Roundup: Mekong countries vow to increase momentum on combating human trafficking
By Feng Yingqiu
YANGON, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Senior officials of six Mekong countries -- Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam have vowed to increase momentum on combating human trafficking.
The decision was agreed at the end of the two-day 7th Senior Officials Meeting for the Coordinated Mekong Ministerial Initiative Against Trafficking (COMMIT) held in Myanmar's ancient city of Bagan from Wednesday to Thursday, according to Friday's official newspaper New Light of Myanmar.
The meeting decided to hold the 8th COMMIT senior officials meeting and the 3rd Ministers Meeting in Thailand in December this year.
The 7th COMMIT senior officials meeting brought together over 135 representatives from the six governments in the Mekong region and observers from other ASEAN countries, the United Nations and international non-governmental organizations as well as donors.
The three-day meeting also reviewed their plans and priorities related to counter-trafficking and discussed future joint actions, focusing in particular replica clothing on the areas of law enforcement and criminal justice, and recovery and reintegration for victims.
Attending the event were also representatives from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Ms. Joy Ngozi Ezeilo, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children.
Human trafficking is a serious crime involving the cheating or deceiving of people into sexual servitude or labor for the purpose of exploitation, the meeting pointed out.
The International Labor Organization estimated in 2005 that 9. 49 million people are in forced labor in Asia-Pacific region, with a significant amount of that thought to be in Mekong region.
According to the UN, traffickers are making illicit profits estimated at 31 billion U.S. dollars globally.
Major General Maung Oo, Myanmar Minister of Home Affairs cum Chairperson of the Central Body for Suppression of Trafficking in Persons said "Through the COMMIT process we have been able to make significant inroads in the fight against the crime of human trafficking".
Bishow Parajuli, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator and UN Development Program Representative in Myanmar, said "COMMIT is unique in that it has fostered unprecedented unity of purpose and mutual accountability between the Mekong countries over the past six years, believing that the unity may be one of our greatest strengths in tackling some of our biggest challenges.
The theme, debated at the meeting, was 'Addressing the Impact of COMMIT Anti-Trafficking Efforts: Are we making a Difference?'
Since the signing of the COMMIT MOU Hair extensions in October 2004 in Bagan, the six governments have put in place legal and cooperative frameworks to prevent human trafficking, prosecute traffickers and exploitative employers, and protect victims of trafficking, assisting them to return home safely and with dignity, according to a statement of the meeting.
Meanwhile, in July last year, Myanmar also hosted the 9th meeting of senior officials of the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations on combating transnational crime in Nay Pyi Taw, participated by representatives of dialog
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