Trafficking Lambaste or Lauded: “Investigative” Journalism Laughable in its Deceitfulness

Mingled in with a whole lot of repetition, these investigative writers and editors seem to spend too much time telling tales of one of their own “do-gooders” posing as rescuer of those pitiful folks from the jaws of “wrongdoers”; and too little effort respecting the subject matter and audience with due diligence, hard evidence and straightforward analysis; adequate subjects and credible (not questionable NGO industrialist) storytellers.

The work of these investigative journalists begs the question when is "is?"  

• When is trafficking "trafficking" and when is trafficking not trafficking? 
• When is rape "rape" and not rape?  
• When theft "theft" and when is theft not theft?  
• Does the label or charge depend on the perpetrator? 
• Does the perpetrator decide or determine: does he or she get to choose the charge or label? 

An examination of the overall slant of this supposed investigative piece reveals insidious biases against the Emirates, against “wealthy” “Nigerian” “women,” against Islam, and against perceived cultural differences. There is also an air of contempt, condescension, and deliberate ignorance and professional laziness. The article also censors essential context. It fails account for or elucidate:  

(a) perverted or criminal behavior (trafficking, rape, plunder, wage theft, torture alleged or confirmed) in situations of debilitating poverty; and

 

(b) same behaviors in places of wealth or where debilitating poverty is nonexistent.

PROSTITUTION

On U.S. college campuses (including Ivy Leagues) and on U.S. military bases young women are raped and murdered (with impunity, perpetrators often getting away with it and awarded medals!). On these same campuses young women engage in prostitution (“sex work” and related activities). These campuses are also well-known dins of permissive substance abuse and often related suicides (the same is true of U.S. military bases at home and abroad).

JUJU

The investigative piece points to “juju” involving oath or pledge-taking and forced ingestion of vile liquids as exclusive to Nigerian culture. However, it is well known that on U.S. college campuses, fraternity organizations commit the same detestable acts against pledges or perspective inductees often involving forced ingesting of toxic levels of mind-altering substances—often with suicidal results. U.S. military personnel are often used as guinea pigs, mandated to ingest off-market pharmaceuticals. The only difference when practiced by the Western Collective is that pledge-taking is not labeled cultural “juju.”

PLUNDER

Beyond U.S. campuses is the brutal practice of U.S. foreign policy. U.S. entities and individuals have ordered, legislated and actively participated in the theft and plunder of land, labor, resources, income and access to essentials (forced by bombs, imposed by strangling, starving, impoverishing economic and financial sanctions that impede development, breach sovereignty and deny self-determination)—pushing back inhabitants all across Asia and Africa, the Americas, central and eastern Europe.

RAPE (with impunity)

American (and U.S.-led NATO / Western Collective) entities, agents, individuals, and government apparatuses and sundry contractors have raped and razed peoples (including but not only women), lands and countries from Okinawa (Japan) to Somalia to Sierra Leone, West Africa; from the Caribbean Islands to the Crimean Peninsula. Unchecked and unchastened have been U.S. atrocities at Guantanamo Bay and Abu Ghraib; the Blythe-HR Clinton abuses (and extending scores of years before) against Haiti and other places, the Obama-HR Clinton assassinations across the world including the leadership of Libya causing its decent into human trafficking and slavery. U.S. wars and other acts of aggression have forced massive and relentless migrations (and related crimes of human trafficking). The infamous Jeffrey Epstein got away with his crimes. He was lauded by American institutions and individuals who pocketed his blood money and swam in his cesspool until his usefulness morphed into threat against his partners and patrons.

Why do countries languish in poverty and hunger, suffer brain drain and disease, and are stymied for scores even hundreds of years in development that is appropriate for their countries and cultures? 

To a great degree their languishing in want is a direct result of U.S. rape and ruin, U.S. interference, domination and brute force. They languish because media such as those involved in the construction of this piece fail the tests of due diligence: fail to incorporate essential depth, breath, and context. They ignore or fail to see the elephant standing before them. They present U.S. barbarism as “humanitarianism” and U.S. barbarians as humanitarians. When U.S. barbarism bleeds through, they cast it (falsely) as “normal,” “civilized,” “acceptable.”

Clearly the writers and editors of this piece are far more intelligent that I. But their insidiousness and treachery camouflaged as investigative journalism disgusts me.

Worth Considering

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a federated state consisting of seven emirates (Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Fujairah, Umm Al Quwain, Ras-Al Khaimah and Dubai (Muslim population 72 percent). The capital of the Emirate of Dubai is the City of Dubai situated along the coast of the Persian Gulf, reportedly a popular tourist destination; the “world’s 22nd most expansive city” and “among the world’s most modern cities, with excellent infrastructure and transport systems.”

The Federal Republic of Nigeria is situated on the Atlantic Ocean and between Benin and Cameroon; its capital city Abuja and largest city Lagos (one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world, second-largest metro area in Africa); 47 to 49 percent of its population is Muslim; 40 percent of its inhabitants reportedly live “below the poverty line.” (32 percent live in “extreme poverty” that worsened during the 2019 pandemic).

The investigative piece in question 

International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ Trafficking Inc) and Reuters’ investigation results titled “How torture, deception and inaction underpin the UAE’s thriving sex trafficking industry,” featuring a “Nigerian woman … Christy Gold (referred to in court records as Christiana Jacob Uadiale) (who) showcases her glamorous lifestyle on social media…;” and “on a pleasure boat cruising Gulf waters near Dubai’s glittering skyline, (she is) dressed in a white dress and gold jewelry, (and nods and sways) as a gathering sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to her” by Maggie Michael, June 12, 2023, https://www.icij.org/investigations/trafficking-inc/how-torture-deception-and-inaction-underpin-the-uaes-thriving-sex-trafficking-industry/

News Source As entered in the article: ICIJ “How torture, deception and inaction underpin the UAE’s thriving sex trafficking industry: An underground network of suspected sex traffickers has taken refuge in the wealthy Gulf nation. The U.S. State Department says efforts to identify and protect victims have fallen short.” By Maggie Michael June 12, 2023, https://www.icij.org/investigations/trafficking-inc/how-torture-deception-and-inaction-underpin-the-uaes-thriving-sex-trafficking-industry/

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