IRAQ: Concern over reports of child trafficking

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/IRIN/d895e982e7cb70dea866086525c16855.htm

BAGHDAD, 29 June (IRIN) - Local officials and aid workers have expressed concern over the alarming rate at which children are disappearing countrywide in Iraq's current unstable environment.

"At least five children are disappearing every week," said Omar Khalif, vice-president of the Iraqi Families Association (IFA), an NGO established in 2004 to register cases of missing children. "And the number could be much higher as we don't have access to government statistics. In some cases, we've received information that they were trafficked to Europe through neighbouring countries."

According to local investigators and the IFA, unconfirmed information suggests that children are being sold to many countries in Europe, particularly the UK and the Netherlands. However, there is no detailed information on who is buying them and for what reason.

Officials confirm that there are organised international gangs carrying out the trafficking in collaboration with Iraqis who are arranging the abductions from their own country.

[whistle]

1. Ahaaa, capitalism operating at its finest selling little boys and little

...girls into slavery! That is a neo-con wet-dream for sure.