By Omar Bah
The Foundation Against Trafficking and Irregular Migration, FATIM, has announced the arrival of the first batch of Gambian women allegedly trafficked to Oman via Dakar on Monday.
Last month, Gambian women, reportedly trafficked to the gulf state of Oman, appealed to the Gambia Government to facilitate their immediate repatriation.
The women were trafficked with the promise of well-paid jobs only to be told on arrival that they have been sold as slaves to some Arabs, who subject them to inhumane treatment.
In a statement shared with The Standard, the foundation said it has in collaboration with the families facilitated the repatriation of some of the women.
“We have repatriated the first batch of returnees from Oman, a country in the Middle East. They are youths, mostly girls, who were trafficked for domestic work. Upon arrival, they were exposed to hard labor and some sexual harassment. The hard labor imposed on them without enough rest has caused health complications for most of them,” it said.
The foundation said it fully funded and facilitated the return of the women in collaboration with their families.
“We did not receive any support from the government. They came via Senegal. We are working tirelessly for the repatriation of the remaining batch, but we cannot disclose it at the moment hence we are struggling with financial constraints. Therefore, we are soliciting support from the general public,” the foundation added.
When contacted for comments on the issue, the director of migration at the ministry of foreign affairs, Musa Camara said he sent a request for an update to the Gambian Embassy in Riyadh on the repatriation of the women.
