SENATOR COLLINS CALLS ON STATE DEPARTMENT TO PROTECT CHILDREN WHO BECAME ORPHANED AFTER ASIAN TSUNAMI DISASTER

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Senator Susan Collins is calling on the U.S. State Department to utilize the resources necessary to investigate cases of trafficking of children in Asia who became orphaned after the recent Tsunami disaster. In a letter to Ambassador John Miller, the Director of the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, Senator Collins wrote, " I am extremely concerned by recent press reports that children who have been orphaned or separated from their parents by the Asian tsunami could be falling prey to human traffickers." Senator Collins said that she is deeply concerned by press reports of adults posing as foster parents and of children being shipped from Indonesia to Malaysia for sale. Other reports describe accounts of unsolicited mobile telephone text messages that offer children for sale, according to buyers' wishes.

"The tragedy has already had a devastating effect on the children of the affected countries. More than 1.5 million children have been impacted by the disaster, tens of thousands losing one or both of their parents, siblings and other family members. These children are already vulnerable to disease, hunger, and the long-term effects of psychological trauma. That these children may also be readily available to human traffickers is horrific," wrote Senator Collins.

"The Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons is doing outstanding work raising awareness of and combating human trafficking around the world. I urge you to use the resources at your disposal to investigate these troubling reports of trafficking in tsunami-affected children and to organize an international response to stop any exploitation of this vulnerable population," Senator Collins added.

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