Palau News: Two Nepalese Face Labor Trafficking Charges
2 Nepalese face Labor Trafficking raps
WRITTEN BY JOSE RODRIGUEZ T. SENASE
THURSDAY, 24 SEPTEMBER 2015 23:19
The Office of the Attorney General has filed Labor Trafficking charges against two Nepalese nationals. Charged were Raj Mani Dajal and Suraj Kadel. They were charged before the Palau Supreme Court on September 22, 2015. Dahal is facing four counts of Labor Trafficking in the First Degree, while Kadel was charged with one count of Labor Trafficking in the First Degree.
This crime is classified as a Class A felony and upon conviction thereof an offender may be sentenced to an indeterminate term of imprisonment of 25 years without the possibility of suspension of sentence and a fine not to exceed $50,000 or both.
One of the alleged victims, Kiran Tamang, said in a written statement that she was recruited by Dahal and Kadel to come to Palau and work. According to her, she was promised that she would earn between $800 to $1,000 per month. Relying upon the promises, she arrived in Palau on June 14, 2004 as a tourist. Tamang said she paid Dahal and Kadel approximately $3,200 for her airline tickets and expenses in coming to Palau. She then commenced work earning $450 per month at the Taj Restaurant. Tamang said she was informed that a portion of her earnings were being kept by Dahal to pay back her travel debt. Dahal subsequently transferred Tamang from Taj to the Tropic Dancer. While working at Tropic Dancer, Tamang was paid $175 per week. Tamang claimed that Dahal would keep her earnings and only give a portion. She said that Dahal indicated to her that he had to pay off her work permit. Eventually, according to Tamang, Dahal informed her that the Division of Labor would not let her transfer employers and that the only way she could continue to work in Palau was to change her immigration status to dependant through marriage. Dahal then arranged for Tamang to be married to one Hefner Derbai. Tamang said Dahal took $1,200 of her earnings to arrange the marriage. She also claimed that Dahal had coerced her to engage in sexual intercourse by telling her that if she would not consent he would send her back to Nepal.
During the course of police investigation, Anu Rana, another alleged victim, was interviewed and also provided a written statement. Rana stated that she was recruited by Dahal and Kadel to work in Palau and was promised that she would earn between $800 to $1,000 per month. She indicated that she paid $2,000 to travel to the Philippines and Dahal arranged for her travel from the Philippines to Palau. Rana indicated that when she arrived in Palau, Dahal demanded an additional $2,000 to reimburse him. She stated that she arrived in Palau with two other Nepalese women. Rama said that Dahal kept her and the other two women in his apartment for a number of months giving them approximately $50 per week as an allowance. Rana said Dahal threatened her and her family back home if she will not cooperate. Dahal admitted that she helped Tamang transfer to another employer and arranged her marriage. He said that he arranged for Tamang to work at Tropic Dancer.
Dahal further admitted that he recruited three other Nepalese women to come and work in Palau, and had arranged for the four women to come to Palau on tourist visas. Assistant Attorney General Elizabeth Miles is prosecuting the case. It is still not yet known who are the lawyers for the two defendants.
This latest case of labor/human trafficking follows the filing of human trafficking and labor violations charges against several bars in Malakal and their owners. The cases are pending in court.
Palau is home to a small Nepalese community, most of them workers. Nepal is a locked-locked country in South Asia that borders India and China. Nepal is famous for Mount Everest, the tallest mountain in the world, which is part of the Himalayas.
http://islandtimes.us/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1959%3A2-nepalese-face-labor-trafficking-raps&catid=8%3Alatest-news&Itemid=1
WRITTEN BY JOSE RODRIGUEZ T. SENASE
THURSDAY, 24 SEPTEMBER 2015 23:19
The Office of the Attorney General has filed Labor Trafficking charges against two Nepalese nationals. Charged were Raj Mani Dajal and Suraj Kadel. They were charged before the Palau Supreme Court on September 22, 2015. Dahal is facing four counts of Labor Trafficking in the First Degree, while Kadel was charged with one count of Labor Trafficking in the First Degree.
This crime is classified as a Class A felony and upon conviction thereof an offender may be sentenced to an indeterminate term of imprisonment of 25 years without the possibility of suspension of sentence and a fine not to exceed $50,000 or both.
One of the alleged victims, Kiran Tamang, said in a written statement that she was recruited by Dahal and Kadel to come to Palau and work. According to her, she was promised that she would earn between $800 to $1,000 per month. Relying upon the promises, she arrived in Palau on June 14, 2004 as a tourist. Tamang said she paid Dahal and Kadel approximately $3,200 for her airline tickets and expenses in coming to Palau. She then commenced work earning $450 per month at the Taj Restaurant. Tamang said she was informed that a portion of her earnings were being kept by Dahal to pay back her travel debt. Dahal subsequently transferred Tamang from Taj to the Tropic Dancer. While working at Tropic Dancer, Tamang was paid $175 per week. Tamang claimed that Dahal would keep her earnings and only give a portion. She said that Dahal indicated to her that he had to pay off her work permit. Eventually, according to Tamang, Dahal informed her that the Division of Labor would not let her transfer employers and that the only way she could continue to work in Palau was to change her immigration status to dependant through marriage. Dahal then arranged for Tamang to be married to one Hefner Derbai. Tamang said Dahal took $1,200 of her earnings to arrange the marriage. She also claimed that Dahal had coerced her to engage in sexual intercourse by telling her that if she would not consent he would send her back to Nepal.
During the course of police investigation, Anu Rana, another alleged victim, was interviewed and also provided a written statement. Rana stated that she was recruited by Dahal and Kadel to work in Palau and was promised that she would earn between $800 to $1,000 per month. She indicated that she paid $2,000 to travel to the Philippines and Dahal arranged for her travel from the Philippines to Palau. Rana indicated that when she arrived in Palau, Dahal demanded an additional $2,000 to reimburse him. She stated that she arrived in Palau with two other Nepalese women. Rama said that Dahal kept her and the other two women in his apartment for a number of months giving them approximately $50 per week as an allowance. Rana said Dahal threatened her and her family back home if she will not cooperate. Dahal admitted that she helped Tamang transfer to another employer and arranged her marriage. He said that he arranged for Tamang to work at Tropic Dancer.
Dahal further admitted that he recruited three other Nepalese women to come and work in Palau, and had arranged for the four women to come to Palau on tourist visas. Assistant Attorney General Elizabeth Miles is prosecuting the case. It is still not yet known who are the lawyers for the two defendants.
This latest case of labor/human trafficking follows the filing of human trafficking and labor violations charges against several bars in Malakal and their owners. The cases are pending in court.
Palau is home to a small Nepalese community, most of them workers. Nepal is a locked-locked country in South Asia that borders India and China. Nepal is famous for Mount Everest, the tallest mountain in the world, which is part of the Himalayas.
http://islandtimes.us/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1959%3A2-nepalese-face-labor-trafficking-raps&catid=8%3Alatest-news&Itemid=1