Sheila Ponnie
Africa-Press – South-Sudan. South Sudan Taskforce for Combating Human Trafficking and Smuggling pose for a group photo during the official launching of drafting of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Bill 2024. [Sheila Ponnie, The City Review]
The task force on human trafficking in South Sudan said legal gaps in the country continue to hamper response to such crimes.
The body held an event in Juba yesterday to draft a comprehensive bill to combat the inhumane practices in the country.
Speaking at the event, Sabri Wani Ladu, Co-Chair of Taskforce for Combating Human Trafficking and Smuggling of Persons, stated there is no comprehension law for tackling issues of combating human trafficking and smuggling of migrants in the country.
“No stringent punishment has been provided under the current legal framework such as the death penalty, or life imprisonment, if the human trafficking offence resulted in the death of the victim, for in the case of a repeat offender,” he said.
The Legal Gaps Analysis Finding also identified gaps in which it advised the country to ratify the Palermo Convention against transnational organized crime and the three complementing protocols to help the country’s efforts in getting out of tier 3 rank and not to be dropped to the blacklist.
He highlighted that no provisions have also been provided to strip the traffickers of their assets and there is also no room for the establishment of a national anti-human Trafficking Bureau that can coordinate, monitor, and supervise the illegal movement of persons and their prevention.
The current task force was established on the recommendation of the Allien Committee by Ministerial order No. 34/2019 issued by the former Minister of Interior.
It comprised 22 members with the task of advising on the ratification of relevant conventions and protocols on combating human trafficking and migrant smuggling in compliance with the resolution of the Council of Ministries in 2019 in order to conduct public and higher-level awareness and capacity building.
However, no provision has been discovered to establish an investigation bureau (agency) at both the national and state levels, as well as the counties.
Ladu said, “No designated session court is also established. The current laws are silent on the establishment of state-level anti-trafficking officers that shall be tasked with providing relief and rehabilitation service through district units and other civil society organisations.”
According to him, actions are being taken to provide relief and rehabilitation to victims of trafficking, as well as to organise a committee whose members will represent the ministries of gender, child and social welfare, interior, foreign affairs, labour, justice, and health.
“The current laws do not provide an avenue for the establishment of a Rehabilitation Fund to allocate financial resources for the protection of human trafficking homes, offer legal assistance to the victim and provide skills development programs as well as witness protection for generating awareness to prevent human trafficking,” Ladu said.
The task force had conducted a legislative gap analysis and suggested the drafting of a comprehensive anti-human trafficking and smuggling bill.
Source: The City Review South Sudan
For More News And Analysis About South-Sudan Follow Africa-Press
