Three individuals have been apprehended in the areas of Wattala and Trincomalee in connection with the trafficking of Sri Lankans to Myanmar. Recent reports have shed light on the distressing plight of 56 Sri Lankan citizens who are currently being held captive by a terrorist organization in the Myaweddi region of Myanmar. This area is notorious for cybercrimes and is under the control of an armed group.
These Sri Lankans were enticed with tourist visas and deceived by false promises of lucrative job opportunities in the IT sector. Consequently, they illegally entered Myanmar through the Thai border.
Trapped in the terrorist camp in Myaweddi, the Sri Lankans are being exploited as cyber slaves and coerced into committing internet scams. Initially unaware of the true nature of the camp, they were led to believe that they would be engaged in tasks such as data entry. However, they were forced to assume the role of romantic partners to foreigners, particularly Europeans and Americans, with the intention of stealing their money. Refusal to comply with these demands reportedly results in acts of torture, including electrocution, waterboarding in cages, hanging by their hands, and starvation.
On December 22nd, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in collaboration with the Sri Lankan Embassy in Myanmar, announced their ongoing efforts to seek assistance and cooperation from the Myanmar authorities in safely repatriating the trafficked Sri Lankan nationals.
According to the ministry, this distressing situation has been ongoing since 2022. Through the combined efforts of the Consular Affairs Division of the Foreign Ministry, the Sri Lanka Embassy in Myanmar, and the Myanmar Government authorities, a total of 32 victims have been rescued between 2022 and 2023.
Given the severity of the situation, Foreign Minister Ali Sabry has expressed concerns regarding the safety of Sri Lankan nationals to his Myanmar counterpart, Than Swe, during their recent meeting.
