Myanmar's anti-human trafficking efforts: child soliders exampted

by ybdale | December 25, 2009 at 07:57 pm

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A few days ago, a news article reported a story on MTV documentary to raise awareness of human trafficking in Myanmar. The documentary was produced in support of USAIDS and was reported to be broadcast through several channels in Myanmar TV stations. The Myanmar regime has shown increasing efforts to fight against human trafficking of the Burmese women. The military junta closed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with its neighboring countries including China and Thailand to fight against human trafficking. [1] According to a recent report, the military junta also claims to rescue 1000 victims of human trafficking since the year 2005. [2] The same report also stated that more than 1100 traffickers were arrested in connection with 400 trafficking cases according to the regime's agency. [3]

Military junta: fighting against human trafficking on its own convenience

Simultaneously, the regime also decided to increase the recruitment of child soldiers before the upcoming election. [4]

Media reports have been focusing on apparent increased efforts of Burmese' efforts to fight against human trafficking. The regime has rescued 1000 victims of trafficking since 2005 according to the regime's agency. However, the military junta recently increased the number of child solider recruitments before the upcoming election. What is more interesting the case of child solider recruitment by the military junta falls precisely under the definition of "trafficking in person" according to the UN protocol.