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LETTER: Disregard for human life and dignity 'deserve strong condemnation'

Area activist says news about human trafficking in the area is heartbreaking; 'Workers are under attack the world over'

BarrieToday received the following letter from area labour activist Tshweu Moleme in the wake of our disturbing story about labour human trafficking in Simcoe County.
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What heartbreaking news it was to read that police had discovered a human-trafficking operation in our vicinity.

Who would’ve thought?

However, one can take comfort in news that police moved swiftly in dealing with such a disturbing operation, and I commend them for such good work. 

Now, the disregard for human life and dignity deserve strong condemnation. 

To place a human in such gravely, unsanitary living conditions, as seen in pictures (and subsequent interviews with the victims) accompanying news on the police bust, is unacceptable.

We cannot have vulnerable humans live in such living conditions, nor can we allow for them to be confined to unjust working conditions. 

As one of the victims put it in the BarrieToday story: “The environment was very chaotic. I was not happy working. We were literally slaves 24 hours a day, seven days a week...”

We cannot allow this to happen.

These workers deserve all protections afforded to any global citizen, be it under Canadian or international law, not dehumanizing living conditions they were found to be living under. 

Unfortunately, such human trafficking isn’t unique to Canada. It is happening in many countries around the world. It is happening because someone out there wants to use somebody’s pain; their tears and blood, to enrich themselves.

Their greed sees no pain and suffering, but money. That’s the problem - that’s the kind of mentality we, as communities, need to focus in on and challenge, head-on! 

Workers (labour) are under attack, the world over. They are enslaved into dire living and working conditions. They are lied to and promised a better life, someplace else, far, far away, from their native home. Workers are being taken advantage of. This is a problem. 

It is unacceptable that someone could be working, but are unable to see their pay-cheque. What kind of life is that? 

It is unacceptable that someone’s work could so easily be turned into some form of illegal imprisonment, where labour laws are deemed inapplicable or trampled upon. 

It is unacceptable that any worker is expected to be submissive and voiceless in their place of work or brought into Canada as some form of controlled body of labour. 

While I welcome quick moves to make sure that victims of human trafficking in this particular case are safe, properly sheltered, etc., I still have a lot of questions for businesses that they worked for

Questions on what kind of vetting process they have for agencies  they do business with; the money the workers make ($21 per hour via contractor, in one case), and so on. However I do realize that the priority, at this time, is making sure that victims are safe. 

I commend community groups and churches, who’ve also moved swiftly in helping as best they can. This is a serious case, deserving of such quick response.

There’s still a lot of work to be done. 

According to the United Nations, human trafficking is the world’s third largest crime, with about 30% of the victims being children. 

Although this particular case deals with human trafficking as it pertains to forced work, and while the human vulnerability to labour markets has got to be addressed, too,  it must be understood that trafficking can also operate in many other ways

For example, there’s sexual exploitation, forced marriages, and illegal organ removal operations. These traffickings are a global problem we need to nip. 

We cannot allow greed-driven business(es) to thrive on the blood, sweat, and tears of people. We must hold them accountable!

Our action starts with little things, such as awareness; knowing your rights as a worker and using that voice you have. We have to speak up when we see such injustices, anywhere! 

Tshweu Moleme is an Orillian and labour activist. He can be reached at [email protected].

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