Alliance Youth welcomes success of its campaign on human trafficking

7.50.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 8th Oct 2007

Alliance Youth Secretary Stephen Martin has welcomes the establishment of a PSNI office based in Belfast to combat human trafficking in Northern Ireland, and stated it is evidence of the organization's influence on key issues.

Alliance Youth Secretary Stephen Martin said: 'This announcement illustrates that young people can have a real and immediate influence on public policy.

'We congratulate the PSNI for taking this step by creating a specialist office tasked with targeting police resources at the problem of human trafficking. By being proactive now, this move will help to prevent those who control the human trafficking trade from branching off into other criminal activities.

'At the recent Queen's University Freshers' Fayre, Alliance Youth showed real leadership in highlighting the problem of human trafficking in Northern Ireland and received huge support from young people for our petition on this very topic. This is a fine result.

The Lagan Valley representative added: 'We hope that the PSNI's efforts are followed up with a long-term plan by the Northern Ireland Executive, working hand in hand with those organisations involved on the ground, to assist those vulnerable migrants caught up in this truly horrendous trade.

"To this end, we would call on Assembly members from all parties to support Alliance South Belfast MLA Anna Lo's motion on this issue, which is due before the Assembly shortly."

ENDS