Myanmar Totally Rejects US alleged Failure to Comply With

United States TVPA

 The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is perplexed to learn that the US government plans to impose economic sanctions on Myanmar for its alleged failure to comply with the United States Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) of 2000. Myanmar dismisses the proposed measures. It is based on disinformation disseminated by forces hostile to the Government. The proposed action of the US government is unethical and contradicts international law. It also affronts the sovereignty and independence of states and Myanmar therefore totally rejects such unilateral measures.

Myanmar views trafficking in persons as a grave issue confronting humankind. Accordingly, it has been seriously tackling this issue through a comprehensive framework that includes national legislation, a national plan of action, high level commitment, bilateral, regional and multilateral cooperation. The National Plan of Action of 2002 contains strategies for prevention, prosecution, protection, repatriation, and re-integration, as well as provisions for assessment of domestic and cross-border trafficking, the setting up of a national task force, holding national workshops, training officials, rehabilitating victims of trafficking, and promoting the role of Non-Governmental Organizations and Inter Non-Governmental Organizations.

The Myanmar National Working Committee for Women’s Affairs and the Working Committee for the Prevention of Trafficking in Persons are the principal bodies for addressing the problem. They are headed by the Deputy Ministers of the Ministries of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement, and Home Affairs, respectively. The bodies work in cooperation with government departments, agencies, Non-Governmental Organizations and Inter Non-Governmental Organizations. The Myanmar National Committee for Women’s Affairs (MNCWA) supervises the work of these two working committees.

A mobile team to combat trafficking in women and children formed in collaboration with the United Nations Inter-Agency Project (UNIAP) in Combating Human Trafficking in the Mekong Sub-region conducts on-site visits to States and Divisions in Myanmar to train mid-level government officials on strategies to combat trafficking. The MNCWA in collaboration with UNICEF, UNIAP and Save the Children (UK) organized a national seminar on trafficking in persons in May 2003 in Yangon. It focused on identifying root-causes, exchange of information, setting up of strategies, reviewing existing laws regarding trafficking in persons and promoting cooperation between the government agencies and international organizations.

In the period from 17 July 2002 to 16 July 2003, the Working Committee for Prevention Against Trafficking in Persons, exposed a total of 390 human traffickers in 206 cases of human trafficking, thereby saving one thousand and eight persons from the clutches of human traffickers. The Working Committee also gave educative talks to nearly eighty thousand persons and arranged for the safe return of over eleven thousand persons to their homes. Numerous video programmes have been aired on national TV to sensitize the general populace to the evils of human trafficking. Radio talk shows and school educative programmes are also employed as a mean of conveying to the people the gravity of the issue.

The Myanmar Minister for Foreign Affairs participated in Ministerial Meeting on Trafficking in Persons held in Bali, Indonesia in 2002. The Deputy Minister for Home Affairs attended the Ministerial Meeting in Bali in 2003. Myanmar is an active participant in the meetings of the two Ad-Hoc Experts’ Groups formed under the Bali Process. It has hosted a meeting of ASEAN Directors-General of Immigration, Attorneys-General and Police Chiefs.

A Memorandum of Understanding between the Governments of Myanmar and Thailand on Cooperation in the Employment of Workers has been in force since June 2003. This document is an effective instrument in dealing with trafficking problems. Myanmar nationals in foreign lands, including those in Thailand have been provided with a safe return to their homes in accordance with government’s guidelines of 18 February 2002. A receiving station at Myawaddy near the Thai border processes and welcomes the returnees systematically. Up to 30 April 2003, nearly ten thousand persons have returned via this receiving station.

At the request of the US side and in the spirit of cooperation, Senior Reporting Officer of the US State Department’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, Mr. Philip Linderman, was received in Myanmar in January 2003. He was provided with the opportunity to have separate meetings with senior officials from relevant Ministries and organizations. At a final combined session held at the Ministry of Home Affairs he was able to engage in an interactive discussion. Myanmar has acted in good faith, but it continues to be listed in Tier Three of the State Department’s unilateral classification of countries that are deemed to have failed to comply with the TVPA Act of the US Congress.

The Myanmar Government is striving diligently to build a better future for its citizens. It will continue to exert utmost efforts to combat trafficking in persons regardless of negative responses received from quarters which always refuse to recognize commendable efforts of Myanmar.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Yangon