James Lehmer Hiama, Jr.; hiamajames@gmail.cm; 0770334857/0888270604
IPNEWS-Monrovia: Liberia and Oman held a preliminary discussion on the protection of Liberian ladies trafficked to Oman on Tuesday, January 10, 2023 Via Zoom.
According to the Ministry of Labor a high power delegation of the National Anti-Human Trafficking Taskforce of Liberia, headed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Dee-Maxwell Kemayah, is expected to meet with the Omani Government February on the safety of Liberian ladies trafficked in that Arab Gulf Nation.
Speaking on Tuesday via zoom meeting in Monrovia with the Omani Labor Minister Dr. Mahad bin Said Ali Baawain, Labor Minister Cllr. Charles H. Gibson said his office continues to receive too many complaints of the ill-treatment of Liberian ladies in Oman, including sexual abuse, demand of Ransoms, brutality, disappearances, false imprisonment, unpaid salaries, etc which amount to modern-day slavery and acute violence of a Nation-State’s international obligation to protect foreigners within its border.
Labor Minister Cllr. Charles H. Gibson in zoom meeting with his Omani Labor Minister Dr. Mahad bin Said Ali Baawain
In a statement, Minister Gibson expressed concern that despite a commitment made by the Omani Government in September of 2022 not to grant visas to Liberian ladies seeking domestic employment in Oman, the flow of Liberian ladies from the country and neighboring countries to Oman continue unabated.
Continuing, Minister Gibson acknowledged that the situation is largely caused by some criminal gangs and individuals operating undercover within both countries, but observed that the Omani Government is not doing much to arrest the situation. He also noted that the Liberian Government will like to sit with the Omani Government in resolving the issues and put the situation under control for both countries’ mutual interests.
In furtherance, Minister Gibson revealed that a low-income country like Liberia has spent nearly Three Million United States Dollars (US$3,000,000) over the last few years to combat human trafficking, which is causing serious strain on its budget to have those victims rescued, repatriated, rehabilitated, and resettled. He however stressed the need for the Omani Government to create a safe environment for the Liberian ladies while the process of dialogue is taking place between the two countries.
On the part of the Omani Government, the Omani Labor Minister Dr. Mahad bin Said bin Ali Baawain promised to work with the Omani Foreign Ministry to receive the Liberian delegation in February to sit on the dialogue table to put things under control for the interest of the both countries. Dr. Baawain expressed regrets that the issue of human trafficking has affected the bilateral relationship between the two countries and committed to working closely with Liberia to identify and root up criminal gangs operating in the both countries that are fueling the situation.
He promised to have the Omani security forces more focused on protecting Liberian ladies in Oman. He alluded to the the inflows of Liberian ladies to Oman despite the visas ban on those ladies transiting through third countries and using foreign travel documents to enter Oman.
It was agreed upon that the two countries will work out modalities to ensure that the Liberian delegation visit Oman in the middle of February. The Liberian delegation that will be headed by the Foreign Minister and will include the Ministers of Labor, Justice, and Gender.
The delegation will be expected to spend three days in Oman and will meet with the Liberian community in Oman, and will also present and discuss a 102-page complaint compiled by the UNODC and Liberian security apparatus, and will ensure that actions are taken by the Omani Government to arrest and prosecute the culprits to serve as deterrent.
The zoom meeting which was facilitated by Foreign Minister Dee-Maxwell Kemayah, who is also a member of the National Anti-Human Trafficking Taskforce, underscored that the Liberian delegation will also receive and discuss proposals from Omani Government on the issue of an MOU to ensure that the protection of Liberian working in or seeking to work in Oman, the establishment of diplomatic relationships between both countries, and other bilateral interest areas.
Meanwhile, a high-power delegation from the Government of Oman will later this year visit Liberia to further strengthen bilateral relationships, including economic and investment opportunities.
