Myanmar is facing online fraud and forced labour, and as foreigners are also involved in these incidents, efforts are being made to prevent and control them, said Lt. Gen. Yar Pyae, Union Minister for Home Affairs.
Lt. Gen. Yar Pyae added this to the message sent to commemorate the 11th Myanmar Anti-Trafficking in Persons Day on September 13.
Myanmar has ratified the 2000 United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNCTOC) and its protocols; the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children; and the Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air on 30 March 2004. Myanmar has also ratified the ASEAN Convention against Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children (ACTIP) on January 6, 2017, said Lt. Gen. Yar Pyae.
Moreover, the cooperative mechanisms of Myanmar on anti-trafficking persons have been enhanced by signing the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation against Trafficking in the Greater Mekong Sub-Region (COMMIT MoU) together with the countries in the Mekong region which includes Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam on 30 March 2004. Myanmar has also signed the bilateral MoUs on Anti-Trafficking in Persons with neighbouring countries such as China, Thailand, Laos and India. Myanmar has been actively participating in ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Transnational Crime (AMMTC), Senior Officials Meeting on Transnational Crime (SOMTC), and Bali Process with the aim to combat transnational crimes including trafficking in persons. Regional priority processes are being implemented in accordance with the policy guidelines of these mechanisms, at the national level, he said.
With regard to the prevention, protection and prosecution of trafficking in persons, the Central Body for Suppression of Trafficking in Persons (CBTIP) has been taking the lead in developing and implementing the Five-year National Plans of Action with the participation of the relevant ministries. The 2023 Annual Work Plan under the Fourth Five-year National Plan of Action (2022-2026) has already been developed and the Work Plan is currently being implemented in harmony, he said.
Every year, Myanmar nationals are being trafficked for forced labour, sexual exploitation, and forced marriage either in domestic or in neighbouring countries and other countries. The push factors for people to migrate legally or illegally to work in other countries include limited job opportunities with low income in the country. Consequently, the migrated workers are subjected to labour exploitation and sexual exploitation due to the inducements of the brokers or illegal migration to countries with no valid bilateral agreements on sending workers. Myanmar is currently facing the issues of forced labour associated with online fraud, and such cases involve citizens from other countries both in the form of perpetrators and victims. Thus efforts are being made to fight against these new phenomena, he added.
In order to timely rescue the trafficked victims, 24-hour hotline phones are being operated in Nay Pyi Taw, Yangon, Mandalay and Muse, and timely identification of cases of trafficking in persons, taking actions and rescues are being carried out. In addition, sharing information and educating migrant workers and their families are also conducted through the opening of Migrant Resource Centres, he said.
The four sectors of the Fourth Five-year National Plan of Action (2022-2026) that is being implemented to fight against trafficking in persons, such as 23 activities in the Policy and Cooperation Sector; 16 activities in the Prevention Sector; 20 activities in the Prosecution Sector; 25 activities in the Protection Sector must be implemented effectively and successfully in a balanced manner, he said.
