They are human beings” “

Two main proposals emerged from the European Conference on combating the trafficking of human beings, held in recent days in Florence, on the initiative of Emmaus International and Emmaus Europe: first, an appeal to European leaders to ratify the international Conventions and protocols that guarantee the human rights of the victims of trafficking; and second, the request for the establishment of a European Union structure with the specific task of gathering data on anti-trafficking cases – i.e. cases of victims successfully re-integrated in society, throughout the territory of Europe, and for the creation of European organizations to assist the re-integration of migrants and the reuniting of families, especially children. The number of people being trafficked in the old continent is actually increasing: especially women from the countries of Eastern Europe for the purpose of sexual exploitation (some 200-300,000 each year, according to the figures that emerged during the conference), men sent to the countries of Western Europe to be exploited as cheap labour or children trafficked for illegal adoptions or mendicancy. But the trafficking of human beings is the dramatic tip of the iceberg of an ever more difficult social situation in Europe too, as testified by the ABBÉ PIERRE , the 93-year-old founder of Emmaus, and RENZO FIOR , president of Emmaus International. We interviewed them. Abbè Pierre, why is Emmaus, which has for many years been involved with the poor and the homeless, now turning its attention to the victims of trafficking and migration? “In northern France thousands of immigrants are often on the coast in the attempt to enter Great Britain. We receive them in our communities and offer them food and accommodation. On the basis of this experience we came to the realization that a grave problem of the exploitation of people exists. This is also due to the fact that unemployment has become a chronic phenomenon in European countries. Moreover, the lack of housing and the absurd prices of rented accommodation aggravate the living conditions of so many people. Exploitation is increasing because there is a lack of opportunities. If we could offer serious alternatives – such as housing or employment in the countries of origin – people would undoubtedly choose differently, because no one chooses to live in a situation of this kind. Migrations enable us to see the poverty that is widespread everywhere. In proportion as we change the underlying social situation, the more dramatic phenomena will be mitigated”. So what is the task of social Europe? “Precisely because Europe is in process of construction it must try to situate itself in a new way on the world scene. There was a period when Europe was in the vanguard in all initiatives; Europe was prosperous. Now that time has ended and we must get used to a new situation. Europe must rediscover its rightful place in the world, not least to try to curb these grave internal problems”. Fior, no European country has ratified the International Convention on the protection of the rights of migrant workers. Why? “European countries are unwilling to ratify the Convention because it would mean recognizing the migrant’s status as a person with his own rights: in other words, it would mean no longer considering him as an alien, a clandestine. But if we were able to give a simple and genuine welcome to such people, we could also help eliminate all those phenomena of micro-criminality that are explicable by the need to survive. For the majority of the people who arrive in Europe do not come with any intention of breaking the law. If they are desperate and fail to find work, it’s obvious they will say yes to anyone who offers them the chance to earn money in a hurry. They then find themselves caught in a vicious circle from which it is often difficult to get out”. What do you ask of Europe, as spokesman of the exploited and poor? “Europe ought to recognize these people as victims, and their need to be accompanied and inserted in the labour force, whether willing to denounce their exploiters or not. The exploiters in fact can place their victims in difficulty by blackmail, by threatening their families at home. Just as there exists political asylum for those fleeing from wars and persecutions, the same ought to happen also for the victims of trafficking. We also ask Europe to alter the more or less neo-liberal, laissez-faire approach enshrined in the European Constitution and to affirm in a far clearer way an attitude of hospitality, solidarity and participation of the European institutions in people’s lives. We do not in the least agree with the kind of vision that reduces everything to merchandise. It is anti-human and anti-Christian and leads to destruction and opposition, because the idea of merchandise is inseparable from competition, which may also be fair but in most cases is unfair. This is the most negative aspect of contemporary society that is reflected in the European Constitution and in the political attitude of Europe”.