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To get scared twice or easily become illegal

Gala Petri Tuesday, January 10, 2012, 16.06

Unfortunately your status does not always depends on you

Will the abroad help us?

I flew to Shymkent, to the south of Kazakhstan, accompanied by 60-year-old Tajik Dzhimshed (name changed just in case), who was my neighbor in the old plane AH-24. Passengers were surprised to such an ancient vessel – they say that usually "Boeings" flies.  Our " ан" was flying slowly, giving an extra hour to talk. Him– totalk, me– tolisten.

Dzhimshed

Dzhimshed told me such a deep story like that I was an old friend of him. About his previous life in the south of Tajikistan: where he studied, how he built a career, how many apple trees planted on the successfully bought land. And what harvest he had. And how he left everything and went with his family from the war. Yes, everything is well now. There is a House with ten rooms in Shymkent, and it is also populous, there are 14 or 16 grandchildren (old man had difficulty with the exact number).  But about this later. It is not so interesting. I see that the teller likes more talking about the past and youth.

 Olga Ivanova. “Her name was Olga Ivanova”, he says. This is after we talked about the changes, about Islam and the traditions. And after when I asked him, how he got married. “Well, I got married”, he said. I had raised four sons and three daughters. Everything was good, thanks God. His children had born him 14 or 16 grandchildren. But still. Her name was Olga. He served in the Army in the Far East. She was ready to go to Tajikistan. I asked the permission for marriage from her parents, and they agreed. He was demobilized and he went to his parents to ask them. He laid at the feet of his father and pleaded him. His father was adamant. Dzhimshed wrote to young Olga Petrovna: I'm sorry.

That is all he takes from his pocket handkerchief and brings to his eyes.  60 years old Tajik, 7 children, 16 grandchildren.

I became sad too at that moment.  There was a silence.

 I said: “You know, maybe it is better? It would be difficult for her. If she would not have standed? She would have left you alone taking away your kids. This would have been a nightmare. Now all your children are with you.

“Yes, maybe it was better”, he said. Old men know better. It is important for them to be taken care in old age. Theytrusttheirownchildren.

Finally ... we arrived. The staff of my hotel did not meet me. But Dzhimshed was waited by one of his four sons, I was offered to be driven to my hotel. Excellent! But I forgot the name of the hotel. I began to call to Almaty, the project coordinator. “Don’t move from there”, she said, “stand still and wait, you will be met “.

Ok, I am looking forward to it. I'm sorry, dear Dzhimshed – it turned, somebody will get me to the hotel.

I smiled little inside to the vigilance of Alia, and of course, I complied with the recommendations of the organizers.

Reason for carefulness 

I understood later. A seminar for journalists working on a regional program on migration was conducted in Shymkent.  The speech on labor migration: different its forms and risks. Illegal migration tightly related by slavery and human trafficking.  Illegality does not give profit - but it provides a great wealth who need. Therefore, the order in this area is not taking place by decades.

Journalists from four countries are involved to the project i: Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Russia. The first two countries are regarded as suppliers of force of labor migration, and the last two - receivers (although it is clear that the diffuse flux of any of those countrries to some extent fulfills both roles).

It is considered that regime is significantly gentler for Tajiks and Kyrgyz in Kazakhstan than in Russia: closer to home, more tolerant people - with one faith and similar traditions.

Therefore

People who deal with this problem can tell hundreds of stories-one is more horrible than another. NGO “Sana Sezim”  is the partner of this project and an authoritative expert in this problem. The organization celebrated 10 years of its successful work, and it widely cooperates with journalists. I have been friends with the  President of Legal Center for Women's Initiatives "Sana Sezim", Khadicha Abysheva for a long time.  And then there was an opportunity to get acquainted with her ​​colleagues. And here we are sitting in their new office and talk, and I was surprised.

He is a citizen of  Israel. Not young, not poor. He came  to Kazakhstan  with the  aim to visit his relatives. He arrived in Almaty, got on the bus, went to the south. On the way, he talked to people, asking questions, talking about himself.  As usual. The journey was long, we stopped for a while, and we went to relieve their needs. The Israel citizen was beaten to the head, his money and documents were robbed.  He woke up and began looking for the help. He found the shelter. He was captured and forced to graze their cattle. He had been in slavery for several years. When he managed to escape, he was caught by the other slave owners. And so three times.

There is a 22 years old guy. He is citizen of Kazakhstan. He is Local, Sober and domestic. When he was coming back home in the evening he was stunned and  loaded into the car, driven away. When pulled out of the car, I saw that there was another one - fellow prisoner, by captivity, by slavery. Then – he was feeding the animals, he was trying to escape, but he was caught and beaten. And so five years. Relatiives were searching  without any result. The Court issued the decision recognizing him dead - it availed my sister for inheritance. But she continued to look for. When he was released, as you know, he was not the same guy who once by whistling was coming back home.

I'm sitting and listening, and suddenly I realized why Alia so emphatically recommended me to wait for the car from the hotel. Here we go with my new friends ... We go and go ... And there's no hotel ... And a though - what is it? - I think we are leaving the city?.. Where are we going? Stop the car! - Shut up, I said! Horrible picture goes through my mind. I'm sorry, dear Tajiks. Of course, you are good, I know it. But, my God, how it seems simple.

There are lots of cases. Only “Sana Sezim” (with Department for Combating Organized Crime) and only this year 49 people have been saved. They have been saved from the real slavery.

I questioned other people. Here is Sultan - my fellow traveler on the plane, whose flight was delayed for two days because of the weather – there was time to talk. I asked about slaves, and he immediately realized what I meant. He was a simple guy, and explained very clearly:

I have been trapped! And my brother has been trapped, and we cannot escape anyhow. He even calls sometimes, like it is normal there, but the voice is wooden, and does not say where he is. We cannot take him back in any way. How do they do? They pretend that you have broken something or you have lost a sheep. Now you have to return the debts. But there is no end of the debts.   

And how did you get here, Sultan?

- I went to make the heating system. I have been doing and doing. I have been doing and doing. Somehow the work does not end at all. Days go by, and I fall asleep at night, like the dead, and there is a new thing in the morning, and it seems awkward somehow to leave works unfinished. I could not escape from them for two weeks. It seemed that they were conjuring me. And then, I was tormented and I was taken on the spot for two years. One thing was after another. They demanded that I come back to them. But I did not go. They annoyed me enough. Just now I am recovering little by little, they rarely disturb me.

Tajik, Azerbaijani and Moldovan labor migrants do not endeavor to set the tone in the cultural life of Dushanbe, Baku and Chisinau. Well or they compose "guest workers." But it was in Russian.

Would the abroad help us?

Not waiting for the plane, I went to the capital by the train and I met there a nice woman named Anar. Intelligent pensioner from Shymkent also was in such problem:

 - There are many slave owner.  They are catching, and what's the point. Steppe is large sheepfolds many. Grabbed the man, scared, left with the sheep in the middle of the steppe - where will he go?

 We with Anar are looking at a passing steppe with herds of sheeps. They are pastured by unknown riders. I remember unhappy Israelis.  He managed to escape three times, run to people for the help and every time he again became the slaver of new owners. He was forced to work again and again. Nobody was pity about him.       

We have to rethink the stereotypes, about Human Trafficking: a young woman, somewhat reckless, and thus put herself in danger. Go somewhere, trusted to someone. But when you hear the stories like the ones I brought up - about a guy who did not go anywhere, and just  was walking down the street and he get  for five years in slavery – it becomes horrible.

Therefore they have come to our  house.

Is it really so massive?

Already from Tbilisi, I asked this question to Khadicha Abysheva. She replied:

- It is difficult to assess the scales, because the phenomenon is hidden. The number of applications to our organization has grown. But not always It is interpreted as an increase in the number of victims. This may be due to the fact that about the slavery is just talked more.

My second fear

I arrived to Kazakhstan for 5 days. This is a deadline when you can stay in the country without registering. I am following the law! I have been clarified on the border, queried at the Hotel. On Friday in the evening I had to  fly from Shymkent to the capital to leave that place for the flying to Tbilisi. But my flight was late. After Friday came Saturday then Sunday. 

The next flight to Tbilisi was only on Monday at 5 am.  What is the passenger-delayed flight? This is a person who is stuck in a waiting room. But even if I had an hour or two of "forge" and rushed to look for the immigration office - anyway there was a day off! Saturday, and then Sunday. I have assured myself by taking reference from the airline company about the delay of the flight. And went by the train, I was not in a hurry anywhere.

I'm not particularly tormented myself with thoughts about the absence of registration.  They are not animals, border guards they will understand. Here it is the reference.

But the officers did not want to hear anything. They turned to my entry sheet and pointed at it - what is written here, eh? - told me as to a stupid person. In three languages! – they stressed on what was written. I mumbled about the delayed flight, the days off – but I had not been heard! The border was closed . Though it was strange office. Very strange. That is not to say that only in Kazakhstan. These guys have a license for severity? And by all means protect it. Here is the delayed flight, that are the circumstances, here are the receiving party (the UN office and immediately on Sunday came a colleague Alia), here I will now write an explanation. Well what kind of lawbreaker am I? But they have not even been listening to what we said.   

And then I was scared the second time. Although I threatened not so much: at most, to live in Almaty extra couple of days. I was scared theoretically and with a reserve, providing that there is no job travel, no sub-regional UN office, no colleagues, who would give me a loan for a new ticket and a fine. What, I am, let's say, alone with no money, and not too sure about myself, and talking in an exotic language. Young, stupid, frivolous. Or old, deaf, hard moving. And what would happen to me then?

Having paid a fine (17 500 tenge, or about $ 120), I began to ask a girl who worked with me. She was forced to write an explanatory note, and then to sign a document stating that I was judged by Administrative Court. They asked all the time: Do you have money? Do you have any money?  What would be if I hadn’t money? - In turn I asked the girl when the procedure is over. You have been removed from the flight, she said. So what? Would you go to the migration office and paid a fine there. If I did not have money what will happen then? - Stupidly I ask again. I do not know, she says, without money you cannot.

Anyway, I'm home. Enriched with new experiences. I often travel around the world, and I understand that the rapid movement is not entirely safe. Who knows - machinery? This trip showed me another type of danger. In all clarifying.

What then resume? You could write a thousand articles about migration, about its risks and exacerbate background - poverty, ignorance of languages, gullibility, the vulnerability. It seems that if you're fully poor and literate - that is protected. But this is not always so! Maybe I'm just stressful girl, but on this trip it seemed to me that the world is hostile. The danger is not only absorbs the most disenfranchised - it is like a black shadow, increasingly covers us. Perhaps it was for the punishment for them.