[International] Human rights group calls for rescue from Myanmar scam parks, over 5300 trapped including Taiwanese
bellala 央廣2h ago
More than a year after multiple Southeast Asian countries joined forces to crack down and rescue thousands of victims, human rights groups say that scam parks near the Thai border in Myanmar still hold over 5,300 people captive.
According to Reuters, the Civil Society Network for Human Trafficking Victim Assistance (CSNHTV) sent a letter to Thai police on the 22nd, calling for action. The letter stated that among those held captive in four locations within the militia-controlled areas of Myanmar, many are foreign citizens.
CSNHTV estimates that the trapped individuals include approximately 1,600 Chinese citizens, about 200 Myanmar nationals, 20 Thai people, and individuals from countries such as the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia, Brazil, Russia, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, and Zimbabwe.
According to United Nations data, scam centers in Southeast Asia, including those in Myanmar and Cambodia, engage in illegal online scam activities, with victims worldwide, generating billions of dollars in revenue annually.
Many such facilities, like the scam parks in parts of the Myanmar-Thailand border region, are operated by foreign nationals lured to the area by criminal groups.
These individuals are often forced to work in harsh conditions and are subjected to abuse.
Last year, Thailand led a regional operation to combat border scam parks, rescuing about 5,000 people from a large scam hub in Myanmar's Myawaddy region, but large-scale illegal activities continue to persist.
CSNHTV, headquartered in Thailand, stated in its letter that a large number of victims are still detained in scam parks located within the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA) controlled areas in Myanmar.
CSNHTV pointed out: "Many parks have not yet been dismantled, nor have rescue operations been launched to free all remaining captive victims." The organization stated: "Therefore, these criminal groups continue to engage in online scams and human trafficking, causing harm to victims globally, especially in the United States and Europe."
Reuters contacted two DKBA officials for comment but received no response. The Myanmar military-backed government had previously publicly declared its commitment to combating the scam industry, but its spokesperson also did not immediately respond to Reuters' questions. (Editor: Song Wanyuan)
Source Link: https://www.rti.org.tw/news?uid=3&pid=216255
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