By Sim YH –
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, 17 OCT – Brunei Darussalam has attended 2nd Manila Dialogue: Regional Meeting of Southeast Asian Inter-Agency Counter-Trafficking Committees (IACAT) which took place in Manila, Republic of the Philippines on October 15 to 16.
According to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Department (JPM), here, the Brunei Darussalam delegation to the meeting was led by the Acting Permanent Secretary (Securities and Law), JPM as Chairman of the National Committee for Anti-Trafficking in Persons (JKAPO), Awang Zulhusam bin Haji Abdul Samad and was joined by senior officers from the JPM, the Royal Brunei Police Force as the Chairman of the Working Committee for Anti-Trafficking in Persons and the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
The dialogue was an initiative between IACAT and the Embassy of the Netherlands in the Republic of the Philippines in conjunction with the 10th anniversary Manila International Dialogue on Human Trafficking which it is dedicated to the national committees responsible for the issues of human trafficking (TIP) in ASEAN countries.
At the meeting, ASEAN countries exchanged views and information on the latest developments and challenges faced, especially dealing with TIP and violent crime.
Awang Zulhusam during the meeting emphasized that Brunei Darussalam’s approach in combating TIP crime is guided by the principle of Maqasid Syariah which prioritizes the preservation of life as one of its main principles.
In addition, the government’s approach through a systematic government-wide approach is to ensure that all people in this country and not counting their citizens are protected from the threat of crime.
Awang Zulhusam also shared the latest developments regarding the TIP crime situation and the challenges and efforts in combating and dealing with TIP criminal activities in this country.
Among those shared about Brunei’s position despite having been demoted from Tier 2 Watch List to Tier 3 in the US TIP Report 2024, Brunei will continue to commit to strengthening efforts to deal with TIP crime and will continue to learn best practices from neighboring countries that are in Tier 1 and Tier 2.
Since the establishment of JKAPO in January 2020, several major achievements have been achieved in the country’s efforts to fight crime such as further enhancing the efforts of law enforcement and law enforcement agencies, reviewing legislation, establishing a national strategy and capacity building.
JKAPO is currently in the process of finalizing a National Action Plan on TIP, which focuses on the local context. In addition, the government will continue to ensure capacity development for law enforcement and law enforcement agencies to be further enhanced through local and regional training programs.
As part of efforts to combat and combat TIP crime in Brunei Darussalam, the Public Awareness Program Task Force on Anti-Trafficking in Persons has implemented various awareness programs to further increase public awareness of TIP crime including in embassies of this country such as the Embassy of the Republic of the Philippines, Royal Thai Embassy, Embassy of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste and the High Commission of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh.
The main purpose is to provide public awareness of laws related to immigration, passports, human trafficking and smuggling and workers’ rights.
Awang Zulhusam also shared that enforcement agencies have increased the number of screening operations over the past few years to prevent TIP activities, especially among foreign workers in the country.
From the screening operation, 36 cases have so far been referred for evaluation by the TIP Evaluation Team this year.
Investigations and assessments carried out by the team have resulted in the prosecution of two cases of human trafficking in 2012 and 2016 as well as one case of labor trafficking which is currently under trial.
Manila Dialogue was chaired by Undersecretary in Charge of the IACAT, Nicholas Felix Lopez Ty with the participation of ASEAN countries.
The dialogue continued for two days to discuss and exchange views and information, discuss cooperation and directions for the prevention and eradication of the crime of human trafficking.
