Human trafficking of Sri Lankan ex-soldiers to Ukrainian war: Implications for Sri Lanka

Abstract

The country’s failure to create employment opportunities in Sri Lanka following the recent economic downturn in 2022 forced the public, regardless of their skill level, to leave the country for their survival or prosperity. The prevalence of higher unemployment has opened the opportunities for booming human smuggling, trafficking and illegal migrations. Many reports in recent days have spotted the human smuggling of ex-soldiers of the country fighting in Russian or Ukrainian forces after the Russian invasion. Against the promises of lucrative, non-combat jobs, the veterans are engaged in the fighting, against their willingness and desperate to come back home. Reports state that at least 2,000 Sri Lankan ex-soldiers enlisted on both sides of the Ukraine war, including in the regular armed forces and mercenary groups. Human trafficking is a grave violation of human rights that involves the exploitation of individuals through force, deceit, fraud, or coercion for profit. Ending human trafficking is essential for safeguarding human rights, promoting social justice, and ensuring global security. Therefore, this study aims to examine how ex-soldiers are attracted and deceived by human traffickers, what measures are taken by the government to stop the trafficking, and how the government strives to get the willing ex-soldiers home. It also investigates the specific political/ diplomatic, social, and economic effects in Sri Lanka. Understanding these issues is vital for creating effective counter trafficking and smuggling measures and protecting the rights of at-risk populations in Sri Lanka. The researcher adopted a qualitative method with secondary data to attain the research objectives. Several factors have contributed to the rise of human trafficking and continuous awareness; creating employment opportunities, tracking and banning traffickers, and diplomatically collaborating with the Russian and Ukrainian governments will reduce the suffering