Belize Human Trafficking Trial Set | NowPublic News Coverage

Image via Wikipediaby bettyAphilips | August 27, 2010 at 12:25 pm

The trial is a consequence of a national police raid on three ficha bars in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye. This was a raid that saw the chief of Belize’s criminal investigation branch refer to a hardcore human trafficking ring in this tourist area. And he also said his squad would be back if there were further evidence of human trafficking in action. We can live in hope.

We have three basic questions that we are asking ORT campaign supporters to send to the Belize government.

Are the bar owners being charged with human trafficking and profiting from prostitution or is Belize scapegoating a single bar employee? According to Belize law, it is the owners that should be standing trial. Ask Attorney General Bernard Q. Pitts this question.

What about the human trafficking victims? It is not known how many of the 24 arrested wound up in Hattieville prison because they are undocumented and in the country illegally. The Catch-22 for them is, they are in the country illegally because they’ve been trafficked. So why are the innocent being punished again? What has the Human Development and Social Transformation Ministry done to identify them and protect them? Ask Minister Peter Eden Martinez.

What happened to the four minors who were picked up in the police raid? Are they in Hattieville at risk in the company of adult criminals? Where are these children, Mr. Martinez, Mr. B.Q. Pitts?

[TRAFFICKING MONITOR: In a personal communication, Ms. Phillips stated that the trial will occur on Tuesday, August 31, 2010, in the morning.].

Belize Human Trafficking Trial Set | NowPublic News Coverage

Related articles by Zemanta

• Top Cop in Belize orders Human Trafficking Sweep on San Pedro (nowpublic.com)
• Vivian Trill The 95th Belize Human Trafficking Victim (nowpublic.com)
• The Organization For Responsible Tourism (FACTS) (nowpublic.com)
• "Belize Victim Speaks on Human Trafficking" (nowpublic.com)

The Organization For Responsible Tourism (FACTS) | NowPublic News Coverage

Image via Wikipediaby bettyAphilips | August 13, 2010 at 11:50 am

The Organization For Responsible Tourism (FACTS)

International Attention through a Tourism Boycott.

Stopping corruption at Belize borders is the key to stopping human traffickers from using Belize as a human trafficking superhighway. The Campaign to Stop Human Trafficking in Belize is supported by the Organization for Responsible Tourism. Organization for Responsible Tourism President Vivian Trill has appealed on behalf of the Campaign for Belize to tighten its borders.

Thousands of human trafficking victims wind up in bars run by owners who profit form forced prostitution.

The Campaign to Stop Human Trafficking in Belize is supported by the Organization for Responsible Tourism. Organization for Responsible Tourism President Vivian Trill has called for strengthening and enforcing liquor laws so they provide penalties to bar owners profiting from prostitution.

The Campaign to Stop Human Trafficking in Belize has extended an invitation to work in partnership with Prime Minister Dean Barrow. The Campaign, through Organization for Responsible Tourism, has issued a number of Appeals to the Belize government urging immediate action to address human trafficking within and along its borders.

Organization for Responsible Tourism President Vivian Trill has issued the Appeals on behalf of the Campaign.

1. Fines for bar owners, starting at $2,000 (Belize) for a first offence
2. Suspension of liquor license for a period of six months for the first offence, up to two years for the second, and up to five years for subsequent violations
3. Monitor police enforcement of liquor license laws.

You can help us grow our on-line community that demands an end to sexual enslavement of girls in the Human Trafficking system of Central America. Five minutes of your time three times a week can make an immediate change.

Using the power of the most democratic tool available today: Web, Email, Twit, blog and using your social networks to get the message out. The message? A community demanding a stop to sexual enslavement of girls in the human trafficking industries of Belize, Honduras and Guatemala.

• Appeal to Canadians: Stand On Guard Against Belize Human Trafficking
• Belize Child Sex Tourism "an emerging trend in Belize – Belize News
• Canadians "Shout No to Human Trafficking" Asks Betty Philips
• ORT Declares Worldwide Watch For Belizeans for Justice
• Herbert Gayle, Anthropologist Hattieville Prison A Human Rights Mess
• Human Trafficking Message To Judith Alpuche From Vivian Trill
• Betty Philips fights Human Trafficking from Vancouver

2010 Human Trafficking Report. (TIP REPORT)

The Trafficking in Persons report says it has evidence of poor children and young women being forced by their parents or carers to perform sexual favours for wealthier people in return for money.

This so-called "sugar daddy effect" was especially noted in Belize and is also said to be a problem in Barbados.

The El Cazador Campaign, driven by "THE ORGANIZATION FOR RESPONSIBLE TOURISM" was months in the making, has recruited, educated, and mobilized a social movement to take action and combat human trafficking in Central America.

A legion of supporters from around the world are now working via the Internet and social media on a specific and targeted set of key actions to stop human trafficking.

Here are the Vivian Trill's The Organization For Responsible Tourism Campaign’s key actions at this date:

• Action: Immigration – stop the corruption at the borders
• Action: Tourism – block tourism to resorts that tolerate trafficking
• Action: Belize – expose this major terminal for sex trafficking victims

The Organization For Responsible Tourism (FACTS) | NowPublic News Coverage