Human Trafficking

[Thaising]

From Akha Heritage Foundation

Ms. Meitinee Wongsa, an Akha woman from Thailand, was trafficked into Singapore. She was sent out of the country without due process and when she returned legally she was arrested. Now her case goes to the Singapore Supreme Court. Activism Works.

Ms. Meitinee Wongsa, an Akha woman from Chiangrai province in Thailand, was trafficked to Singapore under cloudy circumstances. She was quietly sent out of Singapore without due process when she didn't "work out".

Later when she chose to marry a man from Singapore, and set a date for marriage and returned to Singapore, the Immigration of Singapore arrested her and sentenced her to one year in prison for illegal entry.

Her fiance fought for her defense, and it was determined that highly irregular events happened in the handling of her case. How was she sent out of Singapore the first time with no arrest? Who signed what papers? Who was the translator? Why did they make her sign papers which said her real name was not in fact her real name? Why is there no record of her "arrest" with Singapore Immigration?

Now all of this is coming to light, and her case has been admitted by the Singapore Supreme Court.

In a day or two it will be listed on this site:

Supreme Court" under "Criminal Revisions".

This case has been very important to the freedom of Ms. Wongsa who is now in Portdown prison for many months.

It is also important because the Thai Embassy has had to admit she is there and confirm that she is a Thai citizen, which they did not want to do, (first they said her passport is false) and that her Identity card and passport are genuine. In the past Thailand has disowned Akha women trafficked to places like Japan.

This case is also important in that it gives lots of light to how the Akha are treated, and the trafficking of Akha women by the Thais. The brothel owner in Hatyai has not been arrested at this time.

NGO's in Thailand have proved nearly totally useless in getting one of "their own" arrested for a crime.

I HAVE TAKEN OUT THE RELATED LINK WHICH IS UNSUITABLE FOR THIS FORUM. SORRY!

Edited April 18, 2007 by Thaising