Over 80 trafficked Myanmar people repatriated from Thailand in first six months

A total of 87 trafficked Myanmar people were repatriated from Thailand during the first six months of this year, the local weekly Yangon Time reported Thursday.

Of them, 31 including 16 women, who are mostly under 18 years of age, were brought back from the neighbor in late last month, the third repatriation during the half-year period.

These victims, who are from Mon, Shan, Kayin, Yangon, Bago, Ayayawaddy and Taninthayi states and divisions, were sent to undergo training in cottage industry in Mawlamyaing, the report said.

For the first time during this year, 22 people were sent back in February, while the second was 34 in May.

According to earlier local report, a total of 302 people in Myanmar were victimized by human traffickers in 2009, of which children accounted for 15 to 45 percent.

The Department of Combating Transnational Crime also said starting 2005 when the country promulgated the anti-human trafficking law, the authorities have so far exposed 335 related cases, punishing over 1,000 offenders and rescuing over 1,000 victims.

Of them, 80 percent were smuggled to China, while other 15 percent to Thailand, it said.

Meanwhile, the Myanmar government is cooperating with the international in combating human trafficking, carrying out rescue and rehabilitation programs for trafficked victims.

Neighboring countries and organizations with which Myanmar is cooperating include China, India, Bangladesh, Thailand, the Russian Federation, Vietnam, United Nation organizations and non- governmental organizations (NGO).

Source: Xinhua