By Bernadette H. Carreon
Human trafficking victims will soon have a safe place to stay in Palau with the construction of the shelter underway, according to Vice President and Minister of Justice Raynold Oilouch.
In an interview on Thursday, Oilouch told reporters that the victims will now have a center that is backed by the government.
“I know that victims, before, when they run away, the Catholic Church help them out. But we now have a shelter for the victims of human trafficking,” Oilouch stated.
In the latest US State Department 2018 Trafficking In Persons (TIP) Report, it is recommended that Palau fund and protective services for trafficking victims, including emergency housing options.
Oilouch said the setting up of the safe house is almost complete which will include bunk beds and a small kitchen.
The shelter will also be housed beside the Anti-Human Trafficking set up by Palau last year.
Oilouch also stressed that Palau will aim to comply with the anti-human trafficking standards.
The vice president recently returned from an International Organization for Migration (IOM) Second Special Council meeting where pledges of support for capacity building and technical assistance for Palau were made to combat human trafficking.
Oilouch vowed to reduce human trafficking in the country and strengthen training of human trafficking officers to properly identify human trafficking cases.
“We want to help them, we want to protect them,” Oilouch said about the human trafficking victims.
Palau kept its Tier 2 ranking because it still to fully meet the US’ Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) minimum standards but are making significant efforts to bring themselves into compliance with those standards.
Palau also received recognition for its efforts on” investigations, prosecutions, and convictions of trafficking crimes, including complicit officials; identifying more victims; and funding a regional NGO providing legal services to several trafficking victims.”
For Oilouch, it’s a big step towards removal of Palau from the Tier 2 list in the future.
He added that Palau is serious about combating human trafficking and that it will explore new areas to enhance its capacities so it can properly identify the “victims and the violators.”
He noted that Palau has an international obligation to eradicate human trafficking
The report also recommended that Palau implements the anti-trafficking hotline; increase anti-trafficking awareness among vulnerable populations, including labor migrant communities and use funds obtained from asset seizure or fines imposed on convicted traffickers to support victims.
The report also emphasized that Palau “do not penalize trafficking victims for illegal acts committed as a result of being subjected to human trafficking; enforce the anti-trafficking laws punishing recruiters.”
Oilouch warned violators that the ministry would apply laws equally to everyone, both Palauans, and Non-Palauans.
He said he instructed his officials to apply the law fairly.
“We need to get the Palauan employers who violate the labor anti-human trafficking laws of Palau,” Oilouch stated.