Gabriella Palmer

Mr. Palcsey

Honors English 10

May 1, 2018

Human Trafficking in Afghanistan under Taliban Control

"Human trafficking is a phenomenon which remains extremely pervasive both within and

between Afghanistan and its neighboring countries. Afghanistan is a source, transit, and

destination country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and sex

trafficking"(USAID 1). Human trafficking is “the action or practice of illegally transporting

people from one country or area to another, typically for the purposes of forced labor or

commercial sexual exploitation” according to the Oxford Dictionary. Afghanistan has been

menaced with the evil of human trafficking in and around the country especially after the Taliban

took control of the government in 1944. The Taliban is an Islamic militant group operating in

Afghanistan. The War in Afghanistan began in 2001 cause great distress on the people and land

of Afghanistan and surrounding countries. This group of Islamic fundamentalists have put the

lives of the people of Afghanistan at risk due to their extremist views and actions. The Taliban is

responsible for thousands of accounts of human trafficking cases since the time they took control

of the government. Human trafficking is a growing evil which increased in Afghanistan

specifically when the Taliban took over the government. Human trafficking in Afghanistan under

Taliban control destroyed the rights and innocence of women, young girls, young boys, and

reigned terror on those in poverty.

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"The Taliban phenomenon created a new and puzzling reality when it first appeared in

1994, gathered momentum, and grew into a force that dominated Afghan landscape”

(Matinuddin). The Taliban truly began their reign of terror after the War on Afghanistan began in

2001. This fundamentalist group was described in Matinuddin’s book The Taliban Phenomenon:

Afghanistan 1994-1997 as "War-hardened adversaries either joining the Taliban or fell back in

disarray. Some observers saw them as militant reformists with sword in one hand and the Koran

in the other". The goals of the Taliban in Afghanistan were to rule under Islamic Law and to gain

power to turn Afghanistan into a warzone. They carry out their idea of Islamic Law by using

dangerous strategies such as causing massacres amongst the civilians, forced evictions, torture,

and terrorist attacks. “The rapidity with which they brought large tracts of war-ravaged territory

under control, putting end to crime and disorder, attracted attention abroad and even moral

support in certain quarters, until their draconian measures and obscurantist religiosity raised

alarm and disappointment in the region and in the world at large” ( Matinuddin). The Taliban

succeeded with their goal of terrorizing the people of Afghanistan and destroying their rights,

especially the women’s and damaging the country they once knew.

Human trafficking has been a continuous issue in Afghanistan specifically for centuries.

The crime of human trafficking increased dramatically since the Taliban took control of the

government and spread fear among the entire country. Trafficking in Afghanistan is more

dominant than transnational trafficking. Individuals are generally trafficked for forced labor or

forced prostitution. In Afghanistan, children are the most trafficked and the most subjected to

sexual abuse predominantly by armed commanders. Most of these individuals are sent to carpet-

making factories, brick kilns, and used for domestic service. ''Afghan women and girls are

subjected to forced prostitution, forced marriages-including through forced marriages in which

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husbands force their wives into prostitution- and involuntary domestic service in Pakistan and

Iran” (U.S. DOS) In Afghanistan women and girls are stereotypically looked upon as property

and objects. They are believed to be good only for baring children and for sexual pleasure. In

public though, women and young girls are expected to cover themselves entirely in order to not

attract other men and to abide to the new Islamic Law enforced by the Taliban. Women and girls

are given the least rights under the Islamic Law which makes these individuals easy targets of

human trafficking and sexual abuse. “International security contractors are speculated to be

involved in the sex trafficking of migrant women in Afghanistan” (U.S. DOS). Not only are

women trafficked in Afghanistan but women traveling in to Afghanistan are at a high risk of

being abducted. Officials and people of authority are usually the ones accountable for the

trafficking and sexual abuse. Trafficked Afghan men are subjected to forced labor and abuse. An

increasing amount of men were trafficked in and around Afghanistan during the years of 2009

and 2010. Though one may assume that women and young girls would be the most predominant

victims of sexual abuse and trafficking, young boys specifically are especially sought after for

trafficking, forced prostitution, and or serving the Taliban as an involuntary soldier. A popular

demand for young boys being trafficked specifically increased in the year 2008. These young

boys were and continue to be forced to “perform” under the title “Bacha Baazi” boys which

loosely translates to “dancing boys” or “boy play”. “Bacha Baazi boys are predominantly

popular among wealthy men who use these young boys for social and sexual entertainment”

(U.S. DOS). The sexual abuse of young boys is so prevalent, American soldiers stationed with

Afghan allies have reported the Afghan soldiers sexually abusing young boys saying they could

hear them in the next room. “At night we can hear them screaming, but we’re not allowed to do

anything about it,” the Marine’s father, Gregory Buckley Sr., recalled his son telling him before
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he was shot to death at the base in 2012.’ "The policy has endured as American forces have

recruited and organized Afghan militias to help hold territory against the Taliban. But soldiers

and Marines have been increasingly troubled that instead of weeding out pedophiles, the

American military was arming them in some cases and placing them as the commanders of

villages — and doing little when they began abusing children” (Goldstein). These soldiers are

instructed to turn their heads at the abuse and sexual exploitation of young boys because it is

Afghanistan’s so called “culture”. Young boys are also trafficked as child soldiers unknowingly.

"Some child soldiers used by insurgent groups are sexually exploited. Boys are

sometimes promised enrollment in Islamic schools in Pakistan and Iran, but instead are

trafficked to camps for paramilitary training by extremist groups such as the Taliban.

Some children have been tricked or forced to become suicide bombers. Others are heavily

indoctrinated or are not aware that they are carrying explosives that are then set off

remotely without their knowledge" ((U.S. DOS).

Afghan children continue you to be kidnapped from their families and trafficked amongst

Taliban affiliated members. United Nations found that man children were involved in the (ANP)

of the Afghan National Police, meaning several children were trafficked into the police force

subjected to abuse. Some families who are living in such crippling poverty knowingly sell their

children into prostitution or to be married to older men they usually barely know at a young age,

or to become a child soldier in order to pay their dues. “The reason, she explained, that women

were forced into the sex trade by their families was due to poverty and drug addiction - usually

of a husband or brother or both. The families often saw women as a source of money and take

advantage of it” (). This information is an example of how the Taliban has completely destroyed
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Afghanistan, how the evil of human trafficking is still very much alive and thriving, and how the

government is taking little to no action to help their country or protect their people.

Prosecution of human trafficking offenders was handled quite poorly in Afghanistan.

Offenders were not receiving worthy punishments for their crimes and usually the victims

suffered even more after the trafficking events due to the unfair laws and views of the people.

"Specifically, Afghanistan government did not prosecute or convict trafficking offenders under

its 2008 law, and punished victims of sex trafficking with imprisonment for adultery or

prostitution" ((U.S. DOS). The Afghan government struggled to follow through with their

promises of prosecuting these offenders and imprisoning them but had no issue demonizing the

victims and convicting the individuals for acts they may have been forced to do by trafficking

offenders. The Afghan government made no viable effort to enforce anti-human trafficking laws

during this time. Though anti-human trafficking laws were not being enforced properly laws

were placed around 2008 to bring justice to human trafficking victims. “Afghanistan's Law

Countering Abduction and Human Trafficking (2008) prescribes penalties of life imprisonment

for sex trafficking and "maximum term" imprisonment for labor trafficking, which in practice

between 8 to 15 years. These penalties are sufficiently stringent and exceed those prescribed for

other serious crimes such as rape. The elimination of Violence Against Women law enacted in

July 2009 supersedes other laws and can be used to decrease the penalties outlined in

Afghanistan's anti-trafficking law” ((U.S. DOS). The punishment for offenders who abduct

victims for use of forced labor is a short-term imprisonment no longer than six months and a

fine. At least seven years of imprisonment is the punishment for an offender who forces an adult

female into prostitution. The National Directorate of Security and The Ministry of Interior have

investigated, arrested, and tried several alleged human trafficking offenders during a certain
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period. The Afghanistan government confuses trafficking with smuggling and abductions which

is why it is unclear if these arrests were for trafficking or for other crimes. The government failed

to report whether these arrests, investigations, and prosecutions were under the countertrafficking

law. "There was no evidence that the government made any efforts to arrest, investigate, or

prosecute any government officials facilitating trafficking offenses despite reports of national

and border police and workers in government-run orphanages who facilitated trafficking or raped

sex trafficking victims" (U.S. DOS). The Afghan government made little to no discernable effort

to bring justice to human trafficking victims and imprison those who committed these evil

crimes.

The protection of human trafficking victims was not the top priority to the Afghan

government. The government had no solid procedure of identifying victims making it difficult to

provide protection and guidance.

“The government maintained inadequate efforts to protect victims, failing to protect and

prevent children from sexual exploitation and recruitment and use by the armed forces

and continuing the widespread penalization of victims. The government did not report the

number of victims identified, but an international organization reported the government

referred approximately 40 victims to it for assistance in 2015. The government did not

develop or employ systematic procedures for the identification of victims and their

subsequent referral to protective services” ((U.S. DOS).

Other authoritative agencies such as the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, Martyrs, and the

Disabled and the Ministry of Women’s Affairs offered victims to go to shelters run by the NGO.

Local authorities such as police forces were not given proper guidelines to tend to victims. Police

also didn’t have enough money to provide proper care and necessities such as food and water to
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victims during investigations. The police often used their own money to care for victims. Many

shelters run by the government were closed because the resources needed were not provided.

MOLSAMD “provided registration, referral, and social services for trafficking victims, including

receiving victims repatriated to Afghanistan from other countries” ((U.S. DOS). The NGO had

several Women’s protection shelters. They provided protection to the women and social and legal

services for women victims of violence which were also open to victims of human trafficking.

Other victims faced horrible hardships due to personal threats from local communities,

particularly when assisting in cases that involved crimes that bring dishonor to a family name

such as rape. Children victims of human trafficking and abuse were usually placed in orphanages

for protection. Though this may sound like a solid solution, many orphanages are run by human

trafficking traffickers and individuals who subject the children to violence and sexual abuse.

Young boys suffering trauma from their human trafficking experience were often placed in

juvenile detention centers. Protective shelters for adult male victims were non-existent and

identified victims were often put in detention centers. The reason for their being no facilities to

provide protection for male victims was most likely because of the stigma around the fact that

men should take care of themselves and that their trauma and pain is invalid in society's eyes.

Most victims remain unidentified because of shame, lack of resources, and fear of their abductors

putting them in danger if they reveal the offenders.

Prevention acts are in progress in Afghanistan to this day. A national action plan was

established along with other anti-human trafficking procedures. The Afghan National Police are

making efforts to enhance the age verification system, so children will not be affiliated in the

police stations. " The International Organization for Migration and a foreign government

provided separate trainings to police, prosecutors, judges, and other government officials which
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included components on identifying victims of trafficking and distinguishing trafficking and

smuggling cases” (U.S. DOS). Officials and people in authority are given further background

checks and are given proper resources and guideline to help aid victims and identify offenders

locally. Efforts are charging into action in Afghanistan and countries are also providing aid and

recommendations to end human trafficking in Afghanistan.

In conclusion, Afghanistan continues to be slithering with trafficking and with the

inhumane, evil of human trafficking to this day. The Taliban took over the government causing

chaos and putting distress on the people and country. Human trafficking increased during this

time dramatically because the members of the Taliban abducted women, young girls and boys,

and men for forced prostitution, to act as suicide bombers, or for forced labor. Because the

Taliban was in control and trafficking individuals, they were not making efforts to stop other

offenders from trafficking the people of Afghanistan and migrants. To this day, human trafficking

continues to be an issue in Afghanistan and the country remains on the Tier Two Watch List.

Fortunately, prevention efforts are in action and continue to aid in cutting down on human

trafficking and human trafficking rings in and around Afghanistan though the trauma of victims

will exist forever.

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Citations:

1. “Combatting Human Trafficking in Afghanistan.” U.S. Agency for International

Development,www.usaid.gov/newsinformation/factsheets/combattinghuman-

trafficking-afghanistanproject.
2. Matinuddin, Kamal. The Taliban Phenomenon: Afghanistan 1994-1997. Oxford

University Press, 2002.

3. Goldstein, Joseph. “U.S. Soldiers Told to Ignore Sexual Abuse of Boys by Afghan
Allies.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 20 Sept. 2015,
www.nytimes.com/2015/09/21/world/asia/us-soldiers-told-to-ignore-afghan-

allies-abuse-of-boys.html.