Catholic nuns want government to halt labour exportation

Catholic nuns (sisters) in Uganda have raised concern over the continued dehumanisation of Ugandan girls who go to work abroad.

In their joint message, the nuns from various organisations stressed that government has not done enough put up employment for its people.

They demanded that government halts the exportation of labour especially in the Arab Countries and come up with better options to help their people.

The message follows their four day retreat at the secretariat of the Association of the Religious in Uganda (ARU), a body which brings together all nurses in Nsanbya, where they prayed and deliberated on a number issues including; trafficking in persons, unemployment, forced and early marriages, and domestic violence.

The retreat was attended by over 40 nuns from various countries including; Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Kenya, Burkina Faso, DR Congo and South Sudan.

In their statement presented by, Sr. Teresa Namataka from the Sisters of Mary, they stressed that human trafficking is dehumanising and should be banned.

“It has continued to expose our sisters and brothers to untold torture, sexual abuse and slavery. Some of our daughters are trafficked abroad and forced to have sex with animals, while others are killed for organ transplant,” they noted.

Early September this year, Kenyan authorities rescued 71 people including 59 Ugandans nationals, at Jomo Kenyata International Airport, allegedly being trafficked to Oman.

According to the Uganda annual Crime and Road Safety Report; a total of 177 reports were registered in 2017 involving 335 victims/ survivors as compared to a total number of 125 reports registered in 2016 involving a total number of 283. The nuns noted that many cases go unregistered.  

Namataka stressed that through the Ministry of Labour and Social Development, government should identify opportunities to create employment for our people through coordinating with all sectors both public and private.

“I believe it can be done; rather than sending our children abroad. They are tortured, harassed and they have nowhere to run to and are treated like slaves,” she added.

She said they are going to meet the Speaker of Parliament on December 3^rd to present their concerns.

The group also had discussions with the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC), Ministries of Internal Affairs, and Gender, Labour and Social Development.

“Government cannot monitor everywhere; that’s why we still see many cases in the media of our people tortured. Sending our people to slave labour reinforces this mentality that Africans are slaves regardless of their education or status,” Namataka added.

Sr. Speciozia Kabahuma, the assistant secretary general, Daughter of St. Tereza, said there is need to review the penalty of perpetrators.
 
“We want government to strengthen this law to have these people compensate the victims or families of the victims,” he noted.

Sr. Catherine Amun, from the Little Sisters of Mary Immaculate Gulu, said they have already kicked off sensitization in about human trafficking.

They called on parents to discourage their children from going abroad for work, and all education institutions and leaders to educate the masses on the challenges associated with trafficking in persons.