Tuesday
Oct132009
Global Trafficking Of Human Organs A Big Business
Tuesday, October 13, 2009 at 1:16PM
The Council of Europe and the United Nations joined forces today to call for an international convention to combat organ trafficking across the globe. Trafficking in OTC (organs, tissues and cells) is a worldwide phenomena, and the group urged, very different to traditional human trafficking.
The report launched today points to the possibility of a high number of unreported cases due to the high price for victims. The report also highlights that trafficking in OTC is "transplant tourism" where wealthier nations acquire organs in countries where there are little or no measures to prevent the crime or to protect victims.
Countries ranked among the highest in OTC victims include China, Moldova, India, Pakistan, Mozambique and Kosovo, to name a few. Most often, these organs are trafficked into Western Europe, Singapore, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Rachel Mayanja, Special Advisor to the UN on the Advancement of Women added:
"We see that women are statistically always the largest number of victims in trafficking--prostitution and trafficking for labor. It is still difficult to find out whether women are the biggest victims for organs as compared to men. But we are continuing our search."
The authors of the report responded to a TRNS question about the famous "Body" exhibit--where body parts were proven to come from unwilling Chinese political prisoners in order to fulfill the mandate for bodies by the global exhibit organizers. Authors called this "ethical trouble".
Victims report being drugged, then waking up naked in a bath tub full of ice with their kidneys removed. Many others are murdered for their kidneys, heart, lungs, liver and small bowel. Most of the victims come from developing nations and from a climate of poverty.
Five to ten percent of kidney transplants performed across the world are the result of trafficking.
Representatives of the Council of Europe said the international legislation in trafficking of human beings but does not cover OTC---and the goal is to increase the legal basis for tissues and cells as well. Organs can be from a living and dead donor--but for tissues and cells it is only possible to obtain from a dead donor.
The UN report calls for greater international cooperation for the protection of victims and the timely prosecution of traffickers:
"No financial gain should be used to steal and sell organs and most people who sell their organs do not escape poverty."
The report launched today points to the possibility of a high number of unreported cases due to the high price for victims. The report also highlights that trafficking in OTC is "transplant tourism" where wealthier nations acquire organs in countries where there are little or no measures to prevent the crime or to protect victims.
Countries ranked among the highest in OTC victims include China, Moldova, India, Pakistan, Mozambique and Kosovo, to name a few. Most often, these organs are trafficked into Western Europe, Singapore, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Rachel Mayanja, Special Advisor to the UN on the Advancement of Women added:
"We see that women are statistically always the largest number of victims in trafficking--prostitution and trafficking for labor. It is still difficult to find out whether women are the biggest victims for organs as compared to men. But we are continuing our search."
The authors of the report responded to a TRNS question about the famous "Body" exhibit--where body parts were proven to come from unwilling Chinese political prisoners in order to fulfill the mandate for bodies by the global exhibit organizers. Authors called this "ethical trouble".
Victims report being drugged, then waking up naked in a bath tub full of ice with their kidneys removed. Many others are murdered for their kidneys, heart, lungs, liver and small bowel. Most of the victims come from developing nations and from a climate of poverty.
Five to ten percent of kidney transplants performed across the world are the result of trafficking.
Representatives of the Council of Europe said the international legislation in trafficking of human beings but does not cover OTC---and the goal is to increase the legal basis for tissues and cells as well. Organs can be from a living and dead donor--but for tissues and cells it is only possible to obtain from a dead donor.
The UN report calls for greater international cooperation for the protection of victims and the timely prosecution of traffickers:
"No financial gain should be used to steal and sell organs and most people who sell their organs do not escape poverty."
Reader Comments (3)
Unfortunately the poor are always abused. This crime cannot be eradicated because it obviously goes all the way up political and judicial ladder.
We know where these organs are sold and yet we cannot stop it. For us to know where they are sold we also must know who is buying them so why can't we prosecute these people? One word. Corruption.
My heart goes out to the poor unfortunate victims.
I have been a medical professional for decades and seen humanity in all of its stages. Unfortunately I have come to the sad conclusion that humanity, as we understand it, is on its way out. We have been presented with opportunities to learn at every phase, and continue to refuse, or are unable, to evolve. So, our time here is limited. Perhaps we will get another chance one day.
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