| Thursday, 30 June 2011 00:00 |
| Yesterday, Thai police set free a human trafficker and those who were being trafficked. The sister of one who was being trafficked, Ma May Tazin Oo, along with the Thai police saved them from being sold illegally to a fishing village.
Ko Aa kyaw (30) from Ta Htone, Ko Pay Thee (19) from Thaungoo and Ko Byauk O from Myawaddy were arrested in Bangkok, Thailand as they came home from work. They were arrested by the police from the Thakham police station in Bangkok. The trafficked gave the police their work permits only to have the officers shred them. They (the trafficked) were then sold to a translator (born in Burma) who was at the police station for 10,000 Baht. Ko Pay Thee, one of the trafficked said: “We slept one night at Ka Lar (also known as Indian), the translators house. Indian (Ka Lar) said that we needed to pay him 10,000 Baht. We asked if he could wait and his answer was “no” he then sent us to Maharchai, Thailand (an area known for its lawlessness). After that we were taken to Mon brokers who said that we needed to pay them 20,000 Baht, and if we did not we would be sold to a fishing boat.”
The sister of Ko Byauk O, Ma May Tazin Oo said, “A Mon broker phoned me and asked me to pay 15,000 Baht for each person, the total cost would be 45,000 Baht to have them released. Instead I went to the Thakham police station and explained the case. They were able to help find and arrest the human trafficker. The same police who sold those who were trafficked to the human trafficker then themselves arrested the human trafficker.” Ma May Tazin Oo said that “I am thankful for my brother’s release. I just want to make it known so the abuse upon Burmese workers such as selling to a human trafficker and to the fishing boat will end”. The plaintiff has not decided whether or not they will complain about this current situation in the court hearing. Those who serve the workers disapprove of the quick release of the human trafficker. http://www.ghre.org/en/ |
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