Human trafficking is taking place in the Ukraine-Russia war front by deceiving people that they will be employed as military assistants with the promise of hundreds of thousands of rupees as remuneration. SLPP Member of Parliament Gamini Waleboda points out that he has received information about people who had paid one million to 1.5 million rupees to various agents who had promised such jobs and they had been sent to the warfront. The following is an interview with the MP on the matter.
Excerpts of the interview.
Q: There has been a lot of talk these days that there is trafficking of retired soldiers in this country to the Ukraine-Russia war front. You have raised this issue. What is the origin and background story of the smuggling of Sri Lankans to the Russia-Ukraine war front?
A: Currently, two years have passed since the war between Russia and Ukraine started. Although at the beginning of this war, it was a war between the armies of the two countries, later various mercenaries and workers were involved in this war. In any case, professional mercenaries work with the Russian Army. Recently, there was a much talked about mercenary rebellion in Russia. Therefore, such professional mercenary groups are operating on the Russian front. They are not directly related to the Russian Army. However, I am not saying that the groups working for the war are limited to Russia only, such groups are working with Ukraine as well. It is said that a very large amount of money is given by the people who go to these war fronts in search of jobs.
Q: How are large salaries promised to the persons willing to go this war front?
A: A fancy picture is created stating that the soldiers of this country will be given a salary of several thousands of rupees. But, it becomes apparent after some time that the picture is not as rosy as they show. But, these traffickers deceive the people by promising them large amounts of money they can get. Many people who were deceived in that way are now suffering on the Russia-Ukraine frontline. What actually happens is that smugglers cheat innocent people of a lot of money.
Q: How much money do these smugglers actually get from one person?
A: According to the information we have received, one million to 1.5 million rupees have been obtained from one person.
* There is nothing wrong with retired soldiers voluntarily going to the war front, is it?
But they have been badly deceived. These racketeers do not say that they are sending soldiers to mercenary groups. They are told that they are being sent to the legitimate Russian Army. But, this promise is completely false. Recently, no one has been sent to work in the legitimate Russian Army or the Ukrainian Army. These traffickers have only cheated these people. We are told about many cases where people who were deceived in this way were unable to face the harsh climatic conditions of the borders and suffered severe hardships. In fact this is human trafficking.
Q: Who are the persons who are primarily involved in this trafficking? Have they been identified?
A: Although the perpetrators have not yet been identified, investigations have been carried out on several retired military officers who were primarily involved in these activities. We really need to identify who are the masterminds behind this racket. If it is identified and acted upon quickly, it will be possible to identify the places where the people who were deceived by them have been sent.
Q: Isn’t there a way to legally send soldiers to a country’s Army?
A: There is no legal permission for a person in an independent country to join the national Army of another independent country and to do so there must be an agreement between the governments of both countries. That is how our troops are being deployed to the United Nations peace keeping effort, including in Haiti. However, there is no such legal framework in sending people to the Russia-Ukraine war front that we are talking about today. This is just a scam that is completely outside the legal framework.
Q: How did more than six hundred people go to the Russia-Ukraine war front when the country’s immigration laws were strict?
A: Of course, I am not accusing the immigration department of being responsible for this because all these people have traveled abroad on tourist visas. There is no suspicion that one is going for something like this when they are leaving the country on a tourist visa. By the time it is identified as human trafficking, the horse has bolted.
Q: According to your information what services are obtained from those sent to the Russia-Ukraine warfront in this way?
A: These personnel are known as military auxiliaries. The only service obtained from these people is to advance the war on the fronts where it is most brutally waged. In fact, these people are not sent to fight but as cannon fodder.
Q: How did you find this information?
A: Two of the people who were sent to the war front in this way escaped and they were the first to give out this information.
Q: What type of action should be taken to control this situation?
A: The media has a big responsibility here. No matter how much we say to educate the people, it is useless if we cannot take it to the people. Therefore, all media including newspapers, electronic media, social media have a collective responsibility to inform the public about this.
Q: Shouldn’t the government take some action to control this situation?
A: The government cannot detect something like this at once. As I said before, it is difficult to focus on the people who are on tourist visas. But now the government can investigate and find those who are responsible. Also find about it and ensure the ssafety of Sri Lankans.
Q: Are the Russian or Ukrainian embassies or the governments of both countries aware of this? What kind of opinion do they express about this?
A: The Russian Embassy has also stated that it has no connection or knowledge about these events. It is not possible to think that these countries, which are bound by international conventions, will work outside the international norms and protocols.
Q: Isn’t it difficult to control these kinds of acts with laws and rules only?
A: Even now there are rules. However, there are people who break the law and engage in these kinds of smuggling and there are also people who get caught to these racketeers. Therefore, we request them not to be deceived by such people and their empty promises. The authorities concerned should also investigate and deal with these matters swiftly. Also, once this situation was identified, the President’s Office on the advice of the President had given necessary instructions bring it under check.
Q: Has there been any loss of life in the Russia-Ukraine battlefield to those who went from here?
A: I cannot say any of this officially, but according to the news we are getting, a significant number of people have lost their lives. Indeed, the situation can be described as a tragedy.
Q: How did you, as a Member of Parliament, start investigating and intervening in this situation?
A: My village is in the Ratnapura district. Several friends in the district told me that the MP should intervene. Then I looked into this. Indeed, the story is correct. Then I informed the media and the President and the government. That is how it was possible to create awareness about the issue even going to the diplomatic level.
Now the attention of the President and the government is also focused on this. Therefore, I believe that we will be able to control this situation.
