Some 50 victims trafficked in two months

March 5, 2018

Some 50 persons were trafficked in 38 cases in January and February 2018, according to the anti-human trafficking police force.

Among the suspects arrested for human trafficking in these two months were 31 men and 80 women. The victims included some 44 women, two men and four children. Among the cases investigated by the police, 12 cases were from Shan State, 11 from the Yangon Region and five from the Mandalay Region, with the remaining cases were registered in other states and regions.

Myanmar registered 38 cases of human trafficking in January and February, and of these, 28 were related to forced marriages with Chinese men. In eight cases, women were forced into prostitution within the country, while two cases were related to job exploitation. Experts have identified political instability and poverty as the root causes of human trafficking, which make some people, mainly women and children, vulnerable to traffickers. The government has also assigned an anti-human trafficking police force unit in the border area.

The anti-human trafficking police force took legal action against traffickers under the 2005 Anti-Trafficking in Person Law. The Anti-Trafficking in Person Law is being amended and the new law is expected to emerge this year.

Myanmar cooperated with Thailand and China to combat trafficking by opening cooperation offices. Myanmar is one of the anti-trafficking actors in the region and the Greater Mekong Sub-region, said Police Major Khin Maung Kywe from the No. 6 Anti-Human Trafficking Police Force based in Yangon.

“The traffickers target those who lack knowledge and are poor. Many fall prey to fraudsters in their quest for better living standards. Most traffickers directly approach the targets. Therefore, a woman should not believe anyone. If you are in doubt, you should discuss it with your parents,” he added.

According to the 2005 Anti-Trafficking in Person Law, people who traffic women and children shall be given a minimum 10-year imprisonment or maximum life imprisonment or fined. Money or property received through trafficking will be confiscated by the government.

According to the 2016 Trafficking in Persons Report, there are seven types of trafficking crimes, with 69.7 per cent of trafficking caused by forced marriage, 13.6 per cent by the sex trade, 10 per cent by labour exploitation and forced labour, 4.8 per cent by child trafficking, 1.4 per cent by slavery, 0.3 per cent by forced fostering and 0.2 per cent by sexual exploitation.

According to reports on transnational human trafficking, 80 per cent of the victims are sent to China, 10 per cent to Thailand, and 6 per cent to Malaysia. Domestically, there is a 4 per cent occurrence of human trafficking. Women account for 85 per cent of the trafficked victims, including minors. Child trafficking constitutes 4.38 per cent of the crimes.

Human trafficking cases have increased each year. The government should conduct anti-human trafficking activities in cooperation with the Hluttaw, civil society organisations and the public.

May Thet Hnin

Ref; The Global New Light of Myanmar