New Delhi – Orphans from among cyclone victims are in serious danger of being trafficked, a Human Rights group, said in a grim warning.
Many children have lost their parents in the killer cyclone and are wandering the streets searching for elusive saviours. They are in danger of being exploited by child traffickers, the Thai based 'Human Right Education Institute of Burma' (HREIB) has warned.
"Some good people have taken in some of the children for adoption and some have been sheltered for trafficking later. We found two such cases recently. We are concerned," U Aung Myo Min, Director of HREIB said.
Many orphans are roaming the roads leading to Kungyangone and Dedaye, waiting for donors in passing cars and begging for food and relief materials.
"Some girls are barely 14 or 15 and are easy prey for traffickers who promise them fairly well paid jobs like waitresses in karaoke bars. Trafficking in women and children is likely to thrive in the cyclone hit areas. The cyclone may open the flood gates of human trafficking," a social and relief worker from Rangoon cautioned.
About 300 children in and around Labutta were taken away by an army unit believed to be the local unit. The children were promised food and shelter, Daw Aye Aye Mar from the 'Social Action for Women' told Mizzima.
Burma ranks third in a US government report on human trafficking. It is a country which does not abide by the 'Human Trafficking Prevention Act'.
U Aung Myo Min suggested that human right groups or persons acquainted with these children should be sent to cyclone affected areas to create awareness among people to prevent the children from being trafficked.
