Dagonthar, Mizzima News (www.mizzima.com)
October 18, 2003

The rate of prostitution in the outskirts of Rangoon has increased due to the recent rise in unemployment. Soon after America imposed sanctions on August21, 2003, more than 60 companies were shut down during and over 60,000workers were rendered jobless said a source at SPDC's labour Department.

"In the reality of economic hardship, the women tell their families that they are going to work. They do not dare to tell their families that they were actually fired from their jobs. They leave for work carrying their lunch boxes but actually they go for prostitution. This kind of prostitution is increasing," said a Rangooncitizen.

In Rangoon, $20 US (about twenty thousands Burmese Kyats) can buy a night with a prostitue; only, $3 US you can buy a few hours with a girl.
While this is much less than the international average rate, it is a means of
survival for the girls.

The prostitution business has been noted as an increasing problem for a long
time but this in this year is showing an exceptional increase.

The ruling Burmese junta maintains that the loss of industries and
increase of unemployment is due to Western sanctions. Rangoon citizens said,
however, that the economic hardship was created by the Burmese government and their mismanaged policies, the military backed Union solidarity Development
Association (USDA), the ceasefire groups and the close friends of the regime
who hold all the businesses in Burma.

In Thailand, there are more than 1 million Burmese migrants. Some Burmese
have also fled to Malaysia due to economic hardship. The number of Burmese
female prostitutes is also increasing in these migrant areas.