To deflect attention from its own serious shortcomings in the human rights arena, Moldovans and their cheerleaders are quick to point the finger at Pridnestrovie and accuse the country of being a base for “people trafficking”. The only evidence comes from reports which, although full of allegations of criminality and wrongdoing in Pridnestrovie, are always inevitably anonymously sourced. Following the trail to the footnotes only leads the reader to “interviews in Chisinau”, with a person, or people, who are presumably the Moldovan version of Deep Throat.

In one such case, OSCE press man Claus Neurath (in a side job as an "analyst") makes the blatantly dishonest claim that the trafficking of people including prostitutes, is worse in Pridnestrovie than in neighbouring Moldova. Unfortunately (for him) no international organizations of any credibility supports this claim, and the evidence all points in the other direction. The United States Department of State verified the facts and pulls no punches in its annual report on human rights violations in Moldova:

"The country was a major country of origin for women and children trafficked abroad for forced prostitution and men and children who were trafficked to Russia and neighboring countries for forced labor and begging. Women and girls were trafficked for prostitution. The IOM (International Organization for Migration) reported that the country was the main origin in Europe for women and children trafficked for forced prostitution."

Moldova's government knows that children are highly sought after for the sex trade: The IOM reported that, of the victims they have assisted, 40 percent were minors at the time of their initial trafficking. The sex trafficking in minors is organized by government officials who take the major share of the income from this trade.

The U.S. State Department's report on Human Rights abuses in Moldova affirms that "trafficking of children for the purpose of sexual exploitation" remains a problem, calling it "very serious" and confirming that Moldovan authorities simply turns a blind eye and refuses to arrest of prosecute anyone: "authorities opened investigations against only low-level government officials and did not arrest or prosecute any officials during the year. [...] no high-level officials were prosecuted during the year."

Much research has been done in this area over the past five years and it all points the finger at Moldova as a leading source of the problem. Many articles have appeared in the Western press in the past few years often stating precisely where the prostitutes come from: During the week 13-17 October, 2003 Sky Television broadcast a daily series of reports from Moldova fronted by its correspondent Lawrence Lee. Inevitably, subjects like sex slaves and the sale of human organs were covered - with first-hand evidence from the victims.

Imported from Moldova, the Chisinau-newspaper "Makler" contains advertisements for girls to work abroad as bar or sauna staff (one of the main ways in which they end up on the ‘game’). Protective of a free press, Pridnestrovie allows the newspaper to continue to be sold in the country. However, the authorities hope that no girls will succumb. Unlike Moldova, Pridnestrovie has no sex slavery and is not a source country for human trafficking.

WHAT'S RELATED: Moldova: Model to follow ... or human rights disaster? [1] Mudslinging: Black hole or Black ops? [2] No evidence of smuggling; allegations "wildly exaggerated" [3] Western officials: No drug smuggling in Pridnestrovie [4] Customs uses technology to end smuggling [5] more... [6]