Monday, 11 June 2012
By Sen David
Phnom Penh Post
A domestic
migrant worker returns to Cambodia on Friday from Malaysia. A total of
four maids and eight fishermen were repatriated after being forced to
work in slave-like conditions. Photograph: Heng Chivoan/Phnom Penh Post
Eight Cambodian fishermen and four Cambodian maids were repatriated from
Malaysia on Friday after finding themselves forced to work in
slavery-like conditions, despite being promised high-paying jobs there
by brokers and recruitment firms.
Koy Kuong, a spokesman for the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, said in a
press release on Friday the Cambodian government had co-operated with
Malaysian authorities and the International Organization for Migration to return the trafficked victims to Cambodia.
Sin Sokhoun, 42, a fisherman from Kampong Speu province, said he paid 400,000 riels (US$100) to the brokers.
Once
a farmer, he was lured abroad by the promise of high salaries, but
after his ordeal, he said, he had told his son not to make the same
mistake.
“I felt embarrassed when I came back to my homeland,
because I was cheated into working,” he said. “We worked every day until
night but we did not get a salary.”
Lim Mony, deputy head of
the women’s section of rights group Adhoc, told reporters at Phnom Penh
International Airport the victims had been rescued after their families
filed complaints to NGOs.
“We do not yet have details about what
happened to them, especially the maids,” she said. “We need them to
speak to the police. They were acutely mistreated, which is why their
families filed complaints.”
The four maids who were repatriated wore scarves to cover their heads, and declined to speak to the press.
To contact the reporter on this story: Sen David at david.sen@phnompenhpost.com
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