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.

For further information please contact:

Mohammed Abdiker

IOM Colombo

E-mail: "mailto:mabdiker@iom.int">mabdiker@iom.int