Students called to beware of human traffickers

Students should be vigilant because they are the major targets of human traffickers under the guise of getting them white-collar offers in other countries where they end up in sexual and exploitative slavery. This was a message delivered to students of College St. Andre in Nyamirambo, Nyarugenge District, shortly after a friendly football match between St. Andre and Rwanda National Police which the latter won 1-0. Inspector of Police (IP) Claude Budaraza, the Nyarugenge District Community Liaison Officer (DCLO) explained to the students the tricks traffickers use to lure them into modern-day slavery and adverse ordeals involved. He explained that although victims were sometimes taken by force, threats or abduction, methods yet to be reported in Rwanda, the majority are deceived or manipulated due to their vulnerability. Badaraza further noted that human trafficking was no longer “hearsay in Rwanda” adding that “even Rwandans have fallen victims” in the past years. Rwanda National Police has since 2009 handled 36 cases of human trafficking involving over 150 victims, mostly foreigners intercepted in Rwanda while in transit. About 90 per cent of the victims are females and 82 per cent of them aged between 18 and 35 years. In 2009, RNP intercepted 51 Bangladeshis in Kigali while in transit to Mozambique. Between 2012 and 2013, ten Rwandan girls were rescued from Uganda and some suspects arrested. In September last year, Interpol Kigali intercepted a Ugandan girl at Kigali International Airport as she was being trafficked to Dubai. Early last month, two Rwandan nationals were arrested in a hotel in Nyabugogo with three females they were allegedly trafficking to Nairobi, Kenya Most victims are said to be bound to Asian countries like Malaysia and China, Middle East, Southern Africa and East Africa. “Some traffickers try to be good or befriend you and try by all means to manipulate you not to reveal any information to anyone. Always inform people or Police on such offers such that this act is prevented and those involved arrested,” IP Budaraza told the students. Viviane Umulisa, from the RNP Directorate of Anti-Gender Based Violence and Child Protection also reminded the students to fight and report incidences of gender related abuses and partner with police in fighting any criminal or illegal acts. The students were also sensitized on dangers associated with drug abuse and urged to desist from such acts and concentrate on their studies. Drug abuse and GBV, although they have decreased tremendously in the last few years, largely due to increase awareness, remain among the major crimes committed in Rwanda. Father Lambert Dusingizimana, the Headmaster of College St. Andre thanked RNP for the educative lecture and appealed to his students to be crime preventers and live by example.

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Students called to beware of human traffickers