Why our work is becoming more difficult
The dubious situation of human trafficking in southern Vietnam! (But not limited to) The Vietnamese media regularly publish that the number of victims of trafficking increases each year. Where are they?
While Vietnam only recognized victims* of human trafficking (VoT) from 2003, AAT has worked since 2001 with over 5,500 Vietnamese victims of human trafficking repatriated mostly from Malaysia, but also from Thailand, Singapore, Laos, Europe, UK, Australia, Russia, Japan, Emirates, Taiwan, South Korea, China, Ghana, South Africa, Uganda and other countries.
In 2014, the number of known victims repatriated suddenly fell to zero in Southern Vietnam, while the Vietnamese media and the Malaysian Court of Justice recognize the number keeps increasing every year.
However, the international media mostly mentions Vietnamese victims of trafficking in China, providing limited and distorted information to the public. Why? How is this possible? What are the interests? International Policies? Global economy? Charity business opportunities or fashion phenomenon?
As an anti trafficking specialist (which we keep anonymous) said, “the number of Victims of Human Trafficking (VoT) has become stupidly low, with no possible justification.”
Since 2014, AAT and some international partners have desperately been trying to alarm the police, the media, specialized foundations, the US TIP office, and several embassies in Vietnam and Malaysia about :
– the disappearance of nearly 250 Vietnamese girls while we were preparing their repatriation.
– the racket of the victim’s families, who have to pay VND 20 million ($ 1,800) to bring their daughters back home.This problem seems to have stopped after AAT’s constant denunciation to the Vietnamese Police.
– the systematic destruction of the victim-recognition certificate provided by foreign court of justice when girls return back home.
We wonder if as a result of our denunciations of malfunction, AAT is no longer funded for its work to support VoT while only two main NGOs helping VoT in Southern Vietnam: AAT, who works in virtually every province, and Pacific Link, with a project in the province of An Giang. In the north of the country, especially in the capital city of Hanoi, there are many more organization to support the VoT and they benefit from substantial funding. This also concerns the workshops organized on the cause while they receive very little visibility in the press read by the Vietnamese.
AAT keeps raising awareness about this issue, looking forward to pursuing our action for victims of trafficking.
* AAT uses the term of “victim” corresponding to the status of individuals when AAT works with them. It is also the official term used by the police. -Click on a picture to open or to close it