US Criticises Kyrgyz Record on Human Trafficking

A US State Department report has found that Kyrgyzstan is not doing enough to combat international human trafficking. NBCentralAsia observers say the Kyrgyz authorities should introduce tougher penalties for law-breakers and crack down on corruption in the law-enforcement agencies.



In its annual report on human trafficking published on June 12, the State Department found that although the Kyrgyz government is making significant efforts to fight human trafficking, its prosecution record, level of protection for victims and preventive measures fall below minimum standards.



The state of affairs in Tajikistan and Kazakstan was found to be similar, although the latter country needs “close scrutiny”. Uzbekistan has made so little progress in preventing trafficking that the US is considering imposing sanctions against it.



According to the report’s authors, Kyrgyzstan is a source, transit point and destination for Kyrgyzstan nationals as well as people from Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and South Asia who become victims of forced labour and sexual exploitation.



Kyrgyzstan-based political observers believe the trade is fuelled by low living standards in the country and widespread corruption within government agencies.



Political scientist Mars Sariev says human trafficking has always been a characteristic of poor countries. Human trafficking breeds in countries where corruption flourishes because the authorities are weak and economic development is non existent.



The trade is promoted by corruption within law enforcement and the border control service, according to member of parliament Kubatbek Baibolov.



“Kyrgyzstan’s law-enforcement agencies make it easy to get hold of the documents needed by businesses involved in human trafficking,” he said.



Former interior minister Keneshbek Duyshebaev agrees, explaining that some police provide papers and protection for the front organisations that arrange cross-border human trafficking. He believes closer ties with law-enforcement agencies in neighbouring countries could help curb the problem.



“We should try to make [bilateral] agreements work. Human trafficking requires coordinated action among all the law-enforcement and security agencies of neighbouring countries,” he said.



Political scientist Toktogul Kakchekeev says stopping human trafficking requires higher standards in the police force, greater scrutiny of boder controls, tougher legislation on offences relating to trafficking and illegal entry, and reforms to make the Kyrgyz migration service fully comply with international standards.



(News Briefing Central Asia draws comment and analysis from a broad range of political observers across the region.)