Sudan acknowledges ‘significant increase in human trafficking’

The Sudanese Minister of Interior, Lt. Col. Ismat Abdel Rahman, has acknowledged a significant increase in human trafficking in the country. The Minister said in a press statement on Monday that human trafficking did not exist in Sudan before 2007. He stated that the phenomenon is “becoming worrisome”, in particular in the eastern Sudanese states of Kassala, El Gedaref, and Red Sea, and the five Darfur states.  He announced that an international conference to combat human trafficking will be hosted by Khartoum in October.  Sudanese officials have been accused of being involved in the trafficking. In December last year, a report compiled by European researchers, “The Human Trafficking Cycle: Sinai and Beyond”, stated that “It appears that there is a close collaboration between Eritrean traffickers and Sudanese security, military and police officials. Members of the Rashaida and Hidarib tribes in East Sudan are also involved in the abductions in Sudan and in Eritrea”. Sudan is not a party to the UN Human Trafficking protocol. Map: Key routes relating to trafficking of Eritreans from refugee camps in eastern Sudan (Human Rights Watch) Related: Sudan police hand Eritrean refugees to traffickers to torture: report (11 February 2014)Sudan’s top officials cooperate in human trafficking’: report (5 December 2013)