ADHOC Staff Members Cooperate with Officials of the Cambodian Embassy to Malaysia in Human and Labour Trafficking Matters

On 19 August 2015, Ms. Chhan Sokunthea, head of Women and Children’s Rights Section for ADHOC, and Ms. Lim Mony, senior investigating officer for ADHOC, ,scheduled a meeting with senior officials of the Cambodian Embassy to Malaysia, Mr. Nou Bunnara, secretary-general, Ms. Nakry Sorphors, first secretary, and Mr. Thouk Bunchhael, second secretary, in order to discuss cooperation strategies on the protection of victims of human trafficking and labour trafficking in Malaysia.

Ms. Chhan Sokunthea shared her concerns over the omission of actions and untimely (or lack of) interventions on the side of the Cambodian government in cases of human trafficking and labour trafficking from Cambodia to Malaysia.  These cases involve different forms of trafficking, including forced labour without payment, during which victims endure physical and psychological torture and are separated from their homes,  with many victims ending up missing and dead.

The officials of the Cambodian Embassy responded to these concerns by highlighting that “lack of any contact to Cambodian trafficking victims, bribes paid by recruitment agencies to the Malaysian police in return for work permit and the release of undocumented Cambodian the refusal of Malaysian employers to compensate Cambodian trafficking victims as well as relocation of trafficked victims” complicates search and rescue missions by the Cambodian Embassy.

ADHOC appealed to international partners and organizations to assist in the return of four  Cambodian trafficked workers, who were sold to forcibly work on a farm in Malaysia’s Lam Katt province. The workers are set to return to Cambodia in the upcoming days.