Colombo – IOM and the UK government have launched three projects worth a total of UK £229,593 to support Sri Lankan government efforts to combat human trafficking and strengthen the country's border management capacity.

Combating Human Trafficking: IOM, in close coordination with relevant government agencies, will develop a comprehensive database containing details of all cases of human trafficking in Sri Lanka.  The data, which will be provided by the government will be used to collect information about past and ongoing trafficking cases and trends, with a view to supporting more successful prosecutions of traffickers.

IOM identified the need for this type of data through an earlier project that provided counter-trafficking training to some 470 Sri Lankan law enforcement officers. The training was designed to help the officers to identify, investigate and prosecute cases of human trafficking, and to sensitize them to the special needs of victims.

Airport Border Control Measures: IOM will also work with the Department of Immigration and Emigration to improve the Computerized Passenger Clearance System at Bandaranaike International Airport by introducing a machine-readable sticker to be used with the existing Exit Stamp.

The sticker will be generated once a passenger is formally cleared through the Border Control System. It can then be read at the time of boarding or at a fixed Secondary Control Point or by a mobile checker to verify that the passenger has been formally cleared.

Over the past six years IOM has worked closely with the government to build migration management capacity, including support for the Department of Immigration and Emigration's efforts to reduce irregular migration by strengthening border controls.

Integrated Enquiry Management System (IEMS): The new UK funding will also support a unit set up in 2007 by IOM at the Department of Immigration for a further two years. The Integrated Enquiry Management System (IEMS) unit responds to enquires about Sri Lankan nationals made by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Colombo-based foreign diplomatic missions, Foreign Immigration Services and national law enforcement agencies.

The Department of Immigration holds information on passports, visas, border crossing records, citizenship and birth registration.

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For further information please contact: Mohammed Abdiker, IOM Colombo, E-mail: mabdiker@iom.int