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After the creation of the Development Fund for Iraq—a kind . . of holding pit of money to be spent for "purposes benefiting 15. Worldwide Slavery on the Rise the people of Iraq"—the UN turned over control of Iraq's Twenty-seven million slaves exist in the world today, more billions of dollars from oil revenue to the United States. than at any time in human history. Globalisation, poverty, The CPA had been hastily created by the Pentagon to serve _ violence and greed facilitate the growth of slavery, not only as the interim government in Iraq. On May 9, 2003, _ in the Third World but in the most developed countries as President Bush appointed L. Paul Bremer II] as CPA well. Behind the fagade in any major town or city in the administrator. Over the next year, a compliant US Congress _ world today, one is likely to find a thriving commerce in gave $1.6 billion to Bremer to administer the CPA. This was _ human beings. over and above the $12 billion in cash that the CPA had been Each year, as many as 800,000 people are trafficked across given to disburse from Iraqi oil revenues and unfrozen Iraqi _—_ international borders and up to 17,500 new victims are assets. trafficked across US borders, according to the US Few in Congress had any idea about the true nature of the | Department of Justice (DoJ). More than 30,000 additional CPA as an institution. Lawmakers had never discussed the slaves are transported through the US on their way to establishment of the CPA, much less authorised it—odd, international destinations. DoJ attorneys have prosecuted 91 given that the administration would be receiving taxpayer __ slave trade cases in cities across the US and in nearly every dollars. Confused members of Congress believed that the __ state of the nation. CPA was a US government agency, which it was not, or that Commerce in human beings today rivals drug trafficking at the very least it had been authorised by the United and the illegal arms trade for top criminal activity on the Nations, which it had not. Because the CPA was a rogue __ planet. The slave trade sits at number three on the list, but operation, no one was responsible the gap is closing. According to the for what happened to that money. US Department of State's 2004 "Trafficking in Persons Report", the FBI projected that the slave trade generates US$9.5 billion in revenue each year. A report put out by the United Nations International Labour Organization in 2005, titled "A Global Alliance Against Forced Labour", estimated that figure to be closer to $32 billion annually. Commerce in human beings 14. Mainstreaming Nucl ; ys Waste today rivals drug trafficking Radioactive materials from | and the illegal arms trade for nuclear weapons production sites are being dumped into regular top criminal activity on the landfills and are available for g recycling and resale. The Nuclear planet. The slave trade sits at Information and Resource Service number three on the list, but (NIRS) has tracked the 9 . Department of Energy's (DoE's) the gap Is closing. Though modern-day forms of release of radioactive scrap, slavery are emerging to suit global concrete, equipment, asphalt, markets, bonded labour continues chemicals, soil and more to unaware and unprepared _ to be the most common form of slavery in the world. In a recipients such as landfills, commercial businesses and __ typical scenario, an individual falls under the control of a recreation areas. wealthy patron after taking a small loan. Bondage, with no Under the current system, the DoE releases contaminated _ legal standing, is typically established through fraud and materials directly, sells them at auctions or through —_ maintained through violence. exchanges or sends the materials to processors who can release them from radioactive controls. The recycling of | 16. Survey on Violations of Trade Union Rights these materials—for re-use in the production of everyday The first "Annual Survey of Violations of Trade Union household and personal items, such as zippers, toys, _ Rights", published by the year-old International Trade Union furniture and automobiles, or to build roads, schools and Confederation, documents enormous challenges to workers' playgrounds—is increasingly common. rights around the world. The NIRS report, "Out of Control — On Purpose: DoE's The 2007 edition of the survey, covering 138 countries, Dispersal of Radioactive Waste into Landfills and Consumer shows an alarming rise in the number of people killed as a Products", tracks the laws, methods and justifications used _ result of their trade union activities, from 115 in 2005 to 144 by the DoE to expedite the mandatory clean-up of the — in 2006. Many more trade unionists around the world were environmental legacy being created by the nation's nuclear —_ abducted or "disappeared". Thousands were arrested during weapons program and government-sponsored nuclear energy __ the year for their parts in strike actions and protests, while research. thousands of others were fired in retaliation for organising. The effort, one of the largest and most technically complex | Growing numbers of trade union activists in Africa, the environmental clean-up programs in the world, includes the | Americas, Europe, Asia and the Pacific are facing police clean-up of 114 sites in the US, due to be completed by the _ brutality and murder as unions are viewed as opponents of end of 2008. corporatist governments. today rivals drug trafficking and the illegal arms trade for top criminal activity on the planet. The slave trade sits at 16. Survey on Violations of Trade Union Rights The first "Annual Survey of Violations of Trade Union Rights", published by the year-old International Trade Union Confederation, documents enormous challenges to workers' rights around the world. The 2007 edition of the survey, covering 138 countries, shows an alarming rise in the number of people killed as a result of their trade union activities, from 115 in 2005 to 144 in 2006. Many more trade unionists around the world were abducted or "disappeared". Thousands were arrested during the year for their parts in strike actions and protests, while thousands of others were fired in retaliation for organising. Growing numbers of trade union activists in Africa, the Americas, Europe, Asia and the Pacific are facing police brutality and murder as unions are viewed as opponents of corporatist governments. 16 ¢ NEXUS Commerce in human beings number three on the list, but the gap is closing. www.nexusmagazine.com DECEMBER 2008 — JANUARY 2009