According to COMMIT (Coordinated Mekong Ministerial Initiative Against Trafficking) Vietnam, trafficking in women and children from the country has been o­n the increase. From 1998 to 2007, more than 6,680 women and children have been trafficked and more than 21,000 women and children have been reported missing, suspected as being trafficked overseas. 177,000 women have also married foreigners. In particular, many cases of trafficking in men and even unborn children have been detected by the relevant agencies.

Reports indicate that traffickers used many tricks to lure their victims, often they promised them a good-paid job overseas such as working as a house maid or guest worker.

However, after arriving in a foreign country, the trafficked women were sold into prostitution or forced to marry native men. In addition to coerced sex, they had to work hard from dawn till dusk. If they were disorbedient or attempted to flee, they would be beaten ruthlessly. Worthy of note is that most cases were detected o­nly after the victims escaped or were rescued. However, these lucky victims made up a very small number compared to the actual figure.

According to Chinese police, currently between 5,000 and 7,000 trafficked Vietnamese women and children are illegally residing in China. Meanwhile, Cambodian police say that Vietnamese women and children have also been trafficked via a third country like Thailand or Myanmar and also via Taiwan.

Communication must be combined with suppression

According to the relevant agencies, human trafficking is a serious crime along with armed robbery, drug trafficking and corruption. The Prime Minister has directly instructed the relevant agencies to stop human trafficking, particularly the trafficking of women and children. However, despite many efforts, the crime is still being commitedall over the country.

A conference was held in 2003 to come up with measures to combat human trafficking. The representatives of 18 relevant ministries and committees and 142 representatives of 35 provinces and cities in the country took part. Addressing the conference, Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Khiem stressed o­n the need for socio-economic development in the fight against the trafficking of women and children. However, not much has happened in the last five years.

Speaking at workshops o­n the issue, many participants acknowledged that recently, the relevant agencies have not liased in depth in the prevention and fight against people trafficking and information has not been combined with suppressive measures against the criminals. The entire political and social systems have not linked up with each other to provide a common front.

To stop this crime, measures should be taken to improve the lives of people in hot spots for human trafficking such as remote and inaccessible border areas, particularly in the southwestern and northern provinces. Returned women and children should be supported to stabilise their lives. People must be better aware of the need to denounce traffickers and join efforts with the relevant agencies to tackle this crime. The legal system must also be enhanced to overcome discrepancies in areas such as labour export and marriages to foreigners. Investigations should be increased and stricter punishments should be given to traffickers and criminals, particularly from trans-national organisations.

In particular, local Party Committees and authorities must strengthen consider fighting human trafficking as a regular task to fulfill along with their poverty reduction efforts with the aim of gradually stablising people’s living conditions and narrowing the gap between rich and poor.