Monywa, 24 April  

A total of 23 migrant workers from Kani, Butalin and Dabeyin townships in Sagaing region, who were illegally sent to China by brokers, came back to the town of Monywa on  23 April morning.

Sagaing region Chief Minister Dr. Myint Naing together with the region social affairs minister Dr. Zaw Win, the region border affairs and security minster Col. Than Tun Aung, the region municipal affairs minister U Myint Kyi and the departmental heads met with the returnees at a temporary accommodation in people’s sports ground in the town and spoke words of encouragement to them.

The chief minister and party presented K 2.3 million to 23 returnees at a rate of K 100000 per head, assigning chairmen of relevant township development committees the task of sending the returnees back to their places of origin. In addition, the region Disaster Management Department also provided the returnees with K 552,000 at a rate of K 24,000 per head, K 15,000 for travelling expenses and K 9000 for meals. 

“We were sent to China to work at a garment factory with a salary of K 600,000 per month. But there, we were forced to do such kind of work that includes icing octopus and dead dogs down from day to night at a place on the coast without pay. Our SIM cards were taken out of our hand phones. We were fed with only two Chinese dumplings a day. We really got in trouble. I want to urge anyone, who plans to go and work there via illegal brokers, not to go, not to believe such brokers,” a returnee said. 

In January, 2019, 60 migrant workers from Kani, Minkin and Kalay townships in Sagaing region were returned home from China. In February, six migrant workers from Pale Township came back home from China. 

Policemen had arrested some brokers who persuaded potential workers into going to China to work there illegally, according to an official from anti-human trafficking squad.—Tun Ko Ko ( Yinmabin)

 Translated by Khine Thaw