Palau is at Tier 2 status for human trafficking. There, I said it.
My contract does not state that I am allowed to say it but my contract also does not specifically give me permission to read, speak, breathe or discuss issues important to Palau. But did you know Palau has been Tier 2 for the last four years? And that the report the AG talked about is basically the same thing that has been published before but no one bothered to read. The HOD is acting like it is some secret document published in Palau. HELLO… it was produced by the U.S. State Department in D.C. and is on the web! The sham of a Public Hearing Wednesday was basically a chance for our leaders to demonstrate how little they know and how they are willing to use their power to protect each other. For nearly and hour and a half all they could discuss was that no one should discuss it. Wasn’t this supposed to be a hearing about human trafficking and how to make Palau better? Instead they spent the whole time raking the messenger over the coals.
Okay, lets call a spade a spade. The Delegate from Peleliu put on a show persecuting the AG for prosecuting his friend, the Governor of Peleliu and the powerful Peleliu businessman, both his political supporters. The only thing more disgusting was that no one ended the witch hunt before it degraded from ridiculous to embarrassing. Could they be shorter-sighted? How do you think it looks for Palau when they gang up against the Attorney General who is actually prosecuting human trafficking crimes? They screamed at the AG like children using the old tactic of repeating time and time again that the AG was failing to do her job. They figure if they repeat it enough times the pubic will mindlessly follow along and support the termination of the AG. Then they can find some young lawyer who is more obedient and will only prosecute citizens and foreigners, not sacred politicians. And why are they pushing so hard to find fault in a hard working AG who is actually enforcing the law for the first time in a long time? Are their more dark secrets among our elected officials that they are afraid will be revealed? How about this perspective: It is you elected officials who are failing at your job. Shame on you for not knowing that Palau was Tier 2 for four years and not reading the report. Shame on you for not supporting the prosecution of human trafficking no matter who it is. Shame on you for wasting everyone’s time to attack the AG instead of dealing with the real problem. Shame on you for using your position to protect your buddies at the expense of helpless victims. Shame on you for acting like mindless bullies and disgracing Palau. You called the AG stupid and arrogant, look in a mirror. Once again the elected leadership is letting us down as I weep for the future of this country.
Concerned Citizen