Human Trafficking and Trauma in the Digital Era

Description

Eritrean refugees crisscross between countries in the Horn of Africa and North Africa in search of a safe place. Along their journeys, they are looted, threatened, intimidated, violated, and held for ransom. This book revisits the human trafficking crisis that first emerged in the Sinai at the end of 2008 and examines the expansion of human trafficking of Eritrean refugees and other forms of exploitation beyond the Sinai. It focuses on the modus operandi of these practices and on identifying their key facilitators and beneficiaries. The book locates the origin of these practices within Eritrea; it reveals how a deliberate policy of impoverishment and human rights abuses has driven the people out of the country, and how individuals within Eritrea, and particularly within the ruling party, benefit from the smuggling and trafficking of Eritrean refugees. The use of information communication technologies (ICTs) is identified as key to the new modus operandi of this criminal business and is found to further facilitate widespread collective trauma amongst Eritreans, who witness the abuse of their family members and fellow nationals through digital networks. An entire section in this book is dedicated to assessing the extent and effects of individual and collective trauma caused by Sinai trafficking and to examining potential approaches to healing. Other sections discuss the vulnerabilities of Eritrean minors and women, and the connections between human trafficking, terrorism and organ trafficking. The last section of the book raises the question of accountability. It examines and evaluates international responses to this forgotten crisis, and discusses the need for policies that tackle the problem where it emerges: in Eritrea.

Sujets

• Sociology

Informations

• Publié par: Langaa RPCIG
• Date de parution: 13 février 2017
• Nombre de lectures: 1
• EAN13: 9789956764532
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 4 Mo

Extrait

P u b l i s h e r :
Langaa RPCIG
Langaa Research & Publishing Common Initiative Group
P.O. Box 902 Mankon
Bamenda
North West Region
Cameroon
[e-mail]
www.langaa-rpcig.net
Distributed in and outside N. America by African Books Collective
[e-mail]
www.africanbookscollective.com
ISBN-10: 9956-764-87-6
ISBN-13: 978-9956-764-87-7
© Mirjam Van Reisen and Munyaradzi Mawere 2017
Contributing Editor Meron Estefanos
Editorial Assistant Lena Reim
Copyeditors Susan Sellars-Shrestha and Anirudh Krishnan
Advisor (report content) Zecarias Gerrima, Reem Abbas and Klara Smits
Translators Medhanie Ghebregzabiher Paulos and Bealfan T Haile
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical
or electronic, including photocopying and recording, or be stored in any information storage or
retrieval system, without written permission from the publisher
This document has been produced with the financial assistance of the European
Union. The contents of this document are the sole responsibility of Tilburg
University and can under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of
the European Union.
About the Contributors
Taha Al-Qasim
Taha Al-Qasim is a PhD student. His areas of specialisation in research include
unaccompanied minor refugees, development studies, education and con ict, children’s
right-based approach, gender, and migration, with a primary research interest in Eritrea and
Sudan. He is also interested in research on displaced young people, youth agency and
peacebuilding in the Horn of Africa.
Francois Christophe
Francois Christophe is a political risk analyst specialising in Sub-Saharan Africa. In 2008–
2009, he served as political attaché at the Embassy of France in Asmara, Eritrea. As a private
consultant, he led fact-. nding missions to central Africa and the Middle East to report on
the security situation and political stability. Francois Christophe holds a Master of Public
Affairs from Sciences Po Paris.
Meron Estefanos
Meron Estefanos is a human rights activist and journalist. She is a radio presenter for Radio
Erena, as well as co-founder and director of the International Commission on Eritrean
Refugees in Stockholm, Sweden. Among other publications, Estefanos co-authored ‘Human
Trafficking in the Sinai: Refugees between Life and Death’ (with Van Reisen & Rijken,
2012) and ‘e Human Trafficking Cycle: Sinai and Beyond’ (with Van Reisen & Rijken,
2014). In 2012, Meron Estefanos received the Dawit Isaac Award and was acknowledged as
a ‘Forgotten Hero’ by The Guardian (2016).
Zecarias Gerrima
Zecarias Gerrima is vice-chair, staff writer and media coordinator of African Monitors, an
Eritrean Human Rights organisation based in Uganda. Before leaving Eritrea in 2014,
Zecarias Gerrima graduated from Asmara University in Applied Geography and History in
2003 and worked as a journalist for the Ministry of Information with Eritrean Television
Service (Eri-TV) until 2013. After moving to Uganda, he worked with the Eritrean
National Forum for Dialogue as a staff writer for Radio Medrek (erimdrek.com). In this
position, he wrote commentaries and current affairs analyses on Eritrean politics.
Eyob Ghilazghy
Eyob Ghilazghy is co-founder and executive director of Africa Monitors, an Eritrean human
rights organisation based in Uganda. He is also secretary of Pen Eritrea, an association of
writers and journalists in exile that promotes freedom of expression. Eyob Ghilazghy holds a
Bachelor in Plant Sciences from the University of Asmara and a Master of Science in
Sustainable Development from School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) University
of London. He has also previously worked as teacher, food security officer, monitoring
officer, agronomist, human rights defender, researcher and journalist.
SSuussaann HHööffnneerr
Susan Höfner currently interns at Europe External Policy Advisors (EEPA) as research
assistant. She recently graduated from Utrecht University, where she undertook a Master ofArts in Applied Ethics. Susan Höfner also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and
Economics from the University of Bayreuth.
SSeellaamm KKiiddaannee
Selam Kidane is a PhD student at Tilburg University. She is a psychotherapist, writer and
human rights campaigner. She has been director of Release Eritrea since 2004. Since August
2016, she has been the Project Manager at Race On e Agenda (ROTA), where she
develops and manages mental health projects for Nepalese, Tamil and Somali communities
in West London. Previously, she worked for En. eld Council (2006–2015), the British
Association for Adoption & Fostering (2000–2006), the National Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Children (1998–2000), and the Camden Family Support Unit
(1994–1998). Selam Kidane holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from University of
Westminster and a Master of Science in Systemic Therapy from University of London.
SSaacchhaa KKuuiillmmaann
Sacha Kuilman is currently undertaking a Masters in Human Rights and Humanitarian
Action at Sciences Po (PSIA) and holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in the Liberal Arts and
Sciences from Amsterdam University College, where she focused on International Relations
and Political Sciences. Between September 2015 and March 2016 she interned as research
assistant at Africa Monitors.
Daniel Mekonnen
Dr Daniel Mekonnen is an Eritrean human rights lawyer and a former Judge of the Central
Provincial Court in Asmara (Eritrea). He is currently a guest writer at the ‘Writers in Exile
Program’ of the Swiss-German PEN Centre in Luzern. Having lived and worked in eight
different countries, he was a senior legal advisor and research professor at the Oslo-based
International Law and Policy Institute (ILPI), a visiting fellow at the Swiss Institute of
Comparative Law, a post-doctoral researcher at the Irish Centre for Human Rights, and a
research fellow at the School of Law in Queen’s University Belfast. His most recent book
(co-authored with Kjetil Tronvoll) is: ‘ e African Garrison State: Human Rights and
Political Development in Eritrea’ (James Currey, 2014). e book was included in the
prestigious ‘Outstanding Academic Titles’ list of January 2015, published by Choice
magazine of the American Library Association (ALA).
MMuunnyyaarraaddzzii MMaawweerree
Prof. Dr. Munyaradzi Mawere is a Professor in the Department of Culture and Heritage
Studies at Great Zimbabwe University. He holds a PhD in Social Anthropology from the
University of Cape Town (UCT) in South Africa. Professor Mawere also holds a Masters in
Social Anthropology; Masters in Philosophy; Masters in Development Studies; Bachelor of
Arts (Honours) in Philosophy; Certi. cate in Tertiary and Higher Learning; Certi. cate in
Information Technology; and Certi. cate in Diplomacy, Negotiation and Bargaining. He
has authored more than 35 books and over 150 publications. Some of his best-selling books
are: ‘Culture, Indigenous Knowledge and Development in Africa: Reviving Interconnections
for Sustainable Development’ (2014); ‘Democracy, Good Governance and Development in
Africa: A Search for Sustainable Democracy and Development’ , (2015); and ‘Development
Perspectives from the South: Troubling the Metrics of [Under-]development in Africa’ (2016).0
Martin Plaut
Martin Plaut is senior research fellow at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, University
of London since 2013. He received his . rst degree in Social Science from the University of
Cape Town (1975) and an Honours degree from the University of the Witwatersrand
(1977) before completing a Master of Arts at the University of Warwick (1978). Between
2003 and 2013, Martin Plaut was Africa editor for the BBC World Service News. He has
advised the Foreign & Commonwealth Office and the US State Department. He was an
Associate Fellow of the Royal Institute of International Affairs, leading their Africa research
programme and continues to be an active member of Chatham House and the Royal
African Society. His most recent publications include ‘Curious Camden Town ’ (with
Andrew Whitehead, 2015), ‘Promise and Despair: e rst struggle for a non-racial South
Africa, 1899–1914’ (2016), and ‘Understanding Eritrea: Inside Africa’s most repressive state ’
(2016).
Lena Reim
Lena Reim currently works as an independent consultant for Europe External Policy
Advisors (EEPA), where she assists with the coordination, research, writing and editing of
draft publications. She recently graduated from Amsterdam University College with a
Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in the Liberal Arts and Sciences, focusing on international
relations, political sciences and law.
Wegi Sereke
Wegi Sereke is an Eritrean lawyer with more than eight years’ experience, including as
former staff attorney at the Legal Advisor’s Office to the Eritrean State President and as an
elementary school teacher in rural Eritrea. Since September 2016, she has been a consultant
with th