DPA
Phnom Penh - Germany's ambassador to Cambodia on Wednesday called on the Cambodian government to step up measures against human trafficking to combat exploitation of the country's poorest citizens. Ambassador Frank Marcus Mann said at a press conference in Phnom Penh the German government supported Cambodian efforts to curb the growing number of people being trafficked in the country and urged the government to adopt new anti-abduction laws.
"Because Cambodia is a signatory to international conventions to fight abduction we want to see Cambodia's parliament take action and pass new anti-abduction laws," he said.
Ambassador Mann also said the German government supported Cambodian efforts to arrest and convict German citizens guilty of engaging in human trafficking crimes.
The ambassador was joined at the press conference by Cambodian human rights advocate Somaly Mam, who was awarded the Roland Berger Human Dignity Award in Berlin in November for her fight against human trafficking.
Somaly Mam, who received 1 million euros (1.26 million US dollars) as part of the award, warned that human trafficking could increase in Cambodia due to the international financial crisis and higher rates of poverty and unemployment.
"The government and NGOs (non-governmental organizations) need to work together to protect women and children and lead them away from exploitation," Somaly Mam said.
"This award is not for me. It is for the Cambodian people, and the money I have received will go towards fighting human trafficking in Cambodia," she added.
Rights groups say human trafficking is becoming more prevalent in Cambodia, where thousands of men, women and children every year are reportedly forced into sexual exploitation and unpaid labour through coercion and deception.
In 2007 Cambodia was listed in the US Department of State's Trafficking in Persons Watch List Report after allegedly failing to meet international standards for the elimination of domestic human trafficking.
"Because Cambodia is a signatory to international conventions to fight abduction we want to see Cambodia's parliament take action and pass new anti-abduction laws," he said.
Ambassador Mann also said the German government supported Cambodian efforts to arrest and convict German citizens guilty of engaging in human trafficking crimes.
The ambassador was joined at the press conference by Cambodian human rights advocate Somaly Mam, who was awarded the Roland Berger Human Dignity Award in Berlin in November for her fight against human trafficking.
Somaly Mam, who received 1 million euros (1.26 million US dollars) as part of the award, warned that human trafficking could increase in Cambodia due to the international financial crisis and higher rates of poverty and unemployment.
"The government and NGOs (non-governmental organizations) need to work together to protect women and children and lead them away from exploitation," Somaly Mam said.
"This award is not for me. It is for the Cambodian people, and the money I have received will go towards fighting human trafficking in Cambodia," she added.
Rights groups say human trafficking is becoming more prevalent in Cambodia, where thousands of men, women and children every year are reportedly forced into sexual exploitation and unpaid labour through coercion and deception.
In 2007 Cambodia was listed in the US Department of State's Trafficking in Persons Watch List Report after allegedly failing to meet international standards for the elimination of domestic human trafficking.
3 comments:
Most of the human trafficking business is operated by high rank
government officials and the wealthy businessman.
teacher make $30 a month and 8 year old begar make $50 amonth, Who is the traficker, Mr. ambassador?
For uneducated person like me, I think is the goverment!!!!
please help reform justice , police and army of the oppressing goverment of evil!!!!
Another westerner blowing hot air. If Germany wants to help, it can do its part by keeping its nationals who have a record of sexual offenses away from Cambodia.
They have sex offender records in all the Western countries, but they're not keeping these perverts from traveling to third world countries like Cambodia to exploit our people.
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