Stop Human Trafficking campaign in Samut Sakhon

September 16, 2008

WCRP : The Stop Human Trafficking Campaign, which began on September 15th in Mahachai, Samut Sakhon province, will show the true plight of Burmese migrant workers.

The campaign is being led by the Labor Rights Promotion Network (LPN), which focuses on migrant worker rights in Thailand, and has been joined by over four hundred Thai and Burmese workers in Samut Sakhon.

The campaign intends to raise awareness of workers’ position, and encourage the Thai government to change laws concerning the rights of migrant workers.

“We want the government to change the laws and policies to make migrant workers more safe. The government needs to protect people from employers or traffickers that abuse migrant workers or use child labor,” said LPN director Mr. Sompong Srakaew. “Right now, we have capacity building training for migrants to empower them. Many people don’t know their rights or how to negotiate with their employer, and face exploitation because they don’t know how to stand up for themselves.”

According to the Associated Press, one million Burmese workers are registered to work in Thailand, while at least another million are in the country illegally.

According to Amnesty International, most migrant workers in Thailand do work that Thais consider too dirty, and are employed in factories, the seafood industry or as cleaners. Workers in the country illegally face harassment, abuse, violence and exploitation, with no recourse because to go to the authorities is to risk deportation.

Women are especially vulnerable. “I am frightened when I am alone in Mahachai, because I have heard many stories of women being raped and killed,” said a nineteen year-old Burmese girl working illegally in Mahachai. “I feel like I have no security, but I have to work here so I can send money back to my family. I am afraid, but what can I do?”

Written by HURFOM · Filed Under News