"The trade in Nigerian children is much more widespread than we think," says
Maria de Cock, deputy director of the Foundation against Women Trafficking.
Her remark comes in response to a news report that Dutch police have arrested 13 suspects of people trafficking. They are allegedly members of an international gang which has brought large numbers of under-age Nigerian asylum seekers to the Netherlands.
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Under the new rules, foreign women forced to work as prostitutes in the Netherlands no longer risk being sent back to their country of origin if the suspected people trafficker is acquitted. Minors will be placed in a closed facility where they can be protected against people traffickers. However, the deputy minister has emphasised that single minors will be sent back to their country of origin on condition there is 'adequate shelter' such as relatives or a different form of shelter. |
The children were recruited under false pretences to work as prostitutes in various European countries. Police have carried out searches and made arrests in the Netherlands, the United States, the United Kingdom, Belgium, France, Germany and Spain.
Major organisation
Public Prosecutor Werner ten Kate says: "We have never before seen a gang that was engaged in smuggling and trafficking in under-age Nigerian girls on this scale."
The people traffickers provided their victims with forged travel papers, air tickets and instructions on how to apply for asylum at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport.
"The children were placed in open shelters. After some time, the organisation would call the girls and tell them to get ready to leave for Italy, France or Spain, where they were discovered working as prostitutes."
The gang kept its victims under control with Voodoo. In Nigeria, the children were forced to swear an oath before a voodoo priest that they would repay a fictitious debt.Destination unknown
An investigation carried out by Dutch border police shows that since January 2006 at least 140 under-age Nigerian girls have left shelters for unknown destinations. Mr Ten Kate says that in a few cases police were able to prevent girls from leaving the shelters.
"We have rescued some of the girls in Italy, Spain and France. We have also been able to stop some of them…leaving for those countries to work as prostitutes."
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An earlier investigation by the People Trafficking Information and Analysis Centre shows that the Netherlands is an attractive point of transit. The recently introduced stricter asylum rules make it increasingly difficult for foreigners to settle in the Netherlands. The fights against illegal housing and illegal workers also play a part. This explains why the Netherlands has changed from a country of destination to a country of transit. From the Netherlands, people are often smuggled to the United Kingdom, the Scandinavian countries and the United States. |
What next?
The Nigerian girls who were working as street girls in France, Italy and Spain are brought back to the Netherlands. Ms De Cock hopes they will be recognised as victims of people trafficking.
"You will be issued with a temporary residence permit if you cooperate in the police investigation. The victims can then await the outcome in the Netherlands, but this is usually followed by a forced return to the country of origin."
Ms De Cock believes these girls do not want to go back. They are seeking a better future and do not see many opportunities in Nigeria.
*Translation RNW (gsh)
Tags: Asylum Seekers, Human Trafficking, Nigeria, Schiphol Airport, Voodoo