By Martha John savior – Kitgum Uganda
Authorities of Kitgum district gender-based and domestic violence police department had cautioned residents to be conscious of human trafficking which is reported to be on the rise.
In an interview Tuesday with Onen Chan, the officer at the gender-based and domestic violence police department desk in Kitgum district revealed to No.1 Citizen Daily Newspaper that human trafficking has increased by 75 percent.
Chan said, this is attributed to the search for green pastures in other countries like the Middle East and Asian Countries due to poverty, unemployment, domestic violence and curiosity for adventure.
He said, some individuals fall victims due to push factors like one should pay a minimum of Four Hundred Uganda shillings (400,000) and are instructed to register Ten to Twenty (10-to-20) individuals so as to be able to process passport, as well as job employment and connect a person to get a responsible life partner.
According to Chan, the those who travel to other countries without clear migration processes through Uganda Embassy always face challenges of hard labour, mistreatment, torture and sexual harassment especially ladies are victims of such.
However, police officer Onen Chan said, “As custodians of law and order, it is their duty to rescue the citizens trapped in those incidents of trafficking whenever it has come to their notice,” through coordination with Uganda Embassy.
He said most people come to report about lost relatives over Televisions, some are shown stuck to come back to Uganda while others are already dead and the Embassy tries to seek for their relatives.
The gender-based and domestic violence police department cautioned parents to be responsible by monitoring the young people in every activity they carry with their peer groups.
He stressed that men should be good role models in societies to promote peace and happiness at homes so as to avoid mental stress that youth and women experience which makes them to seek for peaceful environment elsewhere yet it only leads them to other deathtraps.
Meanwhile, 71 year old, Ajebo Joseph, Councilor for adults in Kitgum West Land area advised parents and guardians to be hard working and invest in agriculture rather than making poverty to drive them away from responsibility that makes children to search for their own means of life which is not reasonable enough.
Mr. Ajebo appealed to children to be respectful and responsible to be able to identify any selfish motives that come along their ways.
He emphasized that there is no better place else where apart from home and warns them against bad influence of social media scammers.