Forgotten victims of human trafficking Borealis in action: “There is no time left!”

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55 of the victims of human trafficking who were discovered at the beginning of July at a construction site of chemical giant Borealis, have meanwhile received the necessary help. But the 119 other victims are left behind. “They have no income and are in danger of being evicted,” explains lawyer Mieke Van Laer of PROGRESS Lawyers Network. Dozens of them gathered on Sint-Jansplein in Antwerp on Tuesday 7 September and shouted: “Don’t forget us, there’s no time left. We need help!”

At the beginning of July, the social inspectorate and police discovered 174 victims of human trafficking at a large construction site of chemical giant Borealis in the port of Antwerp. These people worked on a new factory for the production of propylene, the raw material of plastic. Not as ordinary workers, but as exploited workers. They received about 600 euros a month, while they worked more than 10 hours a day, 6 days a week. Way below minimum wage.

55 of the victims, of Filipino and Bangladeshi descent, were removed from their homes shortly afterwards because they had been declared uninhabitable due to their appalling condition and fire insecurity. For them, the human trafficking procedure was started by aid organization Payoke [1].

119 people are left behind

But they were not alone, there are also the 119 other victims, who are now forgotten. Who are they right? It is about a group of workers of Bangladeshi origin who were not at home on the day of the eviction of the houses, and another group of Turkish workers who were housed elsewhere. The latter were at the police station in the Handelstraat in Antwerp a few days later, to make it clear that they too are victims.

In a group they walked around the Sint-Jansplein in Antwerp today, with yesterday’s headlines in the air in their hands. “We need help! Don’t forget us, there’s no time left!

“Yesterday, their story exploded in the press because of our first action, and our clients will continue to increase the pressure, because they have had no income for two months and are now also in danger of being evicted from their home,” says lawyer Mieke Van Laer. PROGRESS Lawyers Network [2]which is also present.

Photo: Evi Van Thienen

Photo: Evi Van Thienen

Orange card

“In contrast to the 55 other employees, including Filipinos and Bangladeshis, these 119 people have not yet received an orange card, which is given after the start of the human trafficking procedure, which offers not only temporary residence rights, but also the right to shelter and the opportunity to work for any employer.

That is discrimination because they are now not being supervised, have no chance to look for work, earn money, and moreover, a large number of them risk losing the roof over their heads,” continues Mieke Van Laer.

“This is because they still reside in the buildings of subcontractor IREM,” explains Van Laer, “but IREM now says that the contract has ended, so they will no longer rent the buildings. The owner of the homes can therefore start proceedings with the Justice of the Peace to evict our clients from their homes.” The lawyer explains that this is a real disaster for many because they have not yet been recognized as victims of international human trafficking by Payoke, so they have not yet received an orange card and have no perspective.

Photo: Evi Van Thienen

No place at Payoke

“Vzw Payoke, which provides victim assistance to victims of human trafficking, received the 55 people with the help of the city of Antwerp. The City of Antwerp is renting a hotel so that all these 55 people can be accommodated. Payoke himself said at the time that they were already understaffed, and that they certainly have no room for the 119 other people.”

“Now we actually do Payoke’s task, they provide guidance in the case of human trafficking, both administratively, psychologically and judicially. We must therefore continue to increase the pressure by organizing actions until results are achieved and our clients are protected.”

Action, action and more action… until you listen!

Friday is an important moment, says Mieke. “Then Interdepartmental Consultation will take place in Brussels, between, among others, Payoke and the Immigration Department.”

“These people have been lured here through a lot of subcontractors from Bangladesh and Turkey. They were promised a good wage so that they could send this money to their families. Many of them are family fathers who have to pay the school fees for their children, and whose families live in dire poverty.”

“It would actually be good if the government, for example, took over the rent of the buildings where the Turkish workers now reside, so that they can continue to live where they live. It is very important to increase the pressure, it also works. That is why we will continue to take action tomorrow and the days after.”

At the end of the campaign, the activists meet with their lawyers Mieke Van Laer and Jan Buelens and a few people from Solidari teams who hand out food. The activists make it clear that they will not give up until they get what they are entitled to. Today, too, there are campaigns on the Ossenmarkt in Antwerp, where DeWereldMorgen will also be present.

Notes:

[1] PROGRESS Lawyers Network currently represents 93 out of 119 workers.

[2] The moment police services discover someone who may be a victim of human trafficking, they forward the person in question to Payoke. The human trafficking procedure will start there after permission from the Labor Auditor and the Immigration Department. If the person in question continues to cooperate during the procedure, he or she will receive an orange card, and if criminal proceedings are initiated against the perpetrator, he will also receive a long-term residence permit.

The article is in Dutch

Tags: Forgotten victims human trafficking Borealis action time left

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