[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 100 (Wednesday, June 30, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H5272-H5275]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CONGRATULATING SOUTH AFRICA ON FIRST TWO CONVICTIONS FOR HUMAN
TRAFFICKING
Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the
resolution (H. Res. 1412) congratulating the Government of South Africa
upon its first two successful convictions for human trafficking, as
amended.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The text of the resolution is as follows:
H. Res. 1412
Whereas from June 11, 2010, through July 11, 2010, the 2010
Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA)
World Cup will be hosted by South Africa and include games
played in stadiums across the country, including Cape Town,
Port Elizabeth, Durban, Bloemfontein, Rustenburg, Pretoria,
Johannesburg, Nelspruit, and Polokwane;
Whereas the 2010 FIFA World Cup is likely to attract an
estimated 2,700,000 local spectators and 350,000 to 500,000
visitors to the country;
Whereas the influx of tourism is likely to lead to an
increase in demand for sexual services and create demand for
the commercial sexual exploitation of women and children;
Whereas the preparations for the 2010 FIFA World Cup have
resulted in an influx of foreign workers;
Whereas the hospitality industries may be particularly
susceptible to labor trafficking during the 2010 FIFA World
Cup;
Whereas the Government of South Africa has invested in
media campaigns and other initiatives to prevent and combat
trafficking, such as the Tsireledzani Initiative and the Red
Card 2010 Campaign: Disqualifying Human Trafficking in
Africa, and has created and trained a human trafficking law
enforcement unit which is one important element of the South
African Department of Social Development's 2010-2015
Strategic Plan;
Whereas the Government of South Africa has planned to
provide shelter and rehabilitative care to victims of human
trafficking throughout the country during the World Cup and
beyond at Thuthuzela Centres, which exist through the
country's domestic violence and anti-rape intervention
strategy;
Whereas the Government of South Africa has ordered schools
to be closed during the 2010 FIFA World Cup, raising concerns
that children could be left unattended during a period of
high trafficking potential;
Whereas, on June 14, 2010, the United States Department of
State released its annual Trafficking in Persons Report,
asserting that ``South Africa is a source, transit, and
destination country for men, women, and children subjected to
trafficking in persons, specifically forced labor and forced
commercial sexual exploitation. Children are largely
trafficked within the country from poor rural areas to urban
centers like Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, and
Bloemfontein. Girls are subjected to sex trafficking and
involuntary domestic servitude; boys are forced to work in
street vending, food service, begging, criminal activities,
and agriculture.'';
Whereas this release marks the 10th anniversary of the
Trafficking in Persons Report and no country has yet to build
a fully comprehensive response to combating trafficking and
protecting survivors;
Whereas women and girls have reportedly been trafficked
into South Africa from as far away as Russia, Thailand,
Pakistan, Philippines, India, China, Bulgaria, Romania,
Ukraine, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola, Burundi,
Ethiopia, Senegal, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, Cameroon,
Nigeria, and Somalia;
Whereas civil society in South Africa, with the support of
the South African Government, has invested notable energy and
resources into preventing human trafficking at the 2010 FIFA
World Cup through Cape Town Tourism, International Union of
Superiors General and the Southern African Catholic Bishops'
Conference of the Catholic Church, the Salvation Army, the
Tshwane Counter-Trafficking Coalition for 2010, and many
other nongovernmental and religious organizations; and
Whereas in April 2010, the Durban Magistrates Court
convicted two individuals accused of running a brothel and
using Thai women as prostitutes of over a dozen offenses,
including money laundering, racketeering, and contravention
of the Sexual Offenses and Immigration Acts, thereby marking
the first successful convictions for human trafficking in
South Africa: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) congratulates the Government of South Africa upon its
first two successful convictions for human trafficking;
(2) recognizes the implementation of several elements of
South Africa's anti-trafficking strategy and remains hopeful
that full implementation of such anti-trafficking measures
will proceed without delay;
(3) acknowledges the passage in South Africa of the Child
Justice Act of 2008 (Act No. 75, 2008) and underscores the
importance of rehabilitative care of minors under the age of
18;
(4) recognizes the Government of South Africa's notable
efforts to combat trafficking leading up to, during, and
following the 2010 Federation Internationale de Football
Association (FIFA) World Cup;
[[Page H5273]]
(5) recognizes the shelters and rehabilitative care
provided to human trafficking victims during the World Cup
through such centers as the Thuthuzela Centres and encourages
further shelter and care programs for victims beyond the
event's conclusion;
(6) calls on the Government of South Africa to move quickly
to adopt the Prevention and Combating of Trafficking in
Persons Bill in order to facilitate future prosecutions;
(7) calls on the Government of South Africa to increase
awareness among all levels of relevant government officials
as to their responsibilities under the trafficking provisions
of the Sexual Offenses and Children's Acts;
(8) calls on the Government of South Africa to prioritize
anti-trafficking law enforcement during the 2010 FIFA World
Cup through expanded law enforcement presence, raids, and
other measures in areas where trafficking for labor and
sexual exploitation are likely to occur;
(9) calls on the Government of South Africa to adopt
measures to protect vulnerable children, including those
children unattended because of school closures and refugee
children, as well as other potential victims, from sexual and
labor exploitation; and
(10) urges the Government of South Africa to detain and
prosecute tourists participating in commercial sexual
exploitation of women and children during the 2010 FIFA World
Cup.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from
California (Ms. Watson) and the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-
Lehtinen) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from California.
General Leave
Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to
include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from California?
There was no objection.
Ms. WATSON. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution. I would
like to thank the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) for introducing
this resolution, congratulating South Africa for its first two
successful convictions of human trafficking. These convictions
demonstrate South Africa's commitment to protecting the vulnerable
within its borders.
{time} 2000
While important progress has been made, the resolution also urges the
government of South Africa to take further steps to prevent human
trafficking by enacting a more comprehensive anti-human trafficking
law, pursuing its Child Protection Strategy, prioritizing enforcement
during the World Cup, educating all relevant government officials about
the problem, and providing rehabilitative care for those who are freed
from forced labor in the sex industry.
In May of 2004, South Africa was awarded the coveted World Cup
Tournament, which is going on there today. Recognizing the nexus
between major sporting events and crime, particularly prostitution, the
South African government placed a high priority on public awareness and
the anti-trafficking law. As the preparation for the soccer tournament
got underway, the country's sex industry was simultaneously gearing up
for the large influx of visitors and the trafficking of women, girls,
men, and boys into city brothels to meet the expected demand.
Mr. Speaker, after ridding itself of the hateful apartheid system,
South Africa has been on a relentless drive to modernize its laws and
make sure they protect their citizens and punish offenders. In spite of
the many achievements since throwing off the burden of apartheid, the
country, like others, is plagued by many ills that confront the rest of
the world, including human trafficking. Because of daunting economic
problems throughout Africa and its own endemic rural and urban poverty,
South African cities are an attractive place for bad characters,
including human traffickers and drug dealers.
South Africa must confront both sides of the problem, as it is both a
source and a destination for trafficking persons. People from
impoverished areas throughout Africa are brought into the country to
provide sexual services and all kinds of menial labor for little or no
pay. Young boys are made to beg on the streets or work on farms while
young girls are forced into domestic servitude or the illicit sex
industry. At the same time, traffickers often target South Africans
themselves, sending them off to Europe or the United States as laborers
or domestic servants.
Mr. Speaker, the Government of South Africa has invested in law
enforcement, community education, and international cooperation to stem
the tide of trafficked persons. African countries collectively are
taking the crime of trafficking seriously. Last week, the African Union
announced that it is establishing an AU Commission initiative against
trafficking. This new campaign, announced on the Day of the African
Child, will help ensure that member states are adopting and properly
implementing international protocols to eliminate trafficking.
To eradicate human trafficking--to find and free those who are living
in shackles, to prevent vulnerable and marginalized people from falling
captive to those who would commodify human life--is a challenge that
must be shared by all governments. That is why I urge my colleagues to
support this resolution and join me in recognizing the progress that
South Africa is making.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I am so honored to yield such time as
he may consume to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith), the
ranking member on the Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health and the
author of this resolution.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. I thank my good friend, the ranking member,
for yielding, and thank her for being one of the cosponsors of the
resolution, along with Carolyn Maloney and Kay Granger and others in
this body. This is a bipartisan resolution that we present on the floor
today.
Mr. Speaker, while the World Cup is a joyous and unifying event
watched the world over, it comes at a very high cost for many women and
children trapped in sexual slavery in South Africa. Going on right now,
the World Cup is drawing an estimated 2.7 million local spectators and
up to 500,000 visitors to the country. It is an honor and an economic
boon for South Africa, but it is also a threat to vulnerable women and
children--a threat that the government of South Africa is and must
continue to aggressively combat.
Major sporting events, Mr. Speaker, and conventions that attract
large numbers of people in the United States or abroad have been proven
to result in an increase in the demand for commercial sexual
exploitation. Pimps and traffickers jump to respond to the demand by
trafficking women and girls for prostitution to events such as the
World Cup.
We have seen examples of this in stories coming out of South Africa
in the media over the last several months. One taxi driver covered in a
story proudly advertised his ``Red Light Tour'' which includes strip
bar hopping and guidance to prostituted women less likely to be HIV-
positive. He, like so many in the sex industry, is hoping to cash in on
sexual tourism accompanying the World Cup. Sindiswa was just 17 years
old, and according to Time magazine, didn't make it to the games.
Forced into prostitution at 16 after leaving her impoverished village
on a bogus promise of a job, she died of AIDS complications in January
of this year.
Mr. Speaker, according to the U.S. Department of State, where
prostitution is legalized or tolerated there is a greater demand for
human trafficking victims and nearly always an increase in the number
of women and children trafficked into commercial sexual slavery.
In preparation for the World Cup, the Government of South Africa, to
its credit, commissioned a comprehensive study of human trafficking
within its borders and discovered that trafficking victims were brought
in from all over the world--not just from neighboring countries where
poverty and porous borders make women and children particularly
vulnerable to exploitation. Law enforcement in Cape Town, for example,
where some of the games are played, has been closely monitoring and
tracking human trafficking. Over the last few months, Cape Town law
enforcement noted a sudden increase in women arriving with falsified
immigration documents from Asia, and they
[[Page H5274]]
saw a sudden drop in the age of girls working the streets. I applaud
Cape Town for its vigilance, as these were signs that criminal
syndicates with the means and certainly the capacity were trafficking
women and girls to the World Cup.
Mr. Speaker, as you may be aware, I offered the Trafficking Victims
Protection Act of 2000, and its reauthorizations in 2003 and 2005. Our
most recent TIP report, which is mandated by these laws, ranks South
Africa as a Tier 2 country--a country that does not fully comply with
the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making
significant efforts to do so.
And so on behalf of my colleagues and I, we offer this resolution, H.
Res. 1412, to congratulate South Africa for the steps it has taken--its
first two major trafficking convictions and increased law enforcement
activity, especially--in this all-important fight against human
trafficking. We offer H. Res. 1412 today to underscore the urgent need
for further action and trafficking funding prioritization by the
Government of South Africa. Of course, that admonishment should go to
each and every one of us, including the United States.
While South Africa does not yet have in place a comprehensive anti-
trafficking legislation, it does have legislation that offers increased
protection to children. It is my sincere hope that all levels of
relevant government officials will be aware of their responsibilities
under the anti-trafficking provisions of the Sexual Offenses and
Children's Acts and the Children's Amendment Act of 2007, and that
these will be fully funded and implemented by the Government of South
Africa. As we all know as lawmakers, if the law goes unenforced, it is,
frankly, not worth the paper it is printed on. That goes for any
parliament's or congress' law. They need to implement this--and do so
faithfully.
{time} 2010
Mr. Speaker, law enforcement must be particularly vigilant in
protecting children during the World Cup through an expanded law
enforcement presence and raids in areas where exploitation is
occurring. Trafficked women and children rescued during the games must
be given special rehabilitative care in order to prevent the trauma
that they have suffered from defining them and condemning them to a
life of further exploitation and abuse. Aggressive prosecution of the
traffickers is also a must, as organized crime will always gravitate
towards whatever activity is most lucrative and least risky.
Moreover, as this resolution points out, it is our sincere hope that
South Africa will follow up with prosecution of any soccer fans or
other tourists caught exploiting women and children. The buyers of
trafficking victims are responsible for this human misery, for without
demand, these women and children would not be slaves.
I believe that the games are just the beginning for South Africa in
its fight against human trafficking. We have seen tremendous investment
of resources, will, and anti-trafficking momentum from nongovernmental
organizations and faith-based organizations in the lead-up to the
games. Cape Town Tourism, International Union of Superiors General and
the Southern African Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Catholic
Church, the Salvation Army, Red Card 2010 Campaign, and the Tshwane
Countertrafficking Coalition for 2010 are just a few of those who have
stepped up to combat this modern day slavery.
South African citizens have been widely warned about the dangers of
human trafficking, and many have volunteered in the fight. Human
trafficking is in the public eye now, and it is time for the Government
of South Africa to purge it from its cities and anywhere else that it
is found. I thank my good friend for yielding and urge Members to
support the resolution.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
I thank the gentleman from New Jersey, and we are blessed to have
such a human rights activist on our committee and, indeed, in the
entire House of Representatives. Thank you so much, Mr. Smith.
Mr. Speaker, the bill before us, House Resolution 1412, recognizes
the efforts to date of the South African Government to fight human
trafficking while urging sustained and expanded efforts for the future.
According to the State Department's 2010 Trafficking in Persons Report:
``South Africa is a source, transit and destination country for men,
women and children subjected to trafficking in persons, specifically
forced labor and forced commercial sexual exploitation.'' Further,
South Africa ``does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the
elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts
to do so.''
As the 2010 Trafficking Report recognizes and this resolution
reaffirms, South Africa has, in fact, made notable progress in
confronting human trafficking. The recent conviction by the Durban
Municipal Court of two individuals on trafficking-related charges is
particularly significant and merits recognition. Still, we have a long
way to go, Mr. Speaker. Concerns over trafficking in South Africa have
been heightened with the commencement of the FIFA 2010 World Cup games
which are being held at newly erected stadiums throughout the country.
The massive influx of workers to build these stadiums and other
infrastructure, high rates of domestic unemployment, the arrival of
millions of spectators and gaps in law enforcement capacity have
provided an ideal operating environment for traffickers.
Criminal networks and street gangs are already known to operate child
prostitution rings in the country's major cities where child sex
tourism is on the rise. These same cities, including Durban, Cape Town
and Johannesburg now boast major soccer stadiums capable of drawing
between 40,000 to 95,000 spectators each. The confluence of criminality
and opportunity created by the World Cup has presented major challenges
for the South African Government. Unfortunately, these challenges will
endure long after the cup has been awarded.
This resolution urges the South African Government to engage in an
aggressive, sustained, and effective campaign to fight the scourge of
trafficking. It urges the government to adopt the pending Prevention
and Combating of Trafficking in Persons bill and enforce relevant
elements of the Sexual Offenses and Child Justice Acts. It urges the
government to adopt additional measures to protect vulnerable children
and other potential victims from sexual and labor exploitation. It
urges the government to prioritize anti-trafficking law enforcement,
particularly during the World Cup games. And, lastly, it encourages the
government to prosecute tourists engaging in commercial sexual
exploitation. I strongly urge our colleagues to support this timely and
important resolution.
With that, Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield such time as he
may consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. Royce), the ranking
member on the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Terrorism,
Nonproliferation and Trade.
Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this legislation. I
would like to thank the gentleman from New Jersey, Mr. Chris Smith, for
all that he has attempted to do to bring this resolution before us and
also for bringing this issue into the international community. And
Congresswoman Diane Watson, we appreciate your leadership on this as
well.
I think for any of us who try to contemplate the impact of modern-day
slavery--I was thinking, I was just talking to Congressman Smith about
the movie ``Amazing Grace'' about William Wilberforce and the attempt
in Britain so long ago to try to eliminate the slave trade. And when we
think about the fact that in this century this type of slavery still
exists, I think that when we consider the magnitude of it, the misery
of the people, especially the children that are subjected to this, we
think about this range of sexual servitude across this planet affecting
some 12 million adults but also millions of children.
And this is what is happening every day. People are trafficked into
this type of servitude. You think about the fact that many of these
children are 6, 7 years old. And, sadly, as the State Department tells
us in this report that was just released, the majority of transnational
trafficking, the majority of these victims are being trafficked into
commercial sexual exploitation. So that is the reality that the world
faces today.
[[Page H5275]]
Now, importantly, this resolution commends the Government of South
Africa for taking some steps because it has tried to combat this
problem. It has brought to justice, it has successfully convicted its
human traffickers here in a trial that has gotten some attention. So it
is important to note such improvements.
But at the same time, it's important for us to realize how much
remains to be done, how much the international community needs to work
and come together to go after these criminal syndicates that are
involved in this kind of activity.
And I only wish we could be celebrating the achievement of countries
like Vietnam; but, unfortunately, we've read the report. Some countries
are actually being downgraded in this report. In Vietnam, women and
children are routinely misled by fraudulent job opportunities where
they find themselves, instead, sold into brothels. Sadly, while some
conditions are improving, other states, like Vietnam, are falling far,
far behind.
And it is also our hope that the release of this report will do much
in the international community, along with the help by NGOs that have
come forward, in order to try to put a spotlight on this issue, in
order to try to get every government involved and moving in the correct
direction and prosecuting those who are involved in the criminal
syndicates for trying to advance this kind of inhumanity across this
planet.
{time} 2020
I again commend all of the cosponsors of this legislation, including
my colleague, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Mr. Royce and
thank Mr. Smith, the author of this resolution.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Watson) that the House suspend the
rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1412, as amended.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a
quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not
present.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be
postponed.
The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.
____________________