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Nepalese girls rescued from being trafficked into Sri Lanka

A group of 5 Nepalese girls have been rescued from being trafficked into Sri Lanka, reports the Himalayan Times.

The five girls were being taken to Mahendranagar, from where it was reported they were to be smuggled into India and finally into Sri Lanka.

Earlier this year, the US State Department stated that “the Government of Sri Lanka does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking” in its annual ‘Trafficking in Persons Report’, placing Sri Lanka on the’ Tier 2 Watch List’ for a third consecutive year.

Leaked US embassy cables also revealed Tamil paramilitaries ran prostitution rings for Sri Lankan troops in government-controlled parts of the Northeast, and child sex trafficking rings using their networks in India and Malaysia, with the knowledge and support of the Sri Lankan government.

The Sri Lankan navy has also been accused of being directly involved with human trafficking, especially that of Tamil asylum seekers, looking to flee the island.

See more in our earlier posts:

Sri Lanka made ‘minimal progress’ to tackle human trafficking says US State Dept (29 July 2015)

Sri Lankan navy accused of trafficking Tamil asylum seekers (27 April 2015)

SL navy sailors arrested over people smuggling (19 Aug 2013)

Sri Lanka’s leaders complicit in forced prostitution and child sex trafficking (22 Dec 2010)

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