Language barriers key problem in trafficking battle

[webfact]

Language barriers key problem in trafficking battle
PRAVIT ROJANAPHRUK
THE NATION
NAKHON PATHOM

BANGKOK: -- A COMMUNICATION barrier appears to be one of the key issues faced by government officials trying to help Myanmar migrants working in Samut Sakhon's fishing industry, according to recent research.

"However, this issue is far too sensitive to address openly, as it can be perceived as an ineffective effort to counter [human] trafficking [and lead to a] negative image," Pattarin Wimolpitayarat, who presented the study at Mahidol University's Symposium on Human Rights Research in Asia last week, said.

The symposium was organised by the university's Institute of Human Rights and Peace Studies (IHRP) in cooperation with Chulalongkorn University's Master of Arts in International Development Studies (MAIDS) programme.

Pattarin, who conducted in-depth interviews with Labour Ministry officials and law enforcers, said that though these officials worked through a fluent interpreter, the issue of trust was very important.

If, for instance, some information is leaked to corrupt officials, then victims will end up not being rescued, she said.

In addition to language barriers, power play in the bureaucracy can also mean that some police officers are unable to take action despite knowing what was happening, because "they don't want to lose their jobs", Pattarin said.

Many officers choose to turn a blind eye in order to avoid internal conflict, she said, adding that some police officers and politicians were indeed believed to be involved in human trafficking in the province.

"Yet nobody takes ownership of the case and sees it through," she said.

Another related study presented at the same symposium revealed that many migrant workers in the fishing industry in Samut Sakhon province suffered mental health problems.

Researcher Ivone Rebelo said some of the workers from Myanmar worried so much about their health, their families and their future, that they often lost their appetite for food or began working too hard just so they can send what little they have back home. Other related conditions include insomnia, depression and even suicidal tendencies. Rebelo backed this up by citing the case of one female migrant worker who slashed her wrists in a suicide attempt but was saved in time.

The woman later told Rebelo: "I want to die after my parents passed away."

As for the children of the migrant workers, Rebelo said that when they were asked to draw, they almost always depicted fish, pots and factories.

"Really, their lives are just about the work that their [parents] do."

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Language-barriers-key-problem-in-trafficking-battl-30240425.html

[thenation]2014-08-07[/thenation]

[BigBadGeordie]

Ah well thats the problem sorted, move on, nothing to see here.

[Pib]

BANGKOK: -- A COMMUNICATION barrier appears to be one of the key issues faced by government officials trying to help Myanmar migrants working in Samut Sakhon's fishing industry, according to recent research.

 

 

Yea, it's called the human traffickers not telling the police/govt of their illegal activity.   Can you believe that!?

[Bender]

yes  of course the crooked army and the corrupt police, along with the useless govt dont speak foreign language.... but its not because of the greed, poor victims are put into slavery

 

 

seriously who these people want to fool?

Edited August 7, 2014 by Bender

[chooka]

Ah well thats the problem sorted, move on, nothing to see here.

They just don't understand Thai way.

[soalbundy]

Language barrier and money

[Bluespunk]

"In addition to language barriers, power play in the bureaucracy can also mean that some police officers are unable to take action despite knowing what was happening, because "they don't want to lose their jobs", Pattarin said"

So not a language barrier at all then.

Plenty of Burmese in Thailand speak Thai. Edited August 7, 2014 by Bluespunk

[razer]

So ... what happened to basic humanity? Are these people involved in trafficking less than human? I would say so. This applies to both the poor and elite ... we call them sociopaths.

[retarius]

Err  no....language isn't the main problem. The main problem is that those who are supposed to uphold and enforce the law are selling people into slavery on fishing boats. As these corrupt police have absolute immunity from prosecution and immunity from having their bribes taken off them, nothing will happen except some word being spoken with absolutely no action at all. Send the Royal Thai Navy out to stop all fishing boats and examine the state of their crews...if they don;t have money in their pockets, assume they are slaves and arrest the captain and owner. Lean on them hard to get the names of the broker who sold them the crew....arrest the brokers and lean on them hard to find out the names of the corrupt cops. it's easy., but requires action, so nothing will be done.