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New York (Agenzia Fides) – Trafficking of human persons and the drugs trade, two major areas of transnational organised crime, were the subject of an intervention by the Holy See Permanent Observer to the United Nations, Celestino Migliore, on 21 June New York at a high level meeting on the issue, as part of the 64th session of the UN General Assembly.
“ One result of an interconnected world is the ever-growing interconnected nature of crime – said Mgr Migliore. - While the ability to communicate and trade with people in all corners of the globe has promoted global solidarity and commerce, it has also led to an escalation in crime across national boundaries”. This presents new challenges to legal and judicial mechanisms and the international community are aware that when a crime becomes international the response must also be international,
“ Today, millions of people are victims of trafficking – the Holy See representative said in his intervention -. of which, over 70%, almost all women and girls, are trafficked for the purpose of sexual exploitation. This reality is both tragic and inexcusable. The transnational trafficking of women and children for sexual exploitation is based on a balance between the supply of victims from sending countries and the demand in receiving countries”. Mgr Migliore stressed the urgent need to deal with issue of demand and with it, “ the insidious degradation of human dignity that always accompanies the scourge of trafficking in persons”, while “ more and more laws are passed which seek to legitimize this dehumanizing work.” Even the very global sporting and social events which are meant to foster greater respect and harmony among people around the world "have become instead opportunities for the greater exploitation and trafficking of women and girls."
“ Similarly, the global drug trade continues to have devastating affects on individuals, families and communities around the world. In areas of production, the demand for illegal drugs fuels organized gangs, drug cartels and terrorists” Mgr Migliore continued, recalling that the demand for illegal drugs fuels organized gangs, drug cartels and terrorists, which in turn spread fear and violence. “The activities of these individuals and organizations must be addressed urgently by all legitimate means possible in order to allow communities to live in peace and prosperity rather than in fear of crime and hostility” he said.
The Archbishop observed that to solve the problem it is not sufficient to concentrate on the areas of production, it is necessary to tackle the demand for illegal drugs, driven heavily by the developed world. This demonstrates that in order to address drug production abroad, efforts must be taken at home. Hence the necessary " to find ways to prevent drug abuse in the first place and to rehabilitate drug abusers so that they can contribute more fully to the common good.”.
Mgr. Migliore concluded his intervention emphasising that to stop these two major areas of transnational crime, “ peoples and cultures will have to find common ground that can underpin human relations everywhere on the basis of our shared humanity” he said, underlining the “ profound need to uphold the inherent dignity and worth of every human being, with special attention to the most vulnerable of society. ”. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 22/06/2010)
