Trafficking in human beings: human rights and ... - unesdoc - Unesco

uffer zones. 372 This is all part of the war against smuggling/traffi cking, but may have dire
consequences for individuals, including asylum seekers and victims of traffi cking who
may be put at considerable risk and may have their rights completely overlooked. 373
The fact that migration is more and more linked to organised crime impacts on the
attempt made to fi ght traffi cking. It is known that traffi cking victims left “voluntarily”
to fi nd work and often entered or stayed in the destination country irregularly. Instead
of being offered assistance these people are then seen as irregular migrants – illegals
– criminals. This point of view also affects the offer of temporary residence permits
which may “attract” more migrants and be abused – just as the asylum system where
an individual now has to “qualify” to obtain status. This view of state interests may very
easily run contrary to the rights and interests of the victims – but also to the interests of
the states themselves since it does not seem that restrictive immigration policies effectively
diminish irregular fl ows – rather the contrary, and most certainly broadening the market
for trans-national organised crime – traffi ckers – cannot be in the interest of the state.
372 Grewcock, M.: Shooting the passenger: Australia’s war on illicit migrants, in Lee, M.: Human
Traffi cking, p. 180
373 Ibid. p. 182.
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