminate trafficking, it "does not comprehensively describe compliance with the standards," the study said.

(more at link) <http://www.afp.com/english/news/stories/060815054914.6oatvpfq.html>

[On the Road]

1. This is a Very Odd Collection of States:

"...the State Department listed Venezuela, Saudi Arabia, North Korea, Sudan, Cuba, Myanmar, Iran, Syria, Zimbabwe, Uzbekistan, Laos and Belize in the so-called Tier 3 worst offenders of human trafficking....

"The US government estimated in the report that 600,000 to 800,000 people were trafficked across international borders annually...

"The accuracy of the estimates is in doubt because of methodological weaknesses, gaps in data and numerical discrepancies," it said.

"The study also said that country data "are not available, reliable, or comparable" and highlighted "a considerable discrepancy between the numbers of observed and estimated victims of human trafficking."

So let me guess what happened. The US has inflates figures on human traffic and demands certain specific actions by foreign governments. Governments that decline to do this (often developing countries with strained US relations) find themselves on the Tier 3 list.

[Up2Late]

2. Kind of looks politically motivated huh?

More amazing is, how little interest this News item has gotten, WTF? :wtf: :shrug:

[Sven77]

3. i cant believe this crap

Cynthia Mckinney questions Rumsfeld on Dyncorp slave rings. Rumsfeld said they put them in the "penalty box". When did they suspend contracts ? they didnt. Isreal and United Arab Emirates were the top in slavery. I cant believe you people sold mckinney down the river. what a disgrace.