People smuggling to be criminalised

PEOPLE smuggling and trafficking in persons will soon be made an offence under the Criminal Code.
This was made known on Wednesday at a workshop held at the Holiday Inn in Port Moresby.
The workshop was run by the Department of Justice and Attorney-General to present the draft bill on people smuggling and trafficking, to receive feedback through consultation amongst a wide range of government and non-governmental stakeholders
The Department of Justice and Attorney-General and the International Organisation for Migration entered into partnership last May to draft the People Smuggling and Trafficking in Persons Bill.
Minister of Justice and Attorney-General Ano Pala made it known that the Criminal Code would be amended in order to insert the new bill under a new division when it becomes an act.
The bill entitled, “Criminal code (people smuggling and trafficking in persons) Act 2010” will be made a law and offenders will be charged accordingly.
Participants at the workshop contributed ideas for the final draft to be framed in the national, regional and international contexts.
Pala said trafficking of persons, particularly women and children for forced and exploitative labour and including sexual exploitation, was one of the most horrible violations of human rights facing the international community today.