Cambodia, Phnom Penh: suspected high-level complicity in human trafficking: the refuge for criminals from all over the world?

PHNOM PENH (AsiaNews) – It is impossible for human trafficking to take place in Cambodia without high-level complicity. This was supported by several observers, underlining that the country is the point of origin, transit and destination of traffic and corruption is favoring this role. The 2021 corruption perception index released by Transparency International – an international NGO that deals with corruption, not just politics – highlighted how Phnom Penh ranks 157th out of the 180 nations considered in the report, third last in Asia-Pacific after Afghanistan and North Korea.

“A refuge for crime”. Last month, Cambodia Prime Minister Hun Sen said, attending the sixth national interreligious forum against human trafficking, “Don’t let Cambodia become a haven for crime, a place for money laundering, human trafficking. “. As a demonstration of its commitment, during the forum, the government announced that from 2023 on August 20 will be a day dedicated to the involvement at all levels of national and local authorities to combat the phenomenon.

The marketing of human beings attracted to work. Human trafficking involving thousands of individuals of various nationalities attracted to job offers and then exploited in Cambodia in various rackets is now well known. In addition to a large number of Malaysian citizens “rescued” since the beginning of the year, 241 Indonesians were rescued from exploitation and repatriated in August. In the same month, 368 cases were identified and 41 arrests of exploiters of Cambodian, Chinese and Thai nationality; 629 Taiwanese fell into the racket in 2022 alone. In July it had been Al Jazeera to highlight the situation in a documentary in which several of the victims had the opportunity to tell about the deceptions, detention and torture to which they were subjected. Including death threats. Other major international media in recent months have followed in the footsteps of the pan-Arab broadcaster.

Gangs led by foreigners. Criminal activities concern the organization of online scams by gangs made up of or headed by foreign citizens who, however, have long since settled in Cambodia, where they often also manage gambling houses. The presence of casinos – which has been increasing in recent years – is legal, but essential for money laundering and the development of new forms of slavery. Among other things, many of the individuals who are victims of the online fraud “industry”, deceived with prospects of well-paid employment in services and tourism and then deprived of their liberty, come from countries that are part of the Association of Southern Nations. East Asia (ASEAN), of which Cambodia has the rotating presidency this year.

* Steve Suwannarat writes for Asianews