About 50 South Africans are stuck after fleeing human trafficking and scam operations in conflict-hit Myanmar.
South Africans rescued from an infamous scam centre in Myanmar should be brought home as soon as possible to avoid trouble, according to Willem Els of the Institute for Security Studies.
He was commenting after it transpired that about 50 South Africans, who were part of a group of people rescued from the scammers’ compounds last week, were stranded.
Some are struggling to cross the border from Myanmar to Thailand, as there is a civil war in Myanmar.
Rescued South Africans remain stranded in Myanmar-Thai border areas
It is alleged that criminal syndicates are trafficking people to use in illegal scam operations and related activities.
Last week, a group of hostages rescued by Myanmar soldiers, who later allegedly demanded ransom to release them, overpowered the soldiers and escaped.
“Some South Africans are at the border trying to cross into Thailand. Some non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are trying to assist, but there’s a lot of hardship, a lot of uncertainty, a lot of fear among victims.
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“Once they are back in Thailand it will be easy to get them back to South Africa.
“These people are vulnerable and they are being exploited by everyone.
“The situation is bad; there are also people from other countries being affected by this,” said Els.
‘The situation is bad’
“They lure them there with lucrative job offers and money. Then, when they reach Thailand, the passports are confiscated and they are ferried across the border or smuggled to Myanmar.
“They actually take them to the occupied areas – because there’s a civil war going on – where the Chinese triads have big compounds,” said Els.
He said South Africa’s department of international relations and cooperation was not doing enough to assist them.
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One of the NGOs assisting in the area is the South African-based Brave to Love, which confirmed that 41 South African citizens have asked for emergency assistance after being trafficked to Southeast Asia under false employment promises.
“Recruited for purported job opportunities in Thailand, they were instead forcibly transported across the border into conflict-affected Myanmar and held inside the KK Park scamming compound, a location notorious for severe human trafficking operations.
“Last Wednesday, a group of four South African men, who had been isolated from the others, gathered near the compound’s main gate under the surveillance of armed Myanmar military.
Escaping scam compounds
“Their prayer gathering grew rapidly as victims from the Philippines, Kenya and other nations joined in to pray for freedom,” said Brave to Love spokesperson Emma van der Walt.
“Demonstrating immense courage, the group collectively overpowered the guards and breached the compound gate.
“About 1 000 individuals escaped into the streets during this extraordinary mass breakout.
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“A smaller group of South Africans was subsequently held hostage by corrupt military officials at a residence near the compound.
“After ransom payments, with assistance from NGOs, they were released to Myanmar police and immigration authorities.”
NGOs call for urgent repatriation
Van der Walt urged the department to expedite repatriation and emergency travel arrangements for South African victims.
Department spokesperson Chrispin Phiri did not responded to questions sent to him.
