Human Trafficking

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Impediments to stringent enforcement of trafficking laws include political corruption, military impunity, government’s condoning approach in penalization of government traffickers and differing sentiments shared by UN and Burma with regards to forced military labour.

Calls to reform military’s ‘self-reliance’ policy have been ignored, despite reports indicating that this practice of relying on local villagers’ for food and labour supplies instead of government support, have aggravated the exploitation of forced military labour. Through this arrangement, villagers’ inability to meet demands would be forced to exchange their labour to avoid any punishment.

International Approach

Financial aid and knowledge-sharing through international professionals signal the world’s earnest stance to overhaul authoritarian rule and shift towards democracy where human rights are acknowledged.

Two distinct school of thoughts exist between Western and Asian countries with regards to Burma’s insouciance to international calls for cooperation. Western governments support the idea of diplomatic and economic isolation while Asian neighbours believed in enticing Burma to cooperate through constructive engagement.

Overthrowing British colonial rule in 1940s, Japan played a pivotal role to Burma’s survival as a nation and this could be echoed again in today’s context to fight against forced labour in Burma. Being in Burma’s good books, Japan negotiation with Burma would be seen as accepting rather than, forced and imposed. This soft yet hard approach might witness Burma transformation to a state with compassion and integrity.

Conclusion

Undergirded by the fear of losing control and possible divided nation, Burma’s military refusal of acceding to minorities group’s call for democracy arises not due to its’ strong stand supporting dictatorship but rather emotional distress over possible destruction of national identity.

Capitalization of forced labour emerged as the military attempts to control Burma’s multi-faceted society. Ironically, the rampant industry seem to be uncontrollable, with the only exception of control exerted by traffickers over their powerless and unprotected victims.

Bibliography

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