United States (US) Ambassador to Brunei Darussalam Caryn McClelland yesterday praised Brunei’s progress made in combating human trafficking during a seminar on Combating Human Trafficking and Forced Labour.
The ambassador in her opening remarks said it is encouraging to see Brunei improve from Tier 3 to Tier 2 watch list on the State Department’s annual Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report this year.
She said Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Minister of Defence II Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof stated during the recent 17th ASEAN Ministerial meeting on Transnational Crime that Brunei will continue to strengthen initiatives to combat human trafficking with a focus on local context and with the support of ASEAN counterparts.
However, she added, “There are more critical works needed to be done in the year ahead.”
Human trafficking, she explained, “is a shared problem that affects the entire world. Each year, millions of people are exploited within and across borders”.
“Traffickers prey on people of all ages and origins, exploiting them for profit while undermining the rule of law, compromising the economy and disregarding the wellbeing of individuals and communities.
“As long as trafficking continues to exist, it will continue to hinder the protection of human rights and sabotage the safety, security and strength of our nations,” she said.
She also highlighted, “The trauma of trafficking doesn’t end with the arrest. It is a weight that is carried on continuously by survivors. This is why Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) will also be leading discussions on the best ways to assist victims through interviews and investigations.
“By partnering up with victims, we can better address the trauma and formulate anti-trafficking policies and strategies. The bottom line is that human trafficking is a crime that deprives millions of people of their dignity, freedom and basic human rights. It will take a commitment from all of us to end it.”
Also present at the ceremony were Royal Brunei Police Force (RBPF) Deputy Commissioner Dato Seri Pahlawan Sulaiman bin Alidin and officials.
The seminar was organised by the US HSI through the RBPF at the Mess Banquet Hall of RBPF headquarters in Gadong.
Six HSI experts on the subject matter were brought in to facilitate the three-day-seminar.
Around 70 participants joined the seminar comprising law enforcement agencies such as RBPF, Royal Customs and Excise Department, Immigration and National Registration Department, Labour Department, Community Development Department and Attorney General’s Chamber. – James Kon
