Slavery at sea: Thai fishing industry turns to trafficking | Guardian Investigations

Summary

Thailand's fishing industry has long profited from the exploitation of Rohingya people, who are trafficked and enslaved to meet global seafood demands. Migrants fleeing violence in Burma are forced onto fishing boats where they endure torture, forced labor, and sexual violence. Despite reform efforts, human trafficking continues, with authorities and the fishing industry complicit in these crimes. As the sector faces crisis and mounting international pressure, traffickers adapt by moving operations offshore. This dark side of global seafood production reveals the devastating human cost of cheap prawns, highlighting the urgent need for systemic change in the industry.

Takeaways

• 😀 Thailand's fishing industry has long profited from the exploitation of persecuted Rohingya people, contributing to a global human trafficking network.
• 😀 The Thai fishing sector was exposed for using Cambodian and Burmese slave labor to produce prawns, with devastating consequences for vulnerable communities.
• 😀 Rohingya refugees, fleeing violence in Burma, are often sold into slavery on Thai fishing boats, facing torture, deprivation, and sexual violence.
• 😀 Brokers and traffickers arrange for Rohingya people to be sold to fishing boats, and the Thai government has been complicit in these operations, at times directly facilitating human trafficking.
• 😀 In 2015, mass graves containing the remains of Rohingya refugees were discovered, forcing the Thai government to acknowledge the ongoing trade of human trafficking.
• 😀 Despite some high-profile arrests, human rights groups argue that Thailand's government has not adequately addressed the depth of the trafficking problem.
• 😀 Efforts to reform the Thai fishing industry and address forced labor have met resistance from boat owners who depend on cheap migrant labor to survive.
• 😀 Overfishing and declining catch rates have caused economic strain in the Thai fishing industry, leading boat owners to shift from fishing to human trafficking as a source of profit.
• 😀 Trafficking syndicates have adapted to crackdown efforts by moving their operations offshore, using large cargo ships as holding pens for thousands of trafficked Rohingya migrants.
• 😀 Global supermarkets are indirectly supporting human trafficking by sourcing prawns produced by forced labor, creating a globalized slavery system that benefits both the fishing and trafficking industries.

Q & A

What role does Thailand's fishing industry play in the global seafood supply chain?

Thailand's fishing industry is one of the world's largest exporters of seafood, supplying millions of consumers worldwide. However, it has been tainted by the exploitation of vulnerable migrant workers, including the use of forced labor, primarily from the Rohingya people.

What is the connection between the Thai fishing industry and human trafficking?

The Thai fishing industry has been linked to human trafficking, where vulnerable people, particularly from Myanmar (Burma), are trafficked, enslaved, and forced to work in the fishing sector. Traffickers exploit these individuals, subjecting them to abuse, violence, and conditions akin to slavery.

How did the Guardian's 2014 investigation reveal issues in the Thai seafood supply chain?

The Guardian's 2014 investigation uncovered that prawns sold in supermarkets worldwide were produced using forced labor by Cambodian and Burmese workers in Thailand's fishing industry. The investigation shed light on the horrific conditions these workers endured.

How are the Rohingya people affected by the situation in Thailand's fishing industry?

Many Rohingya people, fleeing state-sanctioned violence in Myanmar, end up being trafficked into the Thai fishing industry. They are subjected to horrific conditions, including physical abuse, forced labor, and sexual violence, while being held in debt bondage by traffickers.

What actions did the Thai government take after mass graves were uncovered in 2015?

After the discovery of mass graves containing the remains of Rohingya refugees, the Thai government acknowledged the existence of human trafficking within the fishing industry. The military government set a deadline to shut down trafficking operations, leading to high-profile arrests, including a military general.

What challenges does the Thai fishing industry face due to the reliance on forced labor?

The reliance on forced labor in the Thai fishing industry has led to economic challenges. As the industry faces pressure to eliminate such practices, many boat owners and workers struggle with the high costs of reform, and some are shifting to other forms of business, like transporting people instead of fish.

What are the economic consequences of removing forced labor from Thailand's fishing industry?

Removing forced labor could destabilize the fishing industry, which relies heavily on cheap migrant labor. Boat owners might struggle to survive, and the industry could collapse without it, leading to broader economic consequences, especially as trade partners like the EU threaten to ban Thai seafood imports.

How have human traffickers adapted as Thailand cracks down on illegal practices?

As Thailand has cracked down on trafficking, smugglers have adapted by moving their operations offshore. Migrants are now held on cargo ships acting as holding pens, while Thai fishing boats continue to facilitate the trade by acting as lookouts or transporting trafficked people.

What do survivors of trafficking in Thailand's fishing industry report about their experiences?

Survivors describe harrowing experiences, including torture, deprivation, and sexual violence. Some were held in camps for years, while others were sold to fishing boats. One woman recounted being transported on a smuggling boat that was hijacked and taken to a cargo ship holding thousands of trafficked individuals.

What is the broader issue behind the exploitation of the Rohingya people in Southeast Asia?

The exploitation of the Rohingya people is part of a broader issue of discrimination and state-sanctioned violence in Myanmar. As long as these policies persist, Rohingya people will continue to flee, often falling victim to trafficking networks that exploit their vulnerability for profit.