Action Plan to curb illegal migration and human smuggling
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- Published on Thursday, 12 July 2012 10:23
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Action have been taken to curb illegal migration and human smuggling and accordingly the tri forces, police together with other agencies have come up with new strategies to curb human trafficking and illegal migration. There had been a steady rise in human trafficking and illegal in recent times.
Since January 9, 2012 to date more than 200 suspects and 16 facilitators have been arrested in connection with human trafficking in the country. Many vessels sailing illegally with Sri Lankans onboard have been apprehended by Australian security officials in their waters in recent times.
The Army media spokesman Brigadier Ruwan Wanigasooriya commenting on the issue said that they have set up a three tiered action plan to prevent illegal migration and human trafficking. The first step under the title Ground Action will prevent 'would be' illegal migrants from organizing such activities on the ground. This will involve long term surveillance and intelligence collection at grass root level as a collective action by the Army troops deployed on the ground with the support of intelligence arms of the three forces, police and other relevant agencies. Already several such attempts have been thwarted at early stage on ground.
The second step would be beach surveillance. This is to prevent any organized groups from boarding boats or vessels. Since the most common route of human smuggling is via the sea continuous monitoring and round the clock surveillance of all ports, fishing harbors and the coastal belt by the three services and police naval units will be stepped up.
The third step is naval patrolling of territorial waters which is in operation during 24 hours with the support of Air Force surveillance aircrafts. The navy has been in the fore front in capturing many illegal migrant boats in the recent past.
It is expected that this new action plan spearheaded by the three forces in coordination with other agencies including ILO, Immigration and Emigration Department, Foreign Employment Bureau, Bandaranaike International Airport security unit will put an end to illegal human migration.
Courtesy: Defence
