Royce Disappointed by Trafficking in Persons Report Designation of Cambodia

via Khmer NZ News Media

Publish Date: 2010-06-14

Today, the U.S. Department of State released its 2010 Trafficking in Persons Report, a document that catalogues abuses of modern day slavery throughout the world

(From PoliticalNews.me)

Washington, Jun 14 -

Today, the U.S. Department of State released its 2010 Trafficking in Persons Report, a document that catalogues abuses of modern day slavery throughout the world. The Report’s cataloging of abuses – and the categorizing of countries - can bring about change in some countries; the threat of sanctions on the most severe violators is also an important tool.

"While this report brings much needed attention to the plight of some of the world’s most marginalized women and children, I regret that it appears that some countries like Cambodia have gotten a pass," said Royce.

Citing it as a destination country for commercial sexual exploitation, the State Department had listed Cambodia as a "Tier 2 Watch List" country in its previous report. Despite an abundance of evidence that these problems still exist, Cambodia was upgraded one position. This will prevent automatic relegation to the lowest category (Tier 3) if next year it is once again listed as a Tier 2 Watch List country.

"The 2010 report cites Cambodian children being trafficked to Thailand and Vietnam for forced labor, the sale of virgin girls ‘continues to be a serious problem,’ and a significant number of Asian and foreign men ‘travel to Cambodia to engage in child sex tourism.’ Furthermore, the report cites that police and judicial officials are both ‘directly and indirectly involved in trafficking.’ And under these conditions, the State Department saw fit to upgrade Cambodia? We need to be sending a much stronger message that these forms of modern day slavery and unacceptable," said Royce.

Following a Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission hearing entitled "Human Rights and the Rule of Law in Cambodia" held last year, Rep. Ed Royce introduced a House Resolution – H.Res.820 - condemning Cambodian corruption and the role it plays in furthering human trafficking.

"Having heard scores of accounts from NGO’s and from eyewitnesses, the Cambodian government’s corruption often hampers trafficking investigations, and at worse, covers up the problem. Rewarding Cambodia, as the State Department Report does, only hampers efforts to curtail human trafficking. I’d like to see my colleagues join me in pressing this issue by cosponsoring my resolution, H.Res.820," said Royce.

Rep. Royce is a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and is an active member of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission.