Thousands of trafficking victims stranded in Cambodia after crackdown on scam centers
In Cambodia, thousands of foreign victims of human trafficking have been left without documents, legal status, housing or money following the authorities’ campaign against online scam centers, non-governmental organizations say. Among those affected, citizens of African countries account for an increasingly large share and often have no realistic opportunity to return home, Deutsche Welle English reports.
Recruitment disguised as employment
According to a recent UN human rights report, at least 300,000 people from 66 countries have become victims of human trafficking that keeps Southeast Asia’s scam industry operating. The UN estimates that such operations generate tens of billions of dollars annually.
Emmanuel David, a 28-year-old Liberian citizen, said he arrived in Cambodia last year after receiving a job offer from an acquaintance. He was promised about $800 a month, but after arriving, he said, he was forced to spend 14 hours a day deceiving women on dating apps.
David claims that after he failed to meet the set quota, the group began deducting money for food and accommodation from his salary and later took his belongings, including his passport. He said he was also beaten for four months.
Another victim, who spoke to DW anonymously for fear of retaliation, reported beatings and electric shocks. An anonymous informant also told DW that sexual violence and psychological pressure are widespread in fortified compounds where hundreds of Africans are held.
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Problems with returning home
According to Freedom Collaborative, citizens of African countries now make up the largest group among people trafficked to Myanmar and Cambodia who become stranded there. Human rights advocates point out that the lack of consular representation in Cambodia for countries such as Uganda, Liberia, Ghana and Nigeria is an obstacle to repatriation.
Monse Ferrer, Amnesty International’s co-director in the region, said that some countries of origin do not provide the necessary documents or funds for their citizens’ return. Pia Oberoi, head of the Right to Development Section at the UN Human Rights Office, noted that most recruited people, despite promises of high earnings, leave such schemes in debt.
Consequences of the campaign
Following international pressure, including threats of financial sanctions from the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and the European Union, Cambodia launched a campaign against scam centers. The Cambodian government said that over the past year, raids were conducted at more than 700 compounds, mostly run by Chinese citizens, 58,266 foreigners were deported and nearly 30,000 suspects were detained.
According to non-governmental organizations, some trafficking victims who sought help were placed in migration detention centers, while others slept on the streets of Phnom Penh and begged for food. Amnesty International called the situation a humanitarian crisis and warned that escapees are often treated as criminals rather than victims.
The International Organization for Migration said that due to severe budget constraints, it can provide only limited priority assistance. Humanitarian organizations also warn of the risk that victims may fall back into human trafficking schemes even after returning to their countries of origin.
