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Situation of Child Trafficking at Taftan: A Rapid Assessment Zubair Tahir1 April 2007

Taftan, a small frontier town on Pakistan Iran border, is a crossing point to Iran. This passage has been used very intensively by the human smugglers and traffickers along with the ordinary visitors and traders. The trafficking via this route includes trafficking of children from South Punjab for camel racing in Gulf and of children from North Punjab for labor in European countries. Action research conducted by organizations in destination countries reveals that majority of adolescent have been trafficked to EU using this channel, for instance, Enfants du Monde at Paris found that out of 60 Punjabi adolescents trafficked to Paris from Northern Punjab for labor during 2003-2005, majority was trafficked through this route2. Similarly it is found that almost totality of 45 Afghan refugee children was trafficked through this route (case study of an Afghani child is presented below). A rapid assessment was conducted during March 2007 in the context of child trafficking for camel racing in Gulf countries and for labor in European countries. Interviews of officials from law enforcement and immigration agencies as well as from administration, discussions with shop keepers, hotel and restaurant owners and visit to detention centers were used as tools. Secondary data was also collected from levies. 2 persons from Sanjog-Imtizaj, 1 person from Groupe Developpement France and three people from Seher conducted this assessment This assessment concludes that; • Taftan has been extensively used for trafficking by the year 2000. • Trafficking is not currently taking place through Taftan border rather this is used by Iranian

authorities for repatriation of illegal immigrants, smuggled and trafficked persons. Every week batches of Pakistanis are formally repatriated/handed over to Pakistani authorities by Iranian authorities.

• These illegal emigrants include adolescents as well. However, no age record of repatriated children is kept.

• No case of children trafficked for camel racing is identified for last many year. Few years ago one case was traced and culprits were punished according to FIA officials.

• Adolescents are however smuggled (term used by FIA officials), indeed, “trafficked” for labor in European countries.

• During the assessment week, 370 persons were repatriated to Pakistan by Iran.

• On average 150 Pakistanis are repatriated per week.

• Some time a full batch of adolescents is repatriated. For instance, during second week of March 2007, batch of 48 Pakistani (all Punjabis) were repatriated. Out of these 48, 21 were adolescents of 13-14 years of age.

• Majority of repatriated Pakistanis belong to Northern Punjab, mainly district of Gujrat, Mandi Bahauddin, Gujranwala, Sialkot and Layya.

• According to Pakistani authorities, Iranian 1 Author is the president of Lahore based non-governmental organization SANJOG and also coordinating a national project IMTIZAJ co-funded by Groupe Developpement, European Union, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Luxemburg and Ecpat Luxemburg. However, responsibility of views expressed in this article remains solely with the author. Comments and queries can be sent to zubair.tahir@sanjog.org or 528-C, Faisal Town, Lahore, Pakistan. 2 Tahir. Z. Traffic of Punjabi Children to Europe: The Case of France, December 2005. Available at: http://www.childtrafficking.com/Docs/tahir_05_traffic_punjabi_children_to_france_20060223.pdf

Case of 12 year old child was cited by Incharge of Levies. The child belonged to Faisalabad Biological mother died. Lived with step mother. Father arranged his travel to Europe via

Taftan with the help of child trafficker. Was sexually abused during travel in

Pakistan and Iran. Arrested in Iran and repatriated. Father was contacted who told that child

left at his own, we are looking for him !

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border guards often “push-back” by force illegal emigrants of other origins such as Bangladesh, Afghanistan, India and some time of African origins.

• A case of few Bangladeshis who were repatriated by Iran to Pakistan (as they enter in Iran from Pakistan) and were kidnapped by some locals and then were sold for forced labor for many times, came into the limelight sometime back. Seher’s advocate defended the case of these victims.

• Mand Billo area of Kech district – some 150 km in the north of Jiwini coastal area (non-official border crossing with out immigration offices) has emerged as main route for illegal emigrants.

• An analysis of secondary data collected from Levies shows that there is clear increase in repatriated people every year. Taking repatriation of illegal immigrants as indicator of human smuggling and trafficking to and via Iran, one can see the increase in the phenomenon.

• A group of repatriated Punjabis and another group of Bangladeshis were also met in the detention cell. Group of Punjabis included one teenager from Sialkot (North Punjab). Telephonic contact was made to his family. Father informed that the child was sent to Iran for labor based on father’s own experience of Iran where he worked for few years and found that wages are relatively better.

Immediate recommendation to Levies regarding keeping the age record of repatriated person was accepted. Study recommends that though there is no need of intervention at Taftan for combating child trafficking for camel racing, however, intervention is required to reunify Punjabi children to their families as well as to rehabilitate them, since it is found that the children are trafficked with multiple attempts. A simple repatriation will let the room for another attempt. Mand Billo area needs to be scrutinized in term of human trafficking. Surely law enforcement agencies have to improve their control in this area. However for prevention, a long run solution would be the awareness-raising in northern Punjab districts since majority of repatriated people come from this area.

Repatriated Pakistani nationals by Iran at Taftan border 2003 2004 2005 January 184 213 360 February 66 95 121 March 129 302 266 April 339 581 360 May 536 1160 904 June 933 795 1030 July 683 443 1176 August 752 355 1831 September 915 817 1986 October 1210 1568 2642 November 457 1064 1479 December 505 680 633 Total 6709 8073 12788

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Ali: An Afghan refugee child from Quetta (Pakistan) trafficked to France 03/2006 Ali, 15, found by NGO ACLL at Paris living in street with some illegal immigrants. 03/2006 He is referred to shelter of NGO EMDH. 04/2006: Child’s situation presented to the prosecutor of the Republic for protection. 05/2006: Problem of homonymy: Ali’s file was closed at Prosecutor’s office. 05/2006: File re-opened with the efforts by EMDH. 06/2006: Having no identity papers, Ali was subjected to a medical test and declared, adult. 062006: EMDH file a petition to tribunal for children at Paris. 072006: EMDH sought help from Sanjog-Imtizaj to locate the family in the slums of Quetta-

Baloschistan. 08/2006: Judge ordered another medical test. Ali is again declared, adult. However EMDH is

convinced that the child is a minor and it is just the hardship and labor that made him physically strong.

08/2006: Sanjog-Imtizaj puts Seher in contact with EMDH and got located the family of Ali in one slum of Quetta.

08/2006: Imtizaj coordinator visited Ali’s family in Quetta (Hazarah – Shiite family speaks Persian, sought refuge at Quetta 1996 after Taliban came into power; very poor household). Few proves of child’s identity were gathered and sent to EMDH.

09/2006: Judge is not convinced by these proves (old papers in Persian). Verdict = Child is a clandestine adult (18 years old).

09/2006: Imtizaj coordinator wrote a letter to judge witnessing the condition of the family and declaration of parents regarding the age of child. EMDH filed an appeal to Higher Court.

10/2006: EMDH sought help of Afghan Embassy at Paris. Embassy endorsed child’s identity papers and issue Afghani passport mentioning his age.

01/2007: First hearing of the appeal. Court took the document for verification. 01/2007: Imtizaj coordinator visited EMDH to discuss the case and strategy for long-term

rehabilitation of the child. 03/2007: 2nd hearing. Arguments, verdict not given. 04/2007: 3rd hearing. Verdict: Child is handed over to the protection of Government, will be kept in

hostel and will be given technical education according to his aptitude till his 18 years.

Sanjog-Imtizaj, Seher, Groupe Developpement and EMDH along with the child, his parents and governmental child welfare department are working out a rehabilitation strategy for Ali after his 18

Actions taken by Sanjog-Imtizaj

A significant number of adolescents have been trafficked from Pakistan to Gulf and European countries to be exploited in clandestine labor. Research has shown that these children are mainly of Punjabi and Afghani origin and are mainly trafficked via Iran. The linkages are being built with organizations working against child trafficking in countries of destination in order to help trafficked children on one hand and to develop long-term coping strategies on the other. In case of Europe, linkages has bee developed with organizations (both governmental as well as non-governmental) working is Paris, notably France Terre D’Asile (FTDA), Aux Captifs La Liberation ( ACLL) and Enfants du Monde- Droits de l’Homme (EMDH) on non-governmental side and with Aide Social de l’Enfance (ASE) on governmental side. Sanjog-Imtizaj has been referred couple of cases of Punjabi and Afghani children by these

organizations during the 2006-2007. In case of Afghani children, local NGO ‘Seher’ at Quetta has linked up with organizations in France. The victim children have been helped out. A short documentary film (15 minutes) regarding the miseries of children in clandestine travel and at destination is also being prepared (supported by Groupe Developpement), in order to sensitize communities. Organizations on both ends (based on the profiles of children and information sought during action research) have agreed that long term solution for child trafficking (adolescents for labor) lies in countries of origin as most of the parents are deceived by traffickers.