The Irrawaddy Magazine

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• Thousands of Burmese Migrants Unable to Meet With Suu Kyi
• Kachin Armed Group Releases Detained Farmers
• Despite Military’s Demands, Karen Armed Group Stands Its Ground
• Timeline: Suu Kyi’s Foreign Visits
• The Lady and a Junta, Thai-Style
• Migrant Rights Advocate: ‘If the Thai Government Uses Violence, We Won’t Tolerate it”
• EU Says Burma Needs “Space” to Deal with Rights Abuses
• Rangoon MPs Clash Over Budget
• Malaysia Rescues 29 Trafficked Filipino Women From Bars

Thousands of Burmese Migrants Unable to Meet With Suu Kyi Posted: 23 Jun 2016 08:25 AM PDT Migrants greet Aung San Suu Kyi amid a high Thai security presence. (Photo: JPaing / The Irrawaddy) SAMUT SAKHON, Thailand — Despite around ten thousand Burmese migrant workers in Thailand waiting hours—under both the hot sun and, later, rain—for the opportunity to meet with Aung San Suu Kyi, less than five hundred were ultimately permitted to do so. This caused widespread frustration at the Talay Thai Seafood Market in Mahachai, and led to the deployment of almost 1,000 security personnel by Thai authorities to quell any agitation, although the crowd remained peaceful. Many of the migrants had reportedly traveled from all over Thailand to Mahachai, a port town in Samut Sakhon province about 45 kilometers southwest of the Thai capital of Bangkok. Those who were allowed to meet with Burma's de-facto leader had been bused in under the approval of Thai authorities and wore stickers demonstrating their permission to enter the factory. Zin Mar, a garment worker in Bangkok's Bang Khae district, expressed her disappointment over not being able to meet Suu Kyi: "I came here at six in the morning, but only saw her from far away." On Suu Kyi's arrival at the Mahachai market on Thursday afternoon, the Burmese migrant workers followed and waited outside, waving flags and singing the Burmese national anthem, as they were told that she would be addressing the crowd. But heavy rain—a common afternoon occurrence during Thailand's monsoon season—prompted Suu Kyi to abandon course. During her later meeting with the several hundred selected factory workers, Suu Kyi said, "My visit to Thailand mainly aims to deepen mutual understanding and friendship between the two countries." "I want to listen to the voices of our citizens," Suu Kyi said. "I request you to speak frankly about what you expect us to do for you. But make sure you make reasonable demands. If you make unrealistic demands, we can only reply that it is impossible." Suu Kyi said that they were trying to secure proper identity documents for migrant workers, including passports and formal Certificates of Identity, and the Thai government did not object to such plans. "We are trying to make sure our citizens obtain their fundamental rights granted by the laws of this country," Suu Kyi said. However, according to the few journalists who had access to the meeting, there was not a great deal of productive discussion—in part because, at the factory in question, workers were earning the official minimum wage and had an acceptable working environment. Deeper concerns among the Burmese migrant community, and the activities of labor rights groups, were reportedly not discussed. On the grounds of security, Thai authorities had effectively blocked access to Suu Kyi for labor rights groups and NGOs. Labor rights groups had prepared documents to hand to Suu Kyi, but did not succeed in doing so; they also said they felt as though the Thai government did not want to hear about the labor rights violations experienced by migrant workers from Burma. Ma Oo of the Burma Association Thailand said she was pushed away when she tried to give a letter to Suu Kyi on her way out. Ma Thida, who works at a chicken processing factory in Mahachai, shared her frustration on Thursday morning that she had been restricted from engaging with Suu Kyi along with thousands of other Burmese migrants. Hailing from Taungdwingyi Township in central Burma's Magwe Division, she said, "We do not get full labor rights," and explained that many migrant workers must take on extra jobs on weekends as wage laborers. Thailand-based migrant rights campaigner Andy Hall wrote on Twitter that he had briefly spoken with Suu Kyi in Mahachai: "Andy, tell all my people I am disappointed I cannot give a speech to them outside today, but I know their problems well!" she reportedly said to him. The post Thousands of Burmese Migrants Unable to Meet With Suu Kyi appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Kachin Armed Group Releases Detained Farmers Posted: 23 Jun 2016 07:01 AM PDT View from a mountain in Kutkai Township, Shan State.  (Photo: Kyaw Kha/The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — Nearly 50 ethnic Palaung were released in Kutkai Township, Shan State after they were detained by members of the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) due to a land dispute, according to local sources. Yan Maung Ba, one of the 48 detainees, told The Irrawaddy that members of the KIA had arrested the farmers due to a disagreement over land between the local ethnic Palaung—also known as Ta'ang—and Kachin communities. "We were released at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday," said Yan Maung Ba. "We are corn farmers. They came to take us away at midnight [on Tuesday night]." Yan Maung Ba said that for five years, he and his fellow Palaung have been growing corn on an area of around 1,000 acres of land—the rights to which have been disputed by the two main the Kachin and Palaung communities that reside in the area. After some local Kachin reportedly complained to the KIA, 48 Palaung farmers were arrested. "They did not have any good reason. They simply took us away," said Yan Maung Ba. The 48 victims included 19 men and 29 women. Some of the farmers told The Irrawaddy that members of the KIA had released them after they were made to pay a fee. "Each of us had to give 15,000 kyats (US$12.70) to the [KIA] and they told us to farm there only after the land disputes are settled. But we have no other place to grow our crops," said Aung Puu, one of the detained farmers. Yan Maung Ba added, "We have been told that [the KIA] will shoot us if we go back to the land again." The farmers said that around 30 armed KIA soldiers from Battalion No. 9 of Brigade No. 4 had carried out the detention. Kutkai Township, located in northern Shan State, is home to ethnic Shan, Palaung and Kachin communities. The post Kachin Armed Group Releases Detained Farmers appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Despite Military’s Demands, Karen Armed Group Stands Its Ground Posted: 23 Jun 2016 06:25 AM PDT Soldiers from the Karen National Liberation Army stand guard at a conference in Law Khee Lar, Karen State. (Photo: Saw Yan Naing / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — At an emergency meeting held on Thursday, the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) decided not to withdraw from a military checkpoint in the Htee Khee area of southern Burma's Tenasserim Division, according to local sources. On Monday, a tactical commander from Military Operations Command 19 ordered the KNLA at the checkpoint to withdraw within three days of his visit to the area. But when the deadline came on Thursday, KNLA Brigade No. 4 said they would defend the outpost even if government troops attempted to take it by force. A source close to the Karen National Union (KNU), the political wing of the KNLA, told The Irrawaddy on Thursday, "We decided not to withdraw from our checkpoint. We have a liaison office in Dawei [the capital of Tenasserim], and they should go there to talk about a withdrawal and make an official request." "There is even a Joint Monitoring Committee (JMC) office in Dawei. They should have gone there and talked about it," he added, referring to the group assigned to monitor the implementation of Burma's nationwide ceasefire agreement between the government and ethnic armed groups. The KNU signed the accord in 2015, and has been an active participant in the peace process. This is the first dispute that has threatened last year's truce. "Our people have sacrificed their lives to control this checkpoint. So why should we withdraw from it?" another source from the KNLA said. "We will defend our checkpoint." "[The Burma Army commander's] actions violated our ceasefire agreement. He does not have the right to come to our checkpoint. He should have gone to our liaison office if there was something to talk about," said the source. This tussle comes a week after the Burma Army's encroachment into territory controlled by an ethnic Mon armed group. In mid-June, the Mon National Liberation Army (MNLA) was ordered to withdraw from an outpost in Kyaikmayaw Township, Mon State. When the MNLA refused, the Burma Army raided the checkpoint by force and seized two weapons. The post Despite Military's Demands, Karen Armed Group Stands Its Ground appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Timeline: Suu Kyi’s Foreign Visits Posted: 23 Jun 2016 05:43 AM PDT State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi smiles as she visits the 1148ft. observation deck at the Tokyo Skytree, the world’s tallest broadcasting, in Tokyo April 18, 2013. (Photo: Franck Robichon / Reuters) As Burma's State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi arrives in Thailand for an official three-day trip on Thursday, The Irrawaddy looks back on her various international visits since her release from house arrest in 2010. 2016 May 7: On her first official trip abroad as Burma's State Counselor, Suu Kyi travels to Laos. 2015 June 10: At the invitation of the Communist Party of China, Suu Kyi makes her first visit to Beijing and meets President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang. 2014 April: She meets with Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Joachim Gauck in Berlin during a three-day visit to Germany, and then visits France and holds talks with President François Hollande. 2013 Jan 25: Suu Kyi attends the Rotary Global Peace Forum in Hawaii and receives the Hawaii Peace Award. She also meets the governor of Hawaii and the local Burmese community in Honolulu. Jan 29: Suu Kyi visits the South Korean capital of Seoul where she holds talks with President Lee Myung-bak and the first woman president-elect of the country Park Geun-hye. She delivers a speech at the Global Development Summit in Pyeongchang. She then visits Gwangju where she collects the Gwangju Prize for Human Rights awarded to her in 2004. April 13: Suu Kyi calls on Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Tokyo during her first visit to Japan in 27 years. She last visited Japan in 1986, when she worked as a researcher at Kyoto University. She also meets Japanese senior leaders, Burmese democracy activists and students from Tokyo University. April 29: Suu Kyi addresses the 7th Ministerial Conference of the Community of Democracies in Mongolia's Ulaanbaatar. September 11: She visits Poland and meets Speaker of the Sejm, Ewa Kopacz, and Speaker of the Senate, Bogdan Borusewicz, during her second visit to Europe. September 13: Suu Kyi visits Hungary and meets Hungarian President Janos Ader and Deputy Foreign Minister Zsolt Nemeth in Budapest. September 14: She makes her first visit to the Czech Republic as the keynote speaker of the Forum 2000 Conference and meets the Czech president and foreign minister in Prague. September 20: She delivers the keynote speech at the Singapore Summit 2013. She calls on President Tony Tan Keng Yam and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. October 19: Suu Kyi visits Belgium, beginning her third tour of Europe. October 21: She visits Luxembourg where she meets foreign ministers of 28 European countries. October 22: Suu Kyi accepts the 1990 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought in Strasbourg, France, originally awarded to her in 1991. October 25: She delivers a speech at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst during her UK visit. October 27: She receives honorary citizenship in Rome during her visit to Italy. November 27: During her first visit to Australia, the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws is conferred upon Suu Kyi by Chancellor Belinda Hutchinson AM at a ceremony held in the Concert Hall of the Opera House. The chancellor and vice-chancellor of the University of Technology Sydney also confer an honorary doctorate upon her at the joint ceremony. The award was originally bestowed on her in 1997 and given to her late husband in her absence. December 10: She attends the World Innovation Summit for Health in Doha, Qatar. 2012 May 30: Suu Kyi visits Thailand on her first foreign trip in 24 years to attend the World Economic Forum (WEF) on East Asia in Bangkok. She also visits a Karen refugee camp along the Thai-Burma border in Tak Province. June 14: She delivers an address at the 101st International Labor Conference of the ILO in Geneva, Switzerland starting her first two-week tour of Europe in which she visits Norway, the UK, Switzerland, France and Ireland. June 16: Suu Kyi collects her Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo, Norway 21 years after winning the award in 1991. June 18: She accepts Amnesty International's Ambassador of Conscience Award—the organization's most prestigious honor—in Dublin, Ireland. June 20: Suu Kyi gives a historic speech to both of Britain's houses of parliament, receives an honorary doctorate in civil law from Oxford University and meets UK Prime Minister David Cameron. June 27: She visits France and meets French President François Hollande in Paris. September 15: Suu Kyi visits the US, accepts the Congressional Gold Medal in Washington D.C. and meets President Barack Obama, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon. November 14: Suu Kyi meets Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during her visit to India, where she went to high school and college. Compiled by Wei Yan Aung and Thet Ko Ko.  The post Timeline: Suu Kyi's Foreign Visits appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

The Lady and a Junta, Thai-Style Posted: 23 Jun 2016 03:24 AM PDT Burma's State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi (2nd L) arrives at Suvarnabhumi airport in Bangkok, Thailand, June, 23, 2016. (Photo: Narong Sangnak / Pool / Reuters) The visit this week by Nobel Peace Prize laureate and democracy icon Daw Aung San Suu Kyi will certainly brighten the spirits of the sombre Thai people and could also lift the profile of the Thai junta and Myanmar's top leader. Yet we shouldn't romanticize too much about "The Lady" and her capacity as the political realities in Myanmar and Thailand remain daunting. Besides, she is no longer a secular saint but a fully fledged politician. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's three-day visit will include a stop in Mahachai, the seafood hub where she made a rousing speech to thousands of Myanmar laborers four years ago on one of her first trips abroad after years of house arrest. At least 3 million Myanmar migrants work in Thailand, both legally and illegally. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi would like to see many of them return home and contribute to her country's economy – to the dismay of Thai employers who rely heavily on the workforce from next door. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is expected to thank Thailand for embracing the migrants and to remind the government to take care of their welfare, wages and human rights. She needs to let them know she cares, since they played a significant role in persuading relatives back home to "vote for change" and install the National League for Democracy (NLD) government last November. Thai democracy lovers and the Myanmar exile community are also curious about what Daw Aung San Suu Kyi will say about human rights in general. Having spoken out for years in support of students, politicians, ethnic groups and others persecuted by the Myanmar military, will she have a good word for those opposing the military strongmen running Thailand? Expect a few vague words of consolation to Thai people about working toward full democracy. Also on her agenda are better border regulations to tackle illicit drugs and human trafficking, and cooperation to develop economic zones in border areas. Thailand has prepared an amendment to a 2003 labor agreement that specified only employment to include rule of law and other protection aspects. The changes should make recruitment faster and more transparent for employers and more convenient and affordable for Myanmar migrant workers. More effort is also expected to breathe life into the Dawei megaproject. Myanmar wants Japan to invest more in infrastructure there, but Japan wants to see its Thilawa port near Yangon up and running first – even though Dawei will substantially benefit Japanese investment in Thailand and the region. Progress on Dawei could be linked to a solution to the long-running refugee problem. However, this can only materialize if the Myanmar government and armed ethnic groups as well as the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) are part of the solution. It would be a noble gesture for the leaders of the two countries to propose a pilot project for the voluntary return of refugees to Dawei, where they could contribute to, and benefit from, economic development. The roads to Dawei are the stronghold of the Karen National Union (KNU). If a political solution is found, some returnees – from camps in Ratchaburi and Kanchanburi – could be assisted to return to Myitta in Tanintharyi region, 70 kilometres (43 miles) from the Thai border. But the KNU says any return "must be accorded with safety and dignity", which includes the clearing of landmines among other conditions. It is a complicated problem as the refugees have been away from their homes for two or three decades and a lot has changed. Activists say as many as 3000 villages have been destroyed or abandoned due to the actions of armed groups and the Myanmar military. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has so far been vague about ethnic issues. She has announced a new round of peace talks but the ethnic groups feel she has given too many concessions to the military, whose goodwill she needs to maintain. So as a pragmatic politician Daw Aung San Suu Kyi will also avoid discussing issues unpopular among domestic constituents, such as the fate of the long-persecuted Rohingya, with Thailand. The Thai side probably was not going to mention it anyway. Also expect silence on Thanlwin River dam projects, in which both Thai and Chinese players are involved, and which ethnic groups oppose. Continuing such projects at a time of peace-building would be an "opportunistic and exploitative act", they have said. In short, the political realities on both sides suggest that in the end, the meeting with "The Lady" could be just one more photo opportunity for Thailand's premier to add to his collection. The post The Lady and a Junta, Thai-Style appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Migrant Rights Advocate: ‘If the Thai Government Uses Violence, We Won’t Tolerate it” Posted: 23 Jun 2016 02:35 AM PDT Migrant workers protest outside Talay Thai Seafood Market in Mahachai, Thailand. (Photo: J Paing / The Irrawaddy) The Irrawaddy reporter Nyein Nyein talks to Htoo Chit, migrant rights advocate and director of the Foundation for Education Development (FED), outside Talay Thai Seafood Market in Mahachai, Thailand—where Aung San Suu Kyi will meet with migrant workers from Burma on Thursday afternoon—about the Thai government's selection process for the meeting and why banned workers protested the decision. Thousands of Burmese migrant workers gathered Thursday morning to meet with Suu Kyi later that day, but the Thai government and factories selected only 500 workers for the meeting while the rest were banned. What do you think of the current situation? We expected Suu Kyi to meet with migrants and listen their problems. But now the Thai government won't allow migrants in who have been waiting since very early this morning. They are saying that they will only allow selected workers from the factories; so, banned workers are blocking the selected workers. Since they will only allow 500 workers to the meeting, everyone is not supposed to go inside. But we worry that those selected workers will just sit inside and not disclose the real situation. She and the Thai government can only find a solution for the migrant workers if they hear the real situation. If they meet only with workers who are instructed by the factories, it won't solve migrants' issues. As your organization is also not allowed inside, how you will try to have your voice heard by Suu Kyi? We have prepared various ways. We [migrants' advocacy groups] did a joint report with suggestions on migrant policies. We want her to clearly understand the details of the murder cases in Ranong and Koh Tao and that also as a government, that they need a policy to systematically protect migrants. So we came here today to give that [suggestion]. It is still unclear whether we can go inside or not. The banned workers are protesting and blocking the selected workers. What would you advise? I have concerns about this. They arrived very early. If they don't allow them in and only selected factory workers enter, it is unfair. They might try other ways to get the chance to talk with Suu Kyi. I worry that the Thai government will use violence to disperse them because they are a military regime. I would like to advise them to wait and see, orderly and together. But if they [the Thai government] use violence, we won't tolerate it. The post Migrant Rights Advocate: 'If the Thai Government Uses Violence, We Won't Tolerate it" appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

EU Says Burma Needs “Space” to Deal with Rights Abuses Posted: 23 Jun 2016 12:39 AM PDT A man protests against the United States for its use of the term Rohingya to describe Burma’s stateless Muslim community outside the U.S. embassy in Rangoon, April 28, 2016. (Photo: Reuters) RANGOON — The European Union said on Wednesday that Burma needed "space" to deal with human rights abuses in its restive northwest, adding it would respect the call by country leader Aung San Suu Kyi to avoid the term "Rohingya" to describe persecuted Muslims there. The statement exposes a rift in the West’s approach to the sensitive issue, standing in contrast with the United States, which said it would continue to use the term, citing respect for the right of communities to choose what they should be called. Members of the group of 1.1 million, who identify as Rohingya, are seen by many Burmese Buddhists as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. The term is divisive. Tensions around the Muslim minority are rising. This week, Suu Kyi told the United Nations Human Rights investigator visiting the country that the government would not use the term because it was inflammatory. Some 120,000 Rohingya remain displaced in squalid camps since fighting erupted in Arakan State between Buddhists and Muslims in 2012. Thousands have fled persecution and poverty. The U.N. said on Monday that the abuses, which include executions and torture, together may amount to crimes against humanity. "We understand that the term 'Rohingya' is emotionally charged in [Burma] and we have heard the call of the government to avoid creating tension by using polarizing terminology," Roland Kobia, the EU ambassador to Burma, told reporters. "So we ought to give political space to initiatives to gradually find a solution to this protracted issue," he said. Suu Kyi's administration last week tabled a new term for the Rohingya—"Muslim community in [Arakan] State"—but the description has quickly run into opposition. The Arakan National Party (ANP), formed by hardline Arakanese Buddhists who enjoy a considerable following in the state, said the government was biased and rejected the new term. "We consider that using the new term […] is tantamount to meaning that they are natives of [Arakan State] by ignoring the original place of these Bengali people," the party said in a statement. The previous military-linked government referred to the group as "Bengalis," implying they were illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, though many have lived in Burma for generations. Wai Wai Nu, a Rohingya activist from Women Peace Network Arakan, said the government should protect, listen and consult with ethnic minorities. She wanted to ask it: "Why are you denying us our identity […] and not taking a feasible, constructive and inclusive step to move forward?" "The government should address the targeted persecution and discrimination against minorities and ensure protection of their rights by respecting their ethnicity, identity and name," she said. Yanghee Lee, the U.N. Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Burma, is touring the country on her first visit since Suu Kyi took power. Wirathu, the leader of radical nationalist Buddhist monks, threatened to beat her with a "wooden flip flop" if she "wasn’t smart enough." He warned Lee against acting as a "political broker," being "one-sided on the part of the trouble-makers" and "selling the country to others." Last year, he called her a "whore" after Lee criticized laws seen as discriminating against non-Buddhists and women. Suu Kyi, who starts her visit to Thailand on Thursday, has formed a committee to "bring peace and development" to the state in May, but its plans are not clear. The post EU Says Burma Needs "Space" to Deal with Rights Abuses appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Rangoon MPs Clash Over Budget Posted: 23 Jun 2016 12:12 AM PDT Current Rangoon Chief Minister Phyo Min Thein campaigns in his home constituency Hlegu Township in 2012. (Photo: JPaing / The Irrawaddy) RANGOON — Lawmakers have complained that the Rangoon divisional government has unfairly allotted a budget windfall due to the cancellation of flyover projects, highlighting the fact that the divisional chief minister's constituency received more money than any other township. The budget for the construction of two flyovers at the junction of Kabar Aye Pagoda Road and Parami Street in North Okkalapa Township was approved under the previous government, but the plan was scrapped in April as the newly-elected members of parliament suggested spending the 32.2 billion kyats (US$26.1 million) on rural development projects since new flyovers have not been a solution to Rangoon's traffic problems. "Lawmakers have disagreed with the regional government's budget because some of their plans have not been approved. Many rural areas are receiving less money and Hlegu [Township] is getting more money than the other townships," said Kyaw Zay Ya, a Rangoon Divisional lawmaker who is on the Finance, Planning and Economic Affairs Committee. Hlegu Township, the home constituency of Rangoon's Chief Minister Phyo Min Thein, has been allocated around 4 billion kyats, the most of any constituency. Kawhmu and Kungyangon townships are set to receive more than 3 billion kyats, while all other townships have been budgeted around 2 billion kyats. "Three townships will get more than 3 billion kyats while all the others get only around 2 billion kyats," said San Kyaw, a Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) member of the divisional parliament. "Now that the lawmakers have lodged complaints, they are negotiating with the government." "It is unfair that the chief minister's constituency is getting the most money. All lawmakers want to do good for their constituencies because that is why we were elected," the USDP lawmaker said. National League for Democracy (NLD) lawmaker Aung San Oo of Hmawbi Township said his township will get 2.5 billion kyats for development projects. "We suggested using money from the flyover budget for rural development projects. But because the budget gives more money to urban townships than rural ones, we asked for it to be reviewed," he said. "They said in Hlegu Township road construction would require more than 1 billion kyats, so the township was allotted more money. We all accepted that because the project is really needed. But the unequal budget allocation was inappropriate in some other respects," Aung San Oo said. Planning and Finance Minister Myint Thaung told The Irrawaddy the budget is now being reviewed because some proposals which should have been prioritized were not included in the initial plan. "It is true that Hlegu Township was allocated 1.3 billion kyats more than any other township, but it is for the maintenance of a road which is now in really bad shape," he said, adding the initial budget will not be changed under this current review, but they would tap into the government's reserves to pay for projects that are deemed necessary. "Each township made a proposal based on their own needs, which are dependent on size, population and other factors. So it is hard to compare them. We allocated the budget to address each township's unique concerns," the minister said. The budget will be used for road construction and maintenance, increasing access to running water, building bridges and improving the sewer system in the urban areas. The post Rangoon MPs Clash Over Budget appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

Malaysia Rescues 29 Trafficked Filipino Women From Bars Posted: 23 Jun 2016 12:03 AM PDT South East Asian leaders attend a Signing Ceremony Against Trafficking in Persons at the 27th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, November 21, 2015. (Photo: Reuters) JAKARTA, Indonesia — Malaysian authorities have rescued 29 Filipino women who had been trafficked into the country to work, and arrested their agents, Filipino officials said on Wednesday, in the country’s latest move to tackle the crime. Malaysia has an estimated 2 million illegal migrant laborers, some of whom work in conditions of forced labor in sectors ranging from electronics to palm oil to domestic service, according to the U.S. State Department. The Philippine embassy in Kuala Lumpur said it had contacted Malaysian police after it received tip-offs about some trafficked Filipino women, prompting a rescue operation. On June 9, Malaysian police raided two bars in the coastal town of Bintulu in the eastern state of Sarawak on the island of Borneo, where they found the women, according to an embassy statement. It said traffickers brought the women to Sarawak as tourists and promised them jobs by converting their tourist visas into employment visas in exchange for money. "Under Malaysian immigration law, social visit passes [tourist visas] cannot be converted to work visas," the embassy said, urging Filipinos to be vigilant. The 29 women will be transferred to a women’s shelter while an investigation is underway. Three individuals who allegedly acted as agents for the women were arrested during the raid, the embassy statement said. It was not clear whether the trio have been charged in any court. The embassy could not be reached for immediate comment. The embassy urged Filipinos not to deal with unlicensed individuals or placement agencies as they could end up being victims of trafficking. Last month, 15 officials were fired after Malaysia discovered an immigration racket involving the sabotage of its security system at the country’s main airport, heightening fears about human trafficking. Malaysia last year was upgraded by the U.S. State Department in its annual Trafficking in Persons Report to the Tier 2 Watch List from Tier 3, the lowest ranking for countries with the worst trafficking records. The upgrade followed international scrutiny and outcry over Malaysian efforts to combat human trafficking after the discovery earlier in the year of scores of graves in people-smuggling camps near its northern border with Thailand. The post Malaysia Rescues 29 Trafficked Filipino Women From Bars appeared first on The Irrawaddy.

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