The Kenyan government is in limbo as Chinese trafficking cartels continue to hold and demand huge ransoms to free Kenyan citizens stuck in Myanmar.
The citizens were lured into the country under the fake promise of customer care jobs in Thailand. Kenyans who are desperate for jobs are then put in slavery rings where they are exploited for and used for endangering activities.
Kenya's Ambassador to Thailand Kiptiness Lindsay Kimwole in a statement said that the government is being forced to pay up to USD 12000(Ksh 1,550,520) per head.
The ambassador states that the cartels are justifying their hefty ransom fees by claiming that they paid up to 45000 CYN (Ksh 816,750) for the ‘slaves’.
“Upon being asked to free the Kenyans, the cartel bosses claim that they bought them as slaves for 45,000 RMB per slave and if the government wants them to be released then their money amounting to around USD 12,000 should be refunded.” read part of the presser.
The Embassy in Bangkok has been forced to go to extreme lengths to obtain the release of Kenyans who have sent out pleas for help and rescue.
"In the last two weeks, Embassy officials have been camping at the border between Myanmar and Thailand trying to negotiate the release of 10 Kenyans who have sent out an appeal for rescue, fearing for their lives."
This development comes despite numerous warnings by the Kenyan embassy to Kenyans cautioning them against taking up the fake jobs. Despite this warnings, young Kenyans continue to flock to the southern Asia country.
"It is however troubling to note that despite the many warnings in the print and electronic media, young Kenyans continue to travel to Myanmar after paying a colossal amount of money to recruitment agents for non-existent jobs in Thailand." the ambassador said.
Ambassador Kiptiness also disclosed the inhumane conditions the abducted Kenyans are exposed to and detailed the process by which they are smuggled into Myanmar from Thailand.
"Upon reaching Bangkok, the victims are picked up in waiting vehicles and driven for 9 hours to the border town of Maesot where they cross the border through illegal routes."
The victims are then put into highly guarded compounds where they are trained using sophisticated technology on the scam jobs that they will undertake. Failure to achieve their targets results in physical and mental torture.
"The most notorious form of torture is electrocution and whipping. Victims are also confined to darkrooms for days without food or threatened with organ harvesting or mental abuse."
The Embassy was quick to note that despite some victims dying from electrocution, no Kenyan had lost their life. "Several people have died from electrocution, but it is notable however that no Kenyan has died."
According to statistics by the International Labour Organisation, more than 11 million individuals in Asia Pacific are victims of forced labour making up more than half of the 21 million individuals worldwide. Out of this, Africa accounts for the second-highest number of forced labourers.
Even so, the Kenyan Embassy has reiterated to Kenyans that the government is doing its best to secure release of those being held hostage.
