June 2017
RMMSRMMS Briefing Briefing Paper Paper 4: Human4: Human Smuggling Smuggling – no – victimlessno victimless crime crime those onthemove victimless crime:Voices from Human Smuggling -No Text 1 Abstract: Written By:Migrantsonthemove&4Mimonitors;compiled byRMMSEast This seriesproducedbyRMMSshowcaseskey issuesinmixed migration,highlightsnewresearchanddiscussesemergingtrends. Horn of Africa A compilationofquotesandstoriesfrommigrantsrefugeesmigratingoutthe having manysimilaritieswithhuman trafficking,isveryfarfrombeingavictimlesscrime. of facilitation migrants. practices towards abusive of forms various well as as migration the both smuggling, human that They illustrate in officials state certain of involvement of levels high to point also quotes trajectories. The accountjourneys and provide avivid migration are facingduring their migrants abuses and harsh various ofthe paper.in this thematically presented and are Allduring migration and protectionissues rights human to refer quotes 3,500almost with Ethiopia, from migrants 2014late between locations various in and Eritrea Somalia and April 2017 them. interviewed who those and to themselves, been takenhave selected quotes The conducted interviews from migrants the to full authorship gives and therefore migrants the to direct voice a paper gives this migrants, these Horn of the of out routes seekersasylum migration along various about move writing on the Insteadof are who Africa. All 2 evidence Africa and quotes tocontactRMMS [email protected]. quotes and This paper presents a selection of quotes and stories, takenand stories, quotes paper presents aselection of This and by migrants quotes a collection655 of from compilation based used Yemen (2017). Human are resource self-reported by Bram and Frouws therefore Smuggling –novictimlesscrime:voices from thoseonthemove.RMMS,Nairobi. by migrants, (Coordinator) encourages and RMMS and anyone Olivia and who Akumu DRC disagrees cannot (Senior verify with Project the the Officer) presentation accuracy of RMMS of any or can East quote offer Africa and Yemen Africa in 2 this clarifications & Yemen. report. RMMS Citation: regarding aims Page 1 RMMS to migrant be 1 East an RMMS Briefing Paper 4: Human Smuggling – no victimless crime migration aswellvariousformsofabusivepracticestowardsmigrants. facing are migrants abuses harsh and various the of facilitation the of both in migration. during officials state certain of involvement levelsof high to point also quotes The account vivid and shocking a provide quotes These journeys. All quotes presented below are structured thematically and refer to human rights and protection issues during migration monitors. and in remote full circumstances locations, authorshipofthispaper is given to themigrantsthemselves and the4Mi difficult under migrants these of stories the collected have who monitors 4Mi the of work the and this recognizing In violated allalongtheroute. are rights human these which to extent the to speak paper this in presented are that quotes non-negotiable. The are they may have little chance to be allowed to stay in their chosen destination countries – ultimately, basic human rights whether some of these migrants have deliberately chosen to take all the risks of migration – knowing that in some cases whose asylumclaimsare rejected countries, whatshouldhappenthose and to asylum andresidenceindestination to Putting aside around the legalstatusofthesepeople, discussions and policy whether these migrantshave a right life elsewhere. better a find to and home back circumstances the escape to order in takerisks, and incredible behind everything leave might get lost and stories it is individual easy to the forget that migration, behind every mixed single number,of there understanding is evidence-baseda human and being, someone solid who decided more to a up build to necessary and percentages. and numbers of form the in useful presented While been far,mostly So have project 4Mi the from results 655 quotesfrommigrantsonthemove. of collection revealing and rich a provided ongoing) are (interviews far so Takeninterviews 3,500 almost together,the basis. continuous a on journey the along experiences their about migrants the from statements qualitative collect also While primarily designed to collect comparable data, using coded and quantifiable interview questions, the 4Mi monitors Uganda, Djibouti, Africa, South Egypt, in interviewed Somalia, Kenya andLibya. numbers largest the with smugglers, 150 3,500 over almost and interviewed programme migrants Yemenand Africa East 4Mi the 2017, April and 2014 November the Between other migrationroutesin West Africa, North Africa and Central and South Asia. of smugglers. Monitors are located in hubs, from Norway to role South Africa, while the project is expanding globally to cover the the and countries, on destination information risks, protection in-depth conditions, journey collect migration, of to drivers migrants, application of surveyprofiles mobile-based a using basis, continuous a on smugglers) (and migrants interview occurs,Monitors move. the movement on migrants from migrant directly information and primary of wealth smuggling of collects 4Mi migrant which through hubs migration key at stationed (enumerators) monitors of network a Through Africa. of Horn the of out corridors migration major along flows migration mixed on Mechanism initiative, and analysedata Migration Monitoringor4Mi approach tocollect - an innovative,low-cost In 2014, the Regional Mixed Migration Secretariat (RMMS)project named introducedanewdata collection theMixed Introduction 1. Similarly, 3 smuggler these quoteswillfeature inanupcomingRMMSbriefingpaper onmigrantsmuggling. networks, 152
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security provided issues a collection and the business hundreds model of quotes and economics from smugglers around on migrant how they smuggling. operate A Page within selection wider 2 of RMMS Briefing Paper 4: Human Smuggling – no victimless crime Map 1: B U Migrant quotes 2. F R A K S I O T M N O 2016. male,26-year oldEritrean January deprivation ofmedication.” treatment,and harassment, inhuman occasions, Iexperienced, torture, inwhich different “I wasarrestedonseven A A G A O B
L L Somalia female, June 2016. trial.”23-yearwithout old country foralongperiod oftime “Migrants arejailedinthis Ethiopian female, August 2016. and came toNairobi.”21-year old I escapedbefore 90days sexobjectfor as a labourandsubjected metoforced used by thebroker and localcommunity, who raped“I onmultiple was occasions, both E I G Quotes frommigrantsalongmixed migration routesfromtheHornof N prison.” for illegalentry andspent 2monthsin “We werearrestedin Harare, Zimbabwe January 2016. E I maintain refugeestatus” (bribes) toHome Affairs of South Africa in orderto “It isamustthatyoushouldkeep paying money male, August 2015. male, August
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I male Eritrean, June 2016 the bordersuccessfully.”cross 19-year old disappeared. managed to Onlyus twoof dead. my companions wereshot One at theborderofEritreanand Sudan. Two of opened gunfireonus, “The borderguards A one narrow room.” one narrow people in prison beingconfined withsomany anyquestion.Iinthe sufferedseverely without put intoprisonat Tai’zz months forfour towards with myfriend Saudi [Arabia]…I was walkingalong bypolice while arrested “I was male, December 2016. 25-year old Somali male, August 2016. trial. labourtoo.” forced There was no with twomonths prisonfor in “I was I 31-year old Somali male,March2016. impunity and conscript young with total marryyounggirls forcefully not cooperate withthem.does They andhuman life endangersanybody who “Al-Shabaab isaneminentthreatto RA DJIBOUTI
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C E A A N R L Page I A I RA men.” N 3 RMMS Briefing Paper 4: Human Smuggling – no victimless crime All 4 conscripts. of proportion significant a for indefinitely practice, In Service. National of period month 18 an undertake to Eritrean adult every requires 1995, in law by established applications. system, asylum This Eritrean in factor predominant a been has which Service, National the to conscription to refer Eritreans interviewed the of Many Europe. to migration of drivers ‘economic’ and ‘forced’ between relationship overlapping and complex a often is there Europe, to migration on report way, the along change especially in may the context of and refugees engaging multiple in so-called onward and movement. mixed As noted are in the recent leaving for reasons the Often space. protection weak a and governance poor poverty, persecution, conflict, including reasons, various for origin of countries their leave Migrants Reasons forleaving as such issues protection on focus particular a incidents. ransom with and kidnapping and abuse topics, physical abuse, sexual several deaths, migrant cover below, presented quotes migrant The Background conscription andoppressionastheprimarypushfactors. Somalia andisoneofthemainreasonsforleaving. Shabaab by Al presence continued the leaving for reasons various among quotes their of some way, the along experiences their directly relate to why they started their journey in the first place. Asabout the quotes below highlight, in the case of Somalia, out speak to migrants directed survey 4Mi the While community and family circumstances (7percent)andgeneralpersonalorfamilysafetyfactors(includingconflict)(6percent). personal, percent), (10 migration about perception positive a percent), (17 factors percent), (20 economic reasons’ competing various but reason dominant single ‘no by followed closely reason, common most the as corruption) and service military forced discrimination, ethnic or tribal oppression, including percent; (36 factors political cite project, 4Mi the by interviewed takentogether) countries three all (from migrants origin, of country their leaving for drivers. reason migration primary of the Asked nature about mixed the confirms project 4Mi the from Data or access healthcareandeducation. to leave their homes due to conflict subsequently decided to move on again because they were unable to make a living effectively became refugees and were forced to move due to the situation in Libya and elsewhere. Others who decided 3,500 interviewswith migrantsonthemove. almost on based issues, protection on data quantitative more present will protection, 2017)on July by released be (to Paper Briefing RMMS upcoming an move, the on migrants of stories qualitative the presents paper this while Finally, migrant untold but similar, of stories. thousands are there interviews, 4Mi through collected story migrant single every for significantly,More quotes. 655 of collection the in quotes similar of dozens are there quote, every and topic every For migrants arebeingheldforransomuntilsomeonepaystheirrelease. is committed by either traffickers or smugglers or by state officials; sexual violence isalso used ameans clustered oftorture when While reading. background for violence and abuse sexual cases many in example, For publications quotes. these between overlap thematically,significant is there research recent other to references with introductions short Amnesty 7 MEDMIG, 5 Mixed MigrationMonitoring Mechanism-4Mi
on South 7 Eritreans smartphones. 8 and National
assessment Africa aboutexperiencesin drivers interviewed by 4Mi by interviewed Service For of for Mediterranean ease in Somalia. conscription has been extended been has conscription International, Eritrea of thequote of to the security situation in the security remains athreatto reading, has Somalia. Available migration created Somalia. spelling intact indeed forced predominantly cite 4 October 2015. Each thematic section includes section thematic Each September 2016. at: a and errors in generation 10 The 9 mixed in migrants facing A risks years. recent serious in studies and numerous common in reported most as flows, the migration of one is (SGBV) violence based gender and Sexual Sexual abuse criminal groups along migration routes through Libya. through routes migration along groups criminal trafficking”. sex as Europe in interviewed women Nigerian well as journeys, their for pay of to sex transactional in engage to having percent including exploitation of experiences described 80 “over researchers, MEDMIG the to According smugglers. of girls, particularly sub-Saharan Africans, face significant societal, sexual, and gender-based violence,” often at the hands 11 after havingbeenraped. Italy in pregnant arrived girls the of some and Libya, in while prostitution into forced and assaulted sexually are boys (MMP), RMMS, 12 13 Heaven 16 Mixed 14 15 UNICEF, 19 Amnesty 18 17 “I washandedoverbysmugglerstotraffickers, whiletravelingfrom Shagarab refugeecamptoKhartouminaplacecalled by asmanythreemenadayforaboutonemonth,becauseIinitiallywasfightingtodefendmyself Hajer. Iwasforcedtopayaransomof USD 3,000formyrelease.Iwastorturedalloverbody, andrapedseveraltimes leaving thecountry, theauthoritieswillarrestyouandputinjailor atleastinterrogateyou,especiallyifyouarefrom “Forceful conscriptionbytheLiyouPolice [aparamilitarypoliceforceinEthiopia]istheorderofdayandifyourefuse I wasreleasedafteronemonth,becausemyrelativespaidtheransom.wenttoKhartoumandfoundmyselfpregnant “The humanrightsviolationinEthiopiaisverybadandsmugglerspoliceareviolatingtheofmigrants IOM, Human UN RMMS, woman, becausesherefusedtosatisfytheirneeds. They alsoforcedmigrantstotake drugsto Sudan, whichisillegalin RMMS, “The generalfeelingwhenyouareatthebordertownofMoyale[betweenEthiopiaandKenya] isthatifsuspectedof to travelfreelythroughtheircountry. The smugglersandpolicearebeatingrapingwomenevenburnedone velopment/2017/feb/12/ethiopia-state-of-emergency-anger-oromo-people> 26/05/2017). (lastaccessed: 26/05/2017)accessed: 26/05/2016).searchInitiatives/Blinded_by_Hope.pdf> (lastaccessed: www.regionalmms.org/trends/RMMS%20Mixed%20Migration%20Annual%20Trends%20Analysis%202016.pdf> 26/05/2017). (lastaccessed: 26/05/2017).gration%20crisis%20in%20serbia.pdf?vs=3308> (lastaccessed: org/-/media/field%20office%20eca/attachments/publications/country/serbia/gender%20assessment%20of%20the%20refugee%20and%20mi- 26/05/2017).an> (lastaccessed: org/emergencies/childrenonthemove/files/Child_Alert_Final_PDF.pdf> 26/05/2016). (lastaccessed: and december_2016_0.pdf> 26/05/2017). (lastaccessed: at: Mogherini. step Letter Migration ‘Libya can migration Data Monthly Knowledge Katharine Women of UNWOMEN Ethiopia’s on the is and full Ethiopia way: of in and Summaries. Research: in the of the Jones, , 2015. A Attitudes state cruelty’: girls refugee Horn harrowing to , Simon on the of 15 Available of A MEDMIG project theMEDMIG emergency the stories Available and Africa global EU and as aresultoftherape.” McMahon move: journey High migration Practices at: that country.” and of review Representative South abduction, A at: from from at: Available UNICEF Europe? figures in 2014 in figures July 2016. Tracing Gender Mediterranean . Available Practices Eritreans of Based about it.” of sexual violence, it is likely the actual prevalence of SGBV is SGBV of prevalence actual the likely is it violence, sexual of 23 money.” Dead 21 at: of in Violence Migration Ethiopian and search Meron and 22-year-old November2016 Eritreanmale,interviewedinEgyptaboutexperiencesEritrea. Migration African West: 25-year-old Ethiopianmale,interviewedinEgyptaboutexperiences 19-year-old Eritreanmale,interviewedinEgyptaboutexperiencesEritrea. Mixed One disappeared. One disappeared. Only twoofusmanagedtocrossthebordersuccessfully.” Arwa fatalities: 2017. “My childdiedintheLibyandesertandweweredetainedcontainers.” Estefanos, contemporary transit Migration Damon, Eritrea Monthly the , it was reported that passengers often fall out of the back of pick-ups and are injured are pick-upsand of back the of out fall often passengers that reported was it , migration Conny 33 2016/2017. 2013. number 32 Summary. in Commonly, the drivers do not stop for those who have fallen out. Furthermore, out. fallen have who those for stop not do drivers the Commonly, the mixed Rijken, Sahara Horn through of abuse andthelackofmedicalcare.” Available migrant Available migration consistently indicate consistently 2012. of desert Africa Libya Human deaths deaths: at: at: and trends to RMMS Briefing Paper 4: Human Smuggling – no victimless crime the desert, among other reasons, in vehicle accidents due to overcrowding, bad roads and dangerous driving. RMMS, 36 recognised asespeciallyvulnerabletoprotectionrisks. are status, social and development emotional and physical of level their of virtue by children, Moreover, risks. these language skills, lack of a support network, limited awareness about the area and limited funds – could further compound of lack documentation, lack status, separated/unaccompanied their as such – encounter, vulnerabilities adults specific fatalities. Some of the quotes in this section, indeed refer to carelessness of smugglers when the driving of through most, the not desert. if many, for indirectly or directly culpable are accidents.Smugglers as seen merely be cannot deaths but not all, migrants move through deserts under the aegis of smugglers or independent transporters, IOM argues their UNICEF, 37 UNICEF, 35 IOM, 34 abuse. physical other or beating suffered had half about while abuse, emotional a to According migrant and children. refugees facing risks protection specific the as harm psychological and physical as well as exploitation, An 2017April care. and protection of bereft them leave further move the on children protect to meant services and In itsmostrecentreport on childmigration(A a is Child policies laws, Child) the in gaps serious that concluded UNICEF Children’s experiences most fourth the are accidents vehicle that indicate common cause of death (11 percent of Africa reported deaths). sub-SaharaAs IOM noted in in deaths migrant reported on data 4Mi The youth on the move are multiple. are move the on youth report RMMS the in described As them. and exploit abuse who others and traffickers for prey easy become can move the on children alone, often and unprotected, of abuse than boys. Furthermore, of the 5,000 deaths at the Mediterranean Sea crossing, there were an estimated an were there crossing, children, Sea 700 Mediterranean the at deaths 5,000 the of Furthermore, boys. than abuse of UNICEF, 38 UNICEF, 39 “I’ve heardaboutmanymigrantswhohavebeenkilledbycaraccidents, because thesmugglersdriveacaroverloadedand “We were32peopledepartingbyasmallboat,tocrosstheNileRivertravelfrom Shagarab refugeecamptoKhartoum. “The Sudanese brokers andborderguardsareverycrueldangerous. They don’tcareforhumanlife. So fourmigrants at high speed. at highspeed. Three peopleinmygroupwerekilledbyacaraccident, becausethedriverwasdrunkandeightothersgot Suddenly the boat sank, and nine people died. Suddenly theboatsank,andninepeopledied. The restofuswhocrossedandsurvivedfromtheriver, weretrafficked by “About fivepick-ups fullofimmigrantswerethere–aboutathreehoursdrivefromHajer [Sudan]. Traffickers shoton us Sudanese people. They beatus.Fortunatelymeandonemanwereabletoescape,leavingtheother21peoplebehind.” died because of their excessive physical abuse and rape, including a child of 14 years old. died becauseoftheirexcessive physicalabuseandrape,includingachildof14yearsold. They alsoburnedsomeofthe “The migrantswereharmedbybrokers, policeandothers. All migrantswerebeatenandwomenraped,including “The EritreanborderguardscaughtuswhilecrossingthefromForto Sawa. They beatusbrutally, andrapedus. 26/05/2017).publications/index_95956.html> (lastaccessed: regionalmms.org/images/ResearchInitiatives/Young%20and%20on%20the%20Move%20Sep%202016.pdf> 26/05/2017). (lastaccessed: 26/05/2017). (lastaccessed: tingtheuncounted.pdf> 2017. 2017. 2017. IOM while wejoinedtheothers. One ofthepickupscrashedandabout12peoplewereheavilyinjured.” Fatal according to UNICEF to according report by report UNICEF,and IOM UNHCR Young A A and A UNICEF Deadly Deadly child Journeys: 32-year-old Ethiopianfemale, interviewedinEgyptaboutexperiences UNHCR, 45-year-old Ethiopianmale,interviewedinEgyptaboutexperiences in 24-year-old Ethiopianmale,interviewedinEgyptaboutexperiences and 15-year-old Eritreanmale,interviewed inEgyptaboutexperiences 18-year-old May2016. Eritreanfemale,interviewedinEgyptaboutexperiencesEritrea. is 28-year-old Ethiopianmale,interviewedinEgyptaboutexperiences 25-year-old Ethiopianmale,interviewedinEgyptaboutexperiences 26-year-old Eritreanmale,interviewedinEgyptaboutexperiences Journey Journey on a Child: Tracking ulse i Fbur 21, ot f h cide arvn i Erp rpr vra or verbal report Europe in arriving children the of most 2017, February in published study the 2017. “The smugglersrapedthemigrants,includingchildrenof15 and16.” Move: for for children of13 and14yearsold,byborderguardsbrokers.” Protecting Refugee Children: Children: Lives They alsosoldustoRashaidatraffickers thenextday.” 36 Children While the threats that children and youth encounter could be similar to the threats the to similar be could encounter youth and children that threats the While . migrants andtransferredtotheothersmugglers.” 39 In a recent IOM survey, IOM recent a In Lost and The The children during and Migrant Central Central youth on Migration. Mediterranean Mediterranean the Children- in Young and on the Move the on and Young lists family separation, detention, sexual and gender based violence, based gender and sexual detention, separation, family lists seriously injured.” mixed move Available from migration Including Migration Migration violence, quoted by UNICEF by quoted at: flows Unaccompanied is young 17-year-old Eritreanmale,interviewedinEgyptaboutexperiencesEgypt.March2016. commotion? of 2016. Libya at: Coalition, a Institute, smuggling 47 South: Inhumane child: RMMS Briefing Paper 4: Human Smuggling – no victimless crime key concerns around the poor conditions in detention centers, the detention of vulnerable groups such as children seekers. asylum as and migrants detaining such while process due follow groups to authorities by vulnerable failure and adults) of with (detained detention the centers, detention in conditions poor the around concerns key care andlegalassistance. reported harsh conditions such as poor nutrition and sanitation, significant overcrowding and a lack of access to health detention centres by traffickers, torturing them to extort payment from their families, with the complicity of local of complicity the with families, their officials, as from payment extort to them torturing traffickers, by centres detention seekersin asylum Additionally,and migrants migrant in held Yemen,and particular,kidnapped in often are Ethiopians s sfgad gis abtay eeto ad en ta a esn ne ars sol b bogt before brought be should arrest under person arrest. their a after soon court a into that or judge means and detention arbitrary against safeguard a is corpus seekers indefinitely. asylum detain could Israel Law, Infiltration of Prevention Israel’s of version previous a under while year, one to up of period a for desert Negev the in located facility detention Holot the in detained regularly seekersare asylum example, applied and migrants stay in detention centres or regular prisons without trial and for long periods of time. In is common throughout the region and along migration routes beyond. routes migration along and region the throughout common is detention Arbitrary “unacceptable” conditions at most facilities. by 4Mioftensaidthesame: Eleanor 53 vessels in the Mediterranean Sea has reported being either a direct victim or a witness to severe levels of violence, of levels severe to witness including torture,a in multiple locations throughout their harrowing journey from Eritrea to Europe. or victim direct a either being reported has Sea Mediterranean the in vessels seekers asylum and Migrants UNICEF, 51 50 In 2017,April Every sea. at and Libya in Ethiopia, in – to Europe try they reach as migrants and seekers asylum refugees, 65,000 than more to assistance provided has MSF 2015, Since Physical abuse bought and sold openly in modern-day “slave markets” in Libya. While, as concluded in the article, trafficked people trafficked article, the in concluded as While, Libya. in markets” “slave modern-day in openly sold and bought 52 RMMS, 55 MSF, 57 Human 56 RMMS, 54 IOM, 59 The 58 deprivation ofmedication. There weretwowomeninmateswhomtheprisonguardstooktorapethemandweneversaw “When travellingwewereextremelycrowded,suffocatedandgivenwatermix Global RMMS, were walkingtowards Saudi Arabia andputintoprisonin Tai’zz forfourmonthswithoutbeinggivenanyreasonmy arrest. Isufferedseverelyintheprisonbeingconfinedwithsomanypeopleonenarrowroom.thinkitwasinhuman “My friendandIwereseparatedfromthegroupafterlandingoncoastof Yemen. We werearrestedbypoliceaswe and aviolationofourfundamentalrights,tohaveputusinprisonforsuchlongtimewithnoquestionswithout Besides, theywereveryindifferenttouswithwhateveraspectsandtreatedrudelyuntilwe,alongother300 26/05/2017).ResearchInitiatives/Behind_Bars_the_detention_of_migrants_in_and_from_the_East___Horn_of_Africa_2.pdf> (lastaccessed: 26/05/2017).(last accessed: tion 12582223da6980ee1974a772c14/a-deadl-journey-for-children---unicef-report-data.pdf> 26/05/2017). (lastaccessed: 26/05/2017).(last accessed: www.regionalmms.org/index.php/research-publications/feature-articles/item/3-between-a-wall-and-hard-place-examining-israel-s-volunt> to 38-year-old Ethiopianmale,interviewedinDjiboutiaboutexperiences in Learns Project, mixed Goodman, reach 54 20-year-old Eritrean female,interviewedinEgyptaboutexperiencesEgypt. Migrants bars: 26-year-old Eritreanmale,interviewedinMaltaaboutexperiencesLibya. 23-year-old 2014. Journey a “Migrants arejailedinthiscountryforalongperiodoftimewithouttrial.” wall them again.Finally, Ipaidabribeof USD 1,200 togetoutoftheprison.” migration of Europe: the at: 2015. 51 58 Yemen: ‘Slave reported, based on information from information on based reported, and from detention Detention. in Women held in detention centres in western Libya, accessed by Available of ‘sold ‘Torture Mediterranean and safety. Endangering Human Israel’s from in 56 Libyan Available Camps’: at: Available the Eritrean interviewed by MSF teams MSF by interviewed Eritrean Rights voluntary RMMS Briefing Paper 4: Human Smuggling – no victimless crime Mirjam 63 62 Mirjam 64 RMMS, 61 between However, new abductions in Sudan are still being reported, and interviews in Cairo as part of RMMS field research previouslyfield were that RMMS kidnap-for-ransom operations the of of some that suggested part 2016, in trafficking as and smuggling Cairo on in interviews and reported, Egyptianmilitary being still ongoing are Sudan andamid in subsided. have abductions 2013, to new However, believed by are Sinai up the in operations trafficking dried region, almost the in militants Islamist having against operations Egypt from Israel into flows irregular With captured migrantsaboard. with points check crossing vehicles to eye a blind turn or stations, police in traffickers to victims over hand would who some In trafficking. cases, of these abductions context were facilitated the by collusion between within traffickersdied and Sudanesehave and and Egyptianto police andestimated military mid-2010 are who 10,000 between and 5,000 Egypt between with 2013, and and Sudan between desert Sinai the in November 2013. It is estimated migrants between 25,000 and 30,000 people were Eritrean victims of trafficking in the Sinai between of 2009 thousands of torture between Life and Death’ and Life between Mogos 60 Between 2012 and2014, to academics by linked been has and falling actors, of number a by widely sexual reported from risk been at has particularly phenomenon are This captives violence. Female free. them set to funds the raise to their able to are phone they the until on relatives, while often tortured, and abused repeatedly and months to weeks for conditions appalling in held reportedly are women and Men release. large their extort secure to to families their groups and/or captives criminal their by from money used of sums often tactic a is ransom for migrants of torture subsequent and kidnap The Kidnapping andransom organ and abuse harvesting. Smugglers, policeofficers,andborderofficialsarereportedtobethebiggestperpetratorsofsuchabuse. physical extreme to confinement, and water and food of deprivation from stretching behaviour of heard about instances of physical abuse in 2,416 occasions. The types of physical abuse or reported covered witnessed a whole range experienced, had they that indicated respondents interviews, 3,500 almost Of journeys. migration their during experienced abuses of range vast a about migrants from reports corroborates project 4Mi RMMS’s from Data IOM from testimony new the suggests thatthetradeinhumanbeingshasbecomesonormalisedpeoplearebeingtradedpublic. labour, slave and extortion violence, reported previously have Libya through passing but becomevictimsoftraffickingalongtheway. “There werepeoplewholivinginthecampnexttomeabductedbytraffick “After IescapedEritreato Saudi Iwasexploitedandnot paidas Arabia, Iwasconfinedinahousetoworkashousemaid. Sinai desertwheretheywereheldforransom. Unfortunately, mostofthemdidnotmake itthroughthebrutaltortures.” seashore, butluckilysavedbyindividualspassingby. Iwastaken tohospital.Itwas asadincident.Iamnowamputated “I don’tknowhowIcanexplaintheharassmentandphysicalabusewereceived Human “People oftengomissing,gethijacked, heldcaptiveforransom, andevenabusedbythepolicesomelocals. The il/Units/Trafficking/MainDocs/Small_HumanTrafficking-Sinai2-web-4.pdf> 26/05/2017). (lastaccessed: hrw.org/report/2014/02/11/i-wanted-lie-down-and-die/trafficking-and-torture-eritreans-sudan-and-egypt> 26/05/2017). (lastaccessed: sionPapers/Beyond_Definitions.pdf> 26/05/2017). (lastaccessed: 26/05/2017).(last accessed: www.mensenhandelweb.nl/system/files/documents/14%20apr%202014/Report_Human_Trafficking_in_the_Sinai_Final_Web%281%29.pdf> Available at: at: the Available blur the defining lines refugees. Research shows of Smuggling 69 Traffickers Africa Inversely,these operations which theimpunity in monthly basis. monthly in Available 67 Yemen. Sudan. The traffickers torturedmeforabout of in Sudan. a Migrants. Sudan. December2015. Sudan. November2016. Climate Available at: Sudan. Sudan. May2016. Sudan. that in many transit and destination thatinmanytransit RMMS Briefing Paper 4: Human Smuggling – no victimless crime against them,includingphysicalandsexualabuse,robbery, andholdingthemforransom. Reports from migrants also indicated that state officials were at times responsible for perpetrating human rights abuses smuggling to eye a blind turning activities (15percent)andextortingmigrants(10percent),amongothers. officers included also but responses, of percent form 51 biggest for the accounting far involvement, by of was bribes of receipt The watch. their under happening were operations smuggling human waywhere some in orrewarded paid involved, unofficially were officers military and coastguard officers, immigration police, including officials, government that indicated respondents of percent 27 that shows project 4Mi the from Data circumventing of official asylum procedures themselves. The acts these in participating actively or others, by conducted being abuses or operations smuggling to eye a blind turning from ranging varies, operations smuggling human with interact officials public which to extent The 70 seekers andmigrantsarrivinginEuropeviathe Western Balkanroute 71 the migrants. One nighttheystartedrapingfemalemigrantsforcefullyonebyandalsoarrangedforthepoliceofficers "The governmentborderguardsandpoliceofficesaredirectlyinvolved inthesmugglingbusinessandtheyareabusing "Yes therewerehighlevelsofhumanrightsabusesin Sudan. The smugglersandgovernmentofficialsarestronglyworking “In Komatipoort [South Africa] areathestateofficialsaredirectlyinvolvedinsmugglingofmigrantsacrossborder. back tosmugglers. They alsorapedthewomenbyforceandsmugglerskilledsomemigrantsin Sahara desert. “The relationshipbetweenthepolice,borderguardsandsmugglersmadesituationverydifficult. to besoldothersmugglersorkidnappers. So becauseoftheexcessive rapingandphysicalabusemanymigrantsdiedin back themtothesmugglers. Then thesmugglersdowhattheylike. The borderguardsandmilitaryweretake money caught, theysaidwehadtoaddextramoney, sothattheycouldrescueusandgivethepolicelike USD 300andtake the policeandborderguardsareworkingwith Sudanese borderguardsonarrangementsforhumanbodytraffickers." Gallabat toKhartoumbyfootandlorrywastheworstofall. The borderguardsandpolicein Al Qadarif arrestedmigrants Khartoum wewerearound45peopleloadedonapickupcarandsomeothers,theystartedbeatingharassing arranging forothersmugglersthosearekidnappingthemigrant theirevilworkofhumanbeingbodytrafficking. the Sahara desertnearthe Sudan-Egypt border. They alsorobbedusofourmoneyandotherproperty. There isexcessive “The twocarsweweretravellingwithshotatandmanypeopleothersfelloutofthecar. We thinkit to rapethewomenmigrants.However, whenthemigrantsrefusedobey, theybeatthemigrantsandarrangedfor them women including girls of 14 years old. women includinggirlsof14yearsold. They wouldalsopushmigrantstocarrycannabisandkhatinto Sudan, whereitis rights ofmigranttomoveintheircountries. They arebeatingthemigrantsandrapingwomenforextramoneyalso OXFAM, RMMS, illegal. When migrantsrefusedtodothatand asked togobacktheirhomes,nooneheardwhat theysaid. The police certain houseinNaas Township orMalelaniwithoutfoodforsomedaysandeachmigrantwillbesetfreeafterhepays together fortheirpersonalbenefit. Whenmigrantsescapefromsmugglersthepoliceorborderguardsarrestandbring “The policeandborderguardsabusedmigrants’rightsbyarresting them[whentheyhadescaped]andhanding “I don’thavethewordstodescribehumanrightsabusesin Sudan. When westartedourjourneyfrom Gallabat to In factIwassurprisedtoseemigrantsareferriedacrosstheborderusingapolicevanandlatertheydroppedat “The police,borderguardsandmilitarywereviolenttowardsmigrants. Together theywouldimprison,beatandrape and asked formoneyandalsorapedthewomenincludingchildrenaged15 and16. They kidnappedthewomenand feature-articles/item/40-protection-for-sale-the-big-south-african-asylum-racket> 26/05/2017). (lastaccessed: pushback-migrants-refugees-060417-en_0.pdf> 26/05/2017) (lastaccessed: “They [smugglers]phonedtheirpolicefriendstogivedirectionswheretheywerekeeping usandwhenweallgot was Egyptianborderpolice. We couldn’tseeanyone,onlyshouting.People are still missinginthedesert.” 2015. 2017. Protection A separated familiesbecauseofextrapaymentandtransferredthemtothe Sinai desert.” Dangerous 36-year-old Ethiopianmale,interviewedinEgyptaboutexperiencesEthiopia. 41-year-old 25-year-old November2016. Ethiopianmale,interviewed inEgyptaboutexperiencesEthiopia. 32-year-old Ethiopianmale,interviewedinEgyptabouthisexperiences 27-year-old Ethiopianmale,interviewedinEgyptaboutexperiences 27-year-old Ethiopian male,interviewedinEgyptaboutexperiences In the Sinai deserthumanbodyorgantraffickers receivedthembeforetheydied.” 23-year-old Ethiopianmale,interviewedinEgyptaboutexperiencesEgypt. 41-year-old Ethiopianmale,interviewedinEgyptaboutexperiences for and borderguardsweredirectlyinvolvedintraffickinghumanbeings.” sale: ‘Game’. Somali male,interviewedinDenmarkaboutexperiences from migrantsandleavesomeinthe Sahara desert." the Available big South 8,000 Rand,orequivalentof USD 800.” 4Mi monitor, African at: 70 human rightsabusein Sudan.” for bribes by South African immigration officials and the abuse of asylum 71 hasbeenwelldocumented. See our websites www.regionalmms.org and http://4mi.regionalmms.org Follow RMMS on Twitter @Mixed_Migration The content of this paper is entirely the responsibility of the RMMS East Africa & Yemen and the authors and in no way could be taken to reflect the position of its hosting agency the Danish Refugee Council, other members of the Steering Committee or any of the donors who have contributed to this paper by supporting the RMMS and the 4Mi project. Cover photo: Abbie Trayler-Smith/ Panos RMMS Briefing Paper 4: Human Smuggling – no victimless crime RMMS Briefing Paper 4: Human www.regionalmms.org