Cambodia’s presence on the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) money laundering gray list and its recent placement on the U.S. State Department’s Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report has damaged the country’s international reputation, says Deputy Prime Minister Sar Kheng.
According to the Khmer Times, Sar called for action to remediate the problem and restore the country’s image on the world stage. Sar said he is “not supporting the assessment,” but added, “We also cannot deny.”
Recently, a group of around 40 Vietnamese casino workers fled the Golden Phoenix Entertainment Casino in Koh Thom and swam across a river to escape. They claimed the casino had subjected them to beatings, forced them to work 14-hour days without the promised compensation, and even sold workers who did not perform as expected.
The U.S. recently added Cambodia, Brunei and Vietnam to its list of Tier 3 nations, the lowest ranking, which could expose them to sanctions and penalties. Tier 3 status is reserved for “countries whose governments do not fully meet the minimum standards (to prevent human trafficking) and are not making significant efforts to do so.”
The nations joined Malaysia and Myanmar on the Tier 3 list. Malaysia was downgraded last year, while Myanmar has been at Tier 3 since 2018. Only two of the region’s countries, Singapore and the Philippines, are designated Tier 1.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken calls the TIP report “one of the most comprehensive sources of information anywhere on anti-trafficking efforts by governments.
“Corruption continues to be a top tool of traffickers,” he said. “Complicit government officials may turn a blind eye to illicit activities, provide false documents for workers, tip off traffickers to impending raids. Corruption allows traffickers to continue to act with impunity.”
