Many Vietnamese people were trafficked to Myanmar and rescued from harsh conditions. 166 of them are stranded near the border with China and cannot leave Myanmar despite running out of food and experiencing harsh conditions. They previously worked for online gambling companies, where they faced abuse and harsh working conditions.
The Vietnamese workers have been trapped in Myanmar for 40 days and have recorded a video pleading for officials to help them return to Vietnam. Their families and relatives have also appealed for help from the Vietnamese Embassy in Myanmar and the Vietnamese government. They have reported that the embassy has verified their information but has not yet arranged for their repatriation.
These trafficking victims are among the hundreds of thousands of people who have been forced into working at illegal casinos and online scams, according to a UN report. The Vietnamese and Myanmar foreign affairs ministries have not provided any responses to inquiries. Additionally, the ongoing armed conflict in Myanmar’s northern border area has made rescue efforts difficult.
The stranded Vietnamese have been living in poor conditions in an abandoned school in northern Myanmar, and their families are urging the Vietnamese government to take action and help repatriate them. Despite promises of better opportunities, the workers were lured to Myanmar and forced into illegal activities by their employers. Some of them have been assaulted, tortured, or faced other harsh punishments for failing to meet sales quotas. The families of the workers have sent petitions for help to the Vietnamese Foreign Affairs Ministry but have not yet received a response.
Despite requests to return to Vietnam, the trapped workers have not been given any clear information or assistance from the Vietnamese embassy in Myanmar. Their families are pleading for help as the situation worsens and are urging officials to make efforts for the workers’ safe return.