The Sri Lankan government has recently pressured Myanmar to take urgent action to rescue and safely repatriate 18 Sri Lankan citizens who have been trafficked to the Myawaddy region in Myanmar and subjected to forced labor.
Sri Lanka's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath, has spoken with Myanmar's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Than Swe, to discuss the issue of human trafficking. He specifically emphasized the high concern for the safety of the 18 Sri Lankan citizens trapped in Myawaddy and urged Myanmar to take decisive actions to accelerate the rescue process.
Herath expressed gratitude towards the Myanmar government for their cooperation in combating human trafficking and called for continued strengthening of law enforcement to ensure the victims are released as soon as possible. He emphasized that the Sri Lankan government will continue to push vigorously for the repatriation of the trapped citizens and strengthen bilateral cooperation with Myanmar to prevent similar incidents from occurring again.
It is reported that these Sri Lankan citizens, after being trafficked to Myawaddy, suffered abuse and torture by criminals and were forced to engage in online scam activities. The Sri Lankan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism stated that they will do their utmost to ensure the safe return of these citizens with the cooperation of the Myanmar government.
It is noteworthy that in February 2024, the then Sri Lankan Ambassador to Myanmar, Janaka Bandara, revealed that there are still 56 Sri Lankan citizens trapped in scam parks controlled by armed groups. Data shows that from 2022 to 2024, 91 Sri Lankan citizens have been rescued and returned home with the assistance of the Myanmar government.
The Sri Lankan government stated that it will continue to strengthen international cooperation to combat transnational human trafficking networks and prevent more nationals from becoming victims.
