The Ministry of Defense has alleged the National Anti-Human Trafficking Steering Committee has remained inoperative for two years.
The ministry revealed this during a meeting at a sub-committee of Maldives Parliament. The committee was attending a research on the bill of Anti-Human Trafficking when the Ministry was summoned.
Meanwhile the Ministry of Defense has also noted that the visible inaction of the committee could lead to Maldives receding from tier-2 on the watchlist of United States' "Trafficking in Persons Report" by their State Department, to tier-3.
The Ministry further noted that should Maldives recede from tier-2 to tier-3, United States may cease their provision of humanitarian aid to the island nation.
Furthermore, the ministry had revealed the island nation was slapped with a time period from The States to overcome the situation.
Ministry of Defense has requested from the Parliament's sub-committee to add a section to the bill on Anti-Human Trafficking, addressing the offense of 'Smuggling' and contraband.
In their explanation, Ministry of Defense noted both trafficking of people and smuggling includes a similar mode of conduct and often smuggling operations transition into human trafficking.
The US State Department's report indicates the island nation's efforts in curtailing human trafficking has receded in the past years.
Ministry of Defense, which holds the chair of the National Anti-Human Trafficking Steering Committee claims that the US State Department imposed the duration until 31 March to formulate and implement a new national level action plan on countering human trafficking.
