West Sumatra Governor Mahyeldi Optimistic That The Ministry Of Foreign Affairs Can Return Indonesian Citizens, Including Sijunjung Residents, Victims Of TIP In Myanmar

Governor of West Sumatra, Mahyeldi. (ANTARA/Miko Elfisha)

West Sumatra (West Sumatra) Governor Mahyeldi is optimistic that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Kemlu) and related parties can make diplomatic efforts to repatriate Indonesian citizens (WNI) who are being held captive in Myanmar.

"We believe that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has prepared strategic steps to be able to repatriate Indonesian citizens, one of whom is a resident of Sijunjung, West Sumatra," Mahyeldi said in Padang as reported by ANTARA, Saturday, May 6.

Mahyeldi said efforts to repatriate Indonesian citizens from other countries were the authority of the central government.

According to Mahyeldi, the West Sumatra Provincial Government will provide support because one of the 20 Indonesian citizens who were detained was a resident of West Sumatra.

He said he had ordered the Head of the West Sumatra Manpower and Transmigration Office to communicate with the Ministry of Manpower, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Indonesian Migrant Workers Protection Agency (BP2MI).

Meanwhile, the Head of the West Sumatra Manpower and Transmigration Office, Nizam Ul Muluk, said that one of the Indonesian citizens detained in Myanmar came from Nagari Tanjung, Kec. Koto VII, Sijunjung Regency on behalf of Muhamat Husni Sabil with a male gender (28).

His party has communicated with the Ministry of Manpower, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Indonesian Migrant Workers Protection Agency (BP2MI).

The communication was carried out in a letter number: 560/614/Nakertrans/2023 dated May 5, 2023 with letter points containing personal data of the victim, long period of contact with the family and requests for assistance for the process of returning the victim back to the country.

"We ask for prayers from all people of West Sumatra, so that the process of repatriating Indonesian citizens from Myanmar by the central government can run well," he said.

A total of 20 Indonesian citizens who were held captive in Myanmar are suspected of being victims of the Trafficking in Persons (TPPO).

In addition to repatriation efforts, the central government also took legal action against the parties involved in the case of the Trafficking in Persons (TPPO).