Burundi's senate urges creation of commission to stop human trafficking

Burundian senators on Thursday called for creating a commission to work with mainly Arab countries to curb human trafficking.

The call was made as Burundian foreign minister Alain Aime Nyamitwe was invited to the parliament upper chamber to answer senators' questions on human trafficking reported on some Burundian women working in Arab countries mainly Oman and Saudi Arabia.

"The commission to be set up would ensure that Burundian people working in those Arab countries are enjoying good working conditions. The commission would also ensure that Burundian agents working in those countries have return tickets and are in contact with Burundian diplomatic missions in those counties," Burundian Senate President Reverien Ndikuriyo said during the debate.

According to him, unemployed Burundian people can get hired in those countries if the employment is well-organized.

Nyamitwe said monitoring every Burundian national working in Arab countries was sometimes difficult due to the shortage of financial means.

Human trafficking is a serious issue in Burundi according to organizations in charge of children's rights promotion.

By mid June 2016, the Burundian police had arrested seven people over human trafficking and identified 11 companies involved in human trafficking in the country.

The arrested persons included three Burundians and four Kenyans.

Four of the 11 companies or organizations involved in human trafficking are based in Burundi, four in Saudi Arabia, two in Oman, and one in Kenya.

The four Burundian companies had been collaborating with the remaining seven foreign companies in the human trafficking business.

Police said that since April 2016, over 280 people, mostly girls, had fallen victim to human trafficking.

The Burundian police suspected that those girls engaged in sex work after they arrive at their destinations. Endit