By Abdoulie John
As Gambian domestic workers continue to be victimized in the Middle East and the Gulf States, politicians and human rights activists have expressed concerns over their plight amid government’s disturbing silence.
“The dire situation of Gambian domestic workers in Arab countries is a matter of concern and deserves all the greater consideration,” human rights lawyer Assan Martin told this reporter.
Last Monday, Freedomnewspaper anchor Pa Nderry Mbai posted to his Facebook wall indicating that Zeinab Ceesay, a former migrant worker held in captivity for weeks by her Kuwaiti employer, has received $ 625.58 in GoFundMe campaign. This followed a drive taken by Gambians living in Germany to raise the required $2,500 to set her free from her employer. Her case sparked huge reaction from the public and other migrant workers scattered in Arab countries.
Lawyer Martin said the government’s silence over the fate of Gambian domestic workers constitutes an indication that the authorities do not care about the welfare of its citizens abroad. “It is clear that any responsible government would have taken steps to address such a situation. However, the regime in Gambia choose remain silent because of the fact that some officials have been benefiting from this scheme
economically.”
An opinion not shared by Hamat Bah of the opposition National Reconciliation Party (NRP) who stated that these domestic workers parents also bear responsibility for the hardship their daughters have been encountering in Arab states.
“I don’t think we should put the blame on government entirely. In my view, the parents who are giving out their children should also be blamed and be challenged by law,” he said.
The NRP leader admitted that government intelligence and security services should be able to track these human traffickers and arrest them so that they face the rots of the law.
This reporter,s efforts to reach out to the Gambian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for comment remained futile. Numerous calls were made to the department in efforts to find out if they Gambia government have plans to rescue these desperate girls from their Arab master beare no fruits.
The tiny West African nation has been described by many as the ‘hub’ of human trafficking in West Africa. United States 2014 report on Trafficking In Persons (TIP) branded Gambia as a “source country for women and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking.”
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The foreign or international labour “market” is a very lucrative business venture that can.be beneficial to individuals and states alike, but any country that wants to tap into this industry must be fully prepared to do so ….because it is also an industry that is fraught with dangers of all sorts…
The Gambia Government (it seems) is not at all prepared and equipped to engage in this lucrative industry and that is why our citizens are being preyed upon by unscrupulous individuals, who may be in cohort with state officials.
I have listened to several programmes about the issue on Freedom Radio, but a lot of contributions were just scaremongering and old prejudices that lacks serious analyses of the situation…
One contributor who lives in the region made a very informed contribution, which proved that not everyone was treated badly…and that the perception of the Arab employers may differ from the employment agency that provides the services of the girls..or the information they (the agency) provide to the girls and their parents…
There are many countries, including European countries, that are exploiting the lucrative labour market in the Middle East, but it is only citizens of countries that lack the necessary national legislation and support systems abroad (like Gambia, Bangladesh, Pakistan) that are preyed upon and abused….
Ahmat Bah should.not blame the parents until he is satisfied that they have been properly informed about the abuse that their daughters will suffer…Often, these parents are misinformed and.may be.mislead because a neighbour may be benefiting from a similar overseas scheme…
The Government should bear full responsibility because these girls are taken from their homes (under the noses of government ) and transported to foreign lands…
Bax, with all due respect, I blame the government of the Gambia but the parents of this daughters should be blame more than the government. Here is my main reason number ONE, as a mother and father to your own unmarried daughter traveling to Kuwait or Saudi Arabia for what for. That should and must be any parents first question because in Islam we all know unmarried women should be in her parents’ compound till she gets married. Secondly, if even she got married, the husband has right to denied her to travel to seek for employment if she truly obey and follows the footsteps of our beloved prophet (saw). But let me go straight to what Ahmad Bah’s statement for blaming those parents. I strongly support him for making such claimed for blaming parents to allow their own daughters for one primary goal that is monetary benefit. That’s wrong. No matter how poor or hardship one is enciuntering, if you truly believe in Allah and put your trust on him, not sitting down and fall your hands together but get up everyday search for sustenance while asking and praying to Allah, I am 100% sure that one day or the other Allah will answer your prayers and provide you. But if your faith is uncertain shaking here and there, then you will act or do as this vulnerable sisters going to traveling to Arabic countries in middle east did. So I personally blame both parents and girls for this journey to Arabic countries to become their modern slaves. As much as I hate Dictator Yahya AJJ Jammeh and his administration but they have little to be blame on this case until I have seen a clear proof for their involvement.
Edi boy…
I do understand your point, as far as personal and parental responsibilities are concerned, and I agree with you on that…Individuals must take personal responsibility for their actions and the consequences of those actions…
However, the state in my view (not Yaya Jammeh ), has a responsibility to protect its citizens when they (the citizens) failed to do so and I will give you an example…
Drugs generally are beneficial to humans but some people irresponsibly abuse drugs…Even though they harm themselves directly and no one else by abusing drugs and therefore should be responsible for their actions, the state takes legislative & other actions to protect those individuals first, and the society at large…
The responsibility on the state to protect, becomes even greater when the actions of its citizens has an international dimension…
In this case, young, healthy and productive youths of a nation that is not much blessed in that resource (we are still under 3 million people), are taken abroad for “work” by foreign business operatives (I won’t call them investors) without proper regulation, supervision and mechanisms for redress….
Youth unemployment in.The Gambia is very high and the state should not prevent youths from seeking employment abroad, but the industry must be properly regulated and monitored…A support system also need to be put in place in those countries or region (at least) with a 24/7 hot line that can reached when the need arises…and the youths properly sensitised before they depart the country..The appropriate state department should also have an input in any legal or contractual documents that the youths are made to sign….
We would not have woken up to the shock and trauma of hearing a young, sobbing girl on radio, begging for help…That is a shameful indictment on The Gambian nation and an even greater shameful indictment on the government of the day…
@ Edi boy “…..because in Islam we all know unmarried women should be in her parents’ compound till she gets married…..”
Comment…I am not sure of your context here, but I have a problem with the general “religious” view you are making here…I will have to wait for you to clarify yourself….
I hope you are not suggesting that women should not leave their parents’ homes until they are married,…not even.to pursue higher education or training abroad…That will be indeed rediculous..
@ Edi boy….”Secondly, if even she got married, the husband has right to denied her to travel to seek for employment if she truly obey and follows the footsteps of our beloved prophet (saw)….”
Comment….Please do not associate or attribute this patriarchic and misogynistic view on the Holy Prophet of Islam (saw) or the religion of Islam….
He (saw) stands far above everyone else in the promotion of the rights and status of women…and Islam has lifted and protected the status and rights of women like nothing before or after it…
Any husband today that wants the progress and prosperity of his family will be foolish to prevent his wife from seeking employment, especially if she is highly qualified and can attract a good salary… Husbands and wives are partners; not masters and slaves, for God sake…
Again, I will leave you to further explain yourself, but what I.will.say to you is this…:
Islam is a religion for ALL TIMES and ALL PEOPLE…The Arabs, no doubt, occupy a special place in Islam and Islamic history, but we must never forget that they were the worst enemies of Islam and are (even today, as a whole), the worst enemies of Islam..in their behaviour, systems and revived barbaric ancient pre-Islamic cultures into the religion of Islam…
The Arabs are “free” to treat their women as sub-human and their personal properties, but this is NOT Islam, has NEVER BEEN Islam and should NEVER be seen as Islam…
The cultures and ways of lives of the Arab speaking nations must never be misconstrued as the true embodiment of the Islamic culture and way of life…
Islam or the message of Islam, was NOT intended to keep humanity stuck in the 14th Century, nor was it intended to dehumanise and keep anybody in “captivity”/subjugation…..
It is Devine Guidance for all times and each generation must be guided according to the circumstances of their times…
Bax,
You are right prophet Muhammad (saw) has fought for women’s rights and Islam too. Islam respect women more than any religion or this western cultures of women’s rights. Islam permitted women to seek knowledge, employment and etc. But for employment of women, it has given certain proposal and rules to follow through. Like for example, if my wife wants to seek for employment, both of us has to sit down and talk about with my consent; but if she goes and become employed with my consent, she can choose spend her salary without contributing to the obligations enjoined by me as a husband…that’s shelter her, clothes her, and feed her even she earns more than me. So Islam has giving more rights to woman that this anti Islamic propaganda western countries. Coming to your first question about unmarried girls to stay at their parents’ compounds, again Islam and sunnah of prophet Muhammad (saw) allow very strongly for women to seeking knowledge whether back home or abroad. So I am not a sheikh but I am very sure about women to seek knowledge is highly permissible by our religion ISLAM. Islam is very pragmatic and very straightforward if one is well versed with the Quran and authentic hadiths from sahih muslim, Buhari, muwatta, Abu Dawa and etc. My views or comment from the previous are from the Sharia perspectives or rules of governing. But in this western countries of freedoms one is entails to your own opinions and live to leave however you wish. So once again, I put blame on this girls issue on their parents and not government of the gambia. You are right the government of the gambia has moral obligations and duties to protect their citizens from all this illegal modern day of slavery, human trafficking and etc. But collectively we can make that job very easy for our government of the gambia. On that note, I am appealing to our mothers and fathers back home to join together to fight for this modern day of slavery, human trafficking and selfish unscrupulous geedy business people of human trafficking and etc
Bax…
I absolutely totally agreed with you about Arabs being pre-islamic worst enemy and even now some Arabs are so called Muslims. Islam is not for Arabs but for everybody. Even Allah himself said that in our holy Quran and the last sermon of our beloved prophet (saw) said it and warned us not to look superior or inferior to one another. But yet still majority Arab people don’t follow or take that a advice or warning. So whoever base this true religion of Islam on Arabs behaviors or acts, you will mislead yourself. Look at what is happening in Budapest, Hungry with Syrians refugees which majority of them are Muslims stranded at the train station. What did Saudi Arabia, kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, UAE and all this riches Arabic nations has offer or do? Nothing absolutely to help their fellow Muslims brothers, sisters, children and older senior refugees in Budapest, hungry. And Islam said let the rich helps the poor even if they are not a Muslims. How many billions of dollars this golf state countries earn per day from oil? Uncountable but why can’t they come to this syrians, Afghanistan, Yemen, gambians, and other migrants or refugees helps. But they rather come to USA and Europe kissing those ass or becoming puppet while leaving their fellow ummah people dying at the sea, train stations to countries they called them infidels nations. I don’t waste my time talking about Arabs when it comes to Islam because they are the first race who refused and fought to see that Islam perish. Arabs are the people who by those pre Islamic time bury baby girls alive. So let’s talk about something but not them. I am not races by any means and I am not going to disrespect any religion or judge anybody religion that is not who I am. So I hope my readers can understand me on that side