Washington accused Russia and Thailand of failing to tackle human trafficking on Monday, while praising progress in Malaysia and Cuba, in a report on a global scourge decried as “modern slavery.”
Venezuela, Iran, Libya, Syria, Yemen, North Korea, Zimbabwe and others joined Russia and Thailand at the bottom of an annual ranking compiled by the US Department of State and announced by US Secretary of State John Kerry.
Countries in tier 3, the lowest category, are those whose governments do not respect international norms or laws on trafficking and “are not making significant efforts to do so,” the report said.
However, the promotion of Malaysia and Cuba one notch from tier 3 to the tier 2 watch list drew allegations that US President Barack Obama’s administration had politicized the rankings to reward favored capitals.
Malaysia is among Pacific Rim nations currently negotiating a trade accord with Washington, while Cuba and the US re-established diplomatic ties last week, ending decades of hostility.
Asked whether Malaysia’s role in the trade talks was a factor, US Undersecretary of State for Human Rights Sarah Sewall insisted: “No, no, no.”
The report said Kuala Lumpur had made “significant efforts” in fighting trafficking.
While Sewall said the May discovery of mass graves believed to be used by Malaysian people-smugglers near the Thai border was a “core concern” for the US Department of State, it came after the report’s review period ended in March.
Several US lawmakers expressed concern over the report.
“They have elevated politics over the most basic principles of human rights,” said Senate Democrat Robert Menendez, alleging that the leniency toward Malaysia and Cuba was “a stamp of approval for countries who have failed to take the basic actions to merit this upgrade.”
The US-based Alliance to End Slavery and Trafficking said Obama’s administration “unfairly” upgraded Malaysia by putting trade over human rights.
Russia, where statistics show there are an estimated 5 million to 12 million foreign workers, has languished in tier 3 since 2013.
“Many of these migrant workers experienced exploitative labor conditions characteristic of trafficking cases, such as withholding of identity documents, non-payment for services rendered, physical abuse or extremely poor living conditions,” the report said.
It said Russia lacked a national plan and funds for prevention, and that prosecutions remained far too low.
China rose a notch last year to the tier 2 watch list, where it remained this year. Cuba, after 12 years at tier 3, was upgraded to tier 2, with the report citing the nation’s “sustained law enforcement efforts” in prosecuting and convicting sex traffickers.
Most Western countries, as well as others such as Taiwan, Israel and Armenia, are at tier 1 for fighting trafficking and remaining in compliance with international standards.
“Trafficking in persons is an insult to human dignity and an assault on freedom,” Kerry said in the report’s introduction as he called for a comprehensive “fight against modern slavery.”
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