Brutal Realities
Human Trafficking in Peru: Stakeholder Perceptions of How to Combat Human Trafficking and Help Support Its Survivors
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Julie Anne Laser-Maira
Peru has been found to be a country of destination, origin, and transit of men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking. Peruvian news highlights growing trends in labor and sex trafficking, but it is widely recognized that there is a paucity of rigorous data on the subject. The population that was studied is the stakeholders that work with survivors of human trafficking in Peru in eight different locations in Peru: Cusco, Madre de Dios, Lima, Iquitos, Tumbes, Puno, Trujillo, and Apurimac. These individuals have a great deal of knowledge of the experiences of trafficked individuals, but most have not personally experienced being trafficked, thus reducing the risk of participation in the study. The services provided by these organizations to survivors were: mental health, law enforcement, community advocacy and outreach, shelter, education or vocational education, investigations/evaluations, referrals, food assistance, employment services, and legal services. In total, thirty human trafficking organizations throughout Peru were surveyed. Each organization was asked from their vantage point, what they would do to end human trafficking in Peru? The findings from this research add substantially to the knowledge of the clandestine world of human trafficking. This research is one of the first studies in Peru that gives insight into both the extent of the problem of human trafficking and real solutions of how it can be combatted.
Anti-illegal Drug Program Initiatives in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Regions: A Review of Thrusts and Issues
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Carmelo John Vidal, Esther B. Vedaña, Sarah Delos Santos
This study appraises the programs on anti-illegal drugs campaign of the members of the Association of South East Asian Nation (ASEAN) with regards to the demand and supply reduction (redox) of illicit or prohibited drugs. It specifically attempts to bring into focus the features of the said campaign programs of the national governments and further ascertain the precipitating issues and concerns. Aided by documentary analysis, this study accounts for the latest statutes and mandates pertaining to implementation of these initiatives. In the course of assessment, this review provides a critique on the commonalities and points of distinctions of the various programs in order to serve as baseline reference in the formulation of an ASEAN model relative to the war on drugs.
Post LTTE Peace Building in Sri Lanka and India's Neighbourly Role
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Anurag Velury, Tanay Katiyar, Abhijeet Sharma
The state of Sri Lanka post-civil war has imposed various challenges regarding the issues of rehabilitation and resettlement. Post-conflict peacebuilding is certainly a multi-national and multi-dimensional process involving various stakeholders. India, the immediate neighbour has a relatively large stake in the rehabilitation process. The initial ties of India and LTTE evoked India to express concerns over peace maintenance in Sri Lanka and its Tamils. Ever since, the multiple failed attempts of mediation and negotiation deeply influenced the Indo-Sri Lankan relations during Rajiv Gandhi’s government. Missions like Operation Pawan miserably failed leading to the withdrawal of IPKF and subsequently, the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi. Given these setbacks, how is India playing a part in the post-LTTE rehabilitation process? Ethnic connections abstain India from ignoring the Sri Lankan Tamils. Hence, India took the initiative in resettling nearly 250,000 IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons) and approximately 11,000 surrendered rebels. India also provided $100 million as financial aid. After the civil war terminated, India was tied up between maintaining friendly relations with Sri Lanka and obliging to moral duties of human rights. Millions of casualties from LTTE and the Sri Lankan government, numerous accusations of sexual violence, torture, recruitment of children and killings of close to 40,000 civilians in just 5 months all hampered the process of rehabilitation and reconstruction.This paper analyses peace-building processes in Sri Lanka and the contribution of India as a neighbour. It explores the role of mutual identity shared by the Tamils of India and Sri Lanka as a determining factor of India’s generosity. Additionally, it considers how India was cautious when the LTTE retaliated against the IPKF and ultimately went on to support the Sri Lankan government.
War, Trauma, and Moral Injury : Women Veterans Experiences in Continuous War
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session April Koeberle
This on-going research explores women veteran’s experiences with traumas during the fifteen-year occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan. As the occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan continue, women have sustained physical, emotional, and psychological trauma resulting from repeated deployments, moral violations, physical and sexual violence perpetrated, and reinforced by the military institution. My research explores the individual experiences of women veterans with traumas of war, specifically regarding moral injury and how that effects their lives. Moral Injury is relatively new area of war trauma that the Veterans Administration is currently studying regarding its symptomatic overlap with PTSD (VA.gov). I hope to explore the experiences of women regarding issues of moral injury, how they perceive their experiences in war, as well as how they feel about their experiences within the military institution.
