PHNOM PENH: The Secretary of State and Permanent Vice President of the National Committee for Combating Human Trafficking, Chou Bun Eng, has said that as an anti-trafficking activist, she is saddened by the fact that criminals use Cambodian territory as a place for human trafficking, which the media has widely reported on worldwide. She called for more cooperation with the committee to address this problem, as well as an adherence to government measures on the issue.

Speaking at a press conference on the situation of human trafficking in Cambodia on Friday morning, 12 August, Secretary of State Chou Bun Eng spoke about the Royal Government's efforts to prevent human trafficking, which she said has brought about good results. However, she also expressed disappointment with the media’s coverage of criminals committing human trafficking on Cambodian territory.

"For those of us who work to combat human trafficking, we are in great pain," she said. "Because we think we are doing our best to protect people from being trafficked. But in the end, they still use Cambodian territory to commit crimes, for us to have to face these crimes.”

She acknowledged that Cambodia is not a country that has the capacity to fight all kinds of crime, but they are making it a top priority to stop crime and make Cambodia safe for everyone.

The U.S. Department of State released its 2022 Trafficking in Persons Report where Cambodia ranked the third lowest in anti-trafficking measures, stating that the country does not fully meet the minimum standards to eliminate human trafficking, and has made no significant efforts to address this issue.

In relation to this case, Secretary of State Chou Bun Eng answered a question from EAC News saying that this assessment really affected Cambodia's image on the international stage, and added that she did not know whether the United States would take action after releasing this report.

"The truth is still the truth," she said. "Only those who work with us, know what we are doing. They always come to tell us to keep working, and even the U.S. ambassador told us not to give up, to keep doing, to not be in despair."

She further added, "So, in other words, we do not know how they will punish us, but even the United Nations, who works with Cambodia, or any other international partners, they always provide encouragement and say not to worry, we are still on our way together.”

In addition to Cambodia, other ASEAN countries, including Vietnam, Malaysia, Myanmar and Brunei, also ranked in the third tier, along with 18 other countries and regions, according to the U.S. State Department.

^{PHOTO: EAC NEWS}