VietNamNet Bridge – After rescuing 32 enslaved workers from a farm in Dak Nong province, Quang Nam’s provincial police announced to have over 20 others remaining in the jungle.

Twenty workers are still in the forest.

The 32 rescued workers were among 45 farmers in Phuoc Son district, in the central province of Quang Nam, who were hired to plant acacia hybrids at a farm in the central province of Dak Nong. They were offered with VND1.8-2.1 million ($92-107) a month, but after they arrived at the farm, they were forced to work three months without payment. These workers worked and lived in terrible conditions. One died because of malaria. Others escaped and reported the situation to the authorities to rescue the remaining workers.

According to Party Chief Pham Hoang Linh of Phuoc Chanh commune in Phuoc Son district, as many as 87 locals were cheated in the same way. Most of them had returned home with poor health and with empty hands. However, 20 youngsters and women have yet to return home.

Meanwhile, the chief police officer of Phuoc Son district said that a total of 121 people, mainly ethnic minorities in the district, were exploited to plant the forest in Dak Nong while being mistreated and not paid

Local police identified six local men who recruited workers for the forest planting project in Dak Nong. They earned VND100,000 ($5)/hired worker.

Phuoc Son police have worked with Dak Nong locals to search for the 20 remaining workers in forest.

PV