The United States said Thursday that Cambodia still needs to do more to fight human trafficking, even though an annual State Department(DoS) report said the nation had made progress.(DoS) PHNOM PENH (AFP) — The United States said Thursday that Cambodia still needs to do more to fight human trafficking, even though an annual State Department report said the nation had made progress.
The United States this year upgraded Cambodia to Tier 2 on its yearly human trafficking report, after the country increased law enforcement and passed new legislation to crack down on the crime.
Cambodia, which has a reputation as a haven for sex offenders, had ranked below the second tier since 2004 -- raising the risk that Washington could impose sanctions or other punitive measures.
US embassy charge d'affaires Piper Campbell told a press conference that trafficking remains a problem here.
"Trafficking in Cambodia is indeed still prevalent. It's obvious in combating human trafficking that you have to take a multi-dimensional approach that involves education, legislation, law enforcement and also support for victims," he said.
However, some victims claim that they have suffered abuse under the new anti-trafficking legislation.
Chan Dina, head of the Cambodian Prostitute's Union (CPU) which represents about 300 sex workers, said prostitutes have been robbed, beaten and raped by police since a crackdown on brothels began in March.
"The closures abuse the rights of sex workers. They do not want to work the sex industry, but they are destitute, that is why they have decided to do so," Chan Dina told AFP Thursday.
Deputy Prime Minister Sar Kheng told reporters at the press conference that prostitutes abused by police should come forward.
"We ask that they provide evidence to us," Sar Kheng said.
Some 300 prostitutes rallied Wednesday to protest the police abuse amid Cambodia's human trafficking campaign.
The United States this year upgraded Cambodia to Tier 2 on its yearly human trafficking report, after the country increased law enforcement and passed new legislation to crack down on the crime.
Cambodia, which has a reputation as a haven for sex offenders, had ranked below the second tier since 2004 -- raising the risk that Washington could impose sanctions or other punitive measures.
US embassy charge d'affaires Piper Campbell told a press conference that trafficking remains a problem here.
"Trafficking in Cambodia is indeed still prevalent. It's obvious in combating human trafficking that you have to take a multi-dimensional approach that involves education, legislation, law enforcement and also support for victims," he said.
However, some victims claim that they have suffered abuse under the new anti-trafficking legislation.
Chan Dina, head of the Cambodian Prostitute's Union (CPU) which represents about 300 sex workers, said prostitutes have been robbed, beaten and raped by police since a crackdown on brothels began in March.
"The closures abuse the rights of sex workers. They do not want to work the sex industry, but they are destitute, that is why they have decided to do so," Chan Dina told AFP Thursday.
Deputy Prime Minister Sar Kheng told reporters at the press conference that prostitutes abused by police should come forward.
"We ask that they provide evidence to us," Sar Kheng said.
Some 300 prostitutes rallied Wednesday to protest the police abuse amid Cambodia's human trafficking campaign.
No comments:
Post a Comment