12 January
Normally, all people are familiar with the term “Human Trafficking”, though its exact meaning, in legal terms, goes beyond the knowledge of most persons. Legally, Trafficking in Persons means recruitment, transportation, transfer, sale, purchase, lending, hiring, harbouring or receipt of persons, after committing any of the following acts for the purpose of exploitation of a person, with or without his consent:
(1) threat, use of force or other form of coercion; (2) abduction; (3) fraud; (4) deception; (5) abuse of power or of a position taking advantage of the vulnerability of a person; (6) giving or receiving of money or benefits to obtain the consent of the person having control over another person.
Human trafficking has become a global menace and a lucrative illegal trade, like drug trafficking or gun running, as criminal gangs and rapacious persons are operating all over the world. The problem of trafficking in persons has become deeper and wider, alongside the rise in human migration triggered by the search for a better life abroad or the desire to escape from internal problems, resulting mostly from civil wars.
Records indicate that like other small countries, Myanmar is not free from the menace of human trafficking, as agents of the criminal world are luring innocent people into their trap with false promises of better lives and occupations with higher salaries in wealthier countries.
Sadly, the crime of human trafficking still surfaces, despite the government’s ongoing efforts in implementing such tasks as alleviation of poverty, rural development and job generation programs.
Myanmar is facing both cross-border and domestic human trafficking, but cross-border trafficking is four times larger than within the country, as the business of selling people abroad brings in more money. Moreover, the number of women who fall victim to human trafficking is four times larger than that of male victims.
Although the root causes of this horrendous crime include poverty and lack of knowledge, the educated are also its victims, as illegal migration serves as an engine of growth for human trafficking. Also, the involvement of corrupt employees has made the crime worse.
In fact, a large population of youth of working age is one of the country’s advantages. Another encouraging point is that Myanmar has adopted the means for developing human resources through generating job opportunities, professional training, and vocational schools. It has also permitted the opening of legal overseas employment agencies that are sending migrant workers abroad through proper channels. But having the broader knowledge about human trafficking and the dirty tricks of the criminal world is the best way to protect a person from human trafficking.
GNLM
