By Sav Yuth
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Socheata
An official of a human rights NGO in Battambang province is currently investigating in a trans-border human trafficking case in which it is suspected that a border police officer at the Sampov Loun border gate is the perpetrator of the trafficking.
The investigation took place in the morning of 26 November after a farmer’s family complained that 7 persons were duped by the Sampov Loun border gate police officer who took them to sell as slave workers.
Uth Yes, a farmer from Ta Khiev village, Ampil Pram Doeum commune, Bavil district, Battambang province, claimed on Monday morning that 7 of his sons were duped by Chhit Nhork, a police officer belonging to Brigade 817 at the Sampov Loun border gate, and sold to a Thai merchant since March of this year. Uth Yes didn’t learn about this issue until one of his sons and another person fled and came back to tell him about the story.
Uth Yes said: “My son … was duped. Two of them fled back (from Thailand), he said that they told them to take the boat, but instead they were sold (as slave workers).”
Yin Meng Ly, a coordinator and investigator for the Adhoc human rights organization in Battambang province, said that his organization is currently doing its research on the spot in Sampov Loun district, in order to meet with the two boys who claimed that they fled from the human sale. If the case is factual as the two boys claimed, this is a true slavery case. Nevertheless, Licadho was not able to meet the two boys yet because they went to work as farm laborers in Thailand harvesting corns.
Yin Meng Ly said: “These two boys are very important witnesses in this case, therefore, we must wait for their answers.”
Adhoc indicated that border police officer Chhit Nhork came to round up 7 people from Bavel district, to work as ice lifters in Poipet area since March. However, after it was learnt that the 7 persons were sold by Chhit Nhork to the boss of a sea fishing boat near the border between Thailand and Malaysia, Chhit Nhork fled since then.
The director of the border police brigade unit 817, based at the Sampov Loun border gate, who declined to give out his name, said that Chhit Nhork was indeed a police officer there, but that he did not know anything about the human trafficking case.
Seng Son, the director of the human trafficking police in Battambang province, said that he did not receive the information about this case yet, however, he said that if research proves that this case is true, the perpetrator will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
According to Battambang police, this is the second case involving trans-border human trafficking. In 2006, a boy was similarly sold in Thailand also.
The investigation took place in the morning of 26 November after a farmer’s family complained that 7 persons were duped by the Sampov Loun border gate police officer who took them to sell as slave workers.
Uth Yes, a farmer from Ta Khiev village, Ampil Pram Doeum commune, Bavil district, Battambang province, claimed on Monday morning that 7 of his sons were duped by Chhit Nhork, a police officer belonging to Brigade 817 at the Sampov Loun border gate, and sold to a Thai merchant since March of this year. Uth Yes didn’t learn about this issue until one of his sons and another person fled and came back to tell him about the story.
Uth Yes said: “My son … was duped. Two of them fled back (from Thailand), he said that they told them to take the boat, but instead they were sold (as slave workers).”
Yin Meng Ly, a coordinator and investigator for the Adhoc human rights organization in Battambang province, said that his organization is currently doing its research on the spot in Sampov Loun district, in order to meet with the two boys who claimed that they fled from the human sale. If the case is factual as the two boys claimed, this is a true slavery case. Nevertheless, Licadho was not able to meet the two boys yet because they went to work as farm laborers in Thailand harvesting corns.
Yin Meng Ly said: “These two boys are very important witnesses in this case, therefore, we must wait for their answers.”
Adhoc indicated that border police officer Chhit Nhork came to round up 7 people from Bavel district, to work as ice lifters in Poipet area since March. However, after it was learnt that the 7 persons were sold by Chhit Nhork to the boss of a sea fishing boat near the border between Thailand and Malaysia, Chhit Nhork fled since then.
The director of the border police brigade unit 817, based at the Sampov Loun border gate, who declined to give out his name, said that Chhit Nhork was indeed a police officer there, but that he did not know anything about the human trafficking case.
Seng Son, the director of the human trafficking police in Battambang province, said that he did not receive the information about this case yet, however, he said that if research proves that this case is true, the perpetrator will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
According to Battambang police, this is the second case involving trans-border human trafficking. In 2006, a boy was similarly sold in Thailand also.
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