By: L.N. Reklai
March 27, 2017 (Koror, Palau) On March 21st issue of this paper it was reported that 30 Nepalese were in Palau as result of human trafficking and that a Syrian family and an Iran national are seeking asylum.
Immigration Acting Chief Flavin Misch corrected the report stating that there is no Iranian national seeking asylum in Palau. The other person reported in addition to the Syrian family, is a Pakistani national.
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“Most of the Nepalese nationals are victims of human trafficking transacted from their home country (Nepal) and they ended up in the Republic,” stated Misch.
“Informal interview with some of these nationals indicated that most of them went through a recruiting agency in Nepal and they paid ranges of $3,000 to $5,000 USD and promised better employment here in the Republic with high salary. At the same time, this recruiting agency will provide them with round trip ticket to Palau. After their arrival in the Republic on tourist visa, their return ticket is refunded by the recruiting agency back in Nepal,” stated Acting Chief in the letter to IT.
The alleged trafficked persons are then stuck here in Palau. Some, according to Immigration were able to leave Palau but others are stuck here without return tickets.
According to Immigration, they are seeking outside agency assistance with these people.
Island Times apologizes for the error of reporting one the asylum seekers as Iranian. The individual is correctly identified as a Pakistani national. [/restrict]