Editor in Chief: Moh. Reza Huwaida Friday, March 29th, 2024

Afghans Victims of Human Smuggling

Besides the expanded drug trafficking in Afghanistan, the business of human smugglers around the world are also majorly running on Afghans. United Nations Office on Drug and Crime (UNODC) defines migrants smuggling as "smuggling migrants involves the procurement for financial or other material benefit of illegal entry of a person into a State of which that person is not a national or resident."

Each year, hundreds of thousands of migrants are moved illegally by highly organized international smuggling groups, often in dangerous or inhumane conditions. This phenomenon has been growing in recent years as people of low income countries like Afghanistan are aspiring to enter developed countries in search of jobs.

The number Afghans who are illegally travelling are increasing as they continue to remain under economic and security threats. The chain of smugglers starts from Afghanistan itself and reaches to different destinations in Europe, Australia, America, Canada etc.

The main reason of illegal mobility of people towards developed countries of the world is deemed to be the vicious circle of poverty in third countries of the world. But in Afghanistan the reason is slightly different. Afghanistan has been on fire for more than three decades.

In 90s the Afghan formed one third of the world's total 14 million refugees. With the fall of Taliban government in 2001, large number of Afghans started returning to Afghanistan. But still there are long queues of Afghans at the embassies of neighboring countries. Since the procedure of obtaining visa is quite complex, many Afghan risk their lives by intending to illegally travel to different countries of the world where besides job opportunities they find good security.

There is no doubt the currently the government of Afghanistan is not a position to bring down the rate of unemployment up to a great extent. It is in fight with the armed opposition who are hindering all kinds of social, economical and political development of the country. But it is recommended that the Afghanistan should at least show some signs of peace and prosperity which can nurture a bit of hope in the hearts of Afghan people.

Among many problems being faced by Afghans, the issue of human smuggling is one the needs proper consideration and remedy. The government of Afghanistan and international community have to take measures to lessen the number of Afghans travelling illegally, before it becomes too late.