Kathmandu, June 5:

United States has honoured three Nepalis for fighting trafficking in Nepal, says a press release issued by the US Embassy.

According to the release, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has released the eighth annual Department of State Trafficking in Persons Report in which three Nepalis — Bhim Lama, Ganesh Shrestha, and Kumar Giri — of the Esther Benjamins Memorial Foundation Rescue Team, have been honoured as heroes for combating trafficking.

The report says there is no change in the designation of Nepal as a Tier 2 country reflecting the country’s efforts and challenges in eliminating trafficking in 2007. The Nepal chapter of the new Department of State Trafficking in Persons Report notes a growing internal child sex tourism problem in Nepal, but credits the government of Nepal with the enactment of the comprehensive Trafficking in Persons and Transportation (Control) Act in 2007. Bhim Lama, Ganesh Shrestha, and Kumar Giri have been recognised for their work in rescuing over 280 Nepali children from Indian circuses.