Stranded in Squalor: The Plight of Trafficked Foreign Nationals in Myanmar

Hundreds of foreign nationals remain stranded in deteriorating conditions at a militia camp in Myanmar after being rescued from scam compounds. With limited food and inadequate sanitation, detainees face challenges returning to their home countries, lacking resources and support from their embassies.

Hundreds of foreign nationals, extracted from notorious scam compounds in Myanmar, find themselves in dire condition as they endure limited food supplies, insufficient healthcare, and unsanitary facilities in a remote militia camp. Two detainees described their plight, highlighting the challenges they face in their current situation.

The camp, governed by Myanmar's Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA), houses approximately 470 individuals near the Thailand border. These foreign nationals, rescued as part of a crackdown on criminal operations, now grapple with harsh living conditions and uncertainty about returning home.

In recent weeks, authorities from China, Thailand, and Myanmar targeted scam centers across Southeast Asia as part of a wider effort to dismantle illegal trafficking networks. Despite their liberation from trafficking, detainees remain without assistance or funds to arrange flights back to their home countries.

(With inputs from agencies.)