The story of Aung Ko - a survivor of cross-border human trafficking in Southeast Asia

To many, being a father and a family breadwinner is one of life milestones. But to Aung Ko (a pseudonym), it’s almost a dream that might not come true.

Aung Ko is a young man who seeks for opportunities in a foreign land to earn a living but ends up being trafficked, tortured and having dreams torn apart.

Based on a true story of IJM Thailand’s human trafficking survivor whom we and the Thai law enforcement helped rescue at sea off the coast of Thailand in March 2020, this is our first short film depicting a survivor's story from a subjective perspective.

As the COVID-19 virus took hold globally and the nation of Thailand anticipated imminent lockdown orders, IJM, the Department of Special Investigation in Thailand, and maritime police urgently searched for five fishermen from Myanmar. IJM team had received intelligence about their plight, had located and spoken with the victims, and believed them to be victims of trafficking. When they talked to IJM staff, the men narrated their suffering, that they had been tricked into working on the vessels with false promises of good pay.

Instead, they were forced to work at sea for more than 20 hours a day with only little payment, threats of violence, a debt they couldn’t pay off, and a sinking fear that the boat owner would kill them if they tried to escape. One of the men that was rescued was Aung Ko. And this is his story.

【Learn more about Forced Labour Slavery】

#humantrafficking #forcedlabourslavery #survivorstory #thailand #myanmar #humantraffickingawareness

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