Mahfud Calls Cases Of Trafficking In People In East Nusa Tenggara Emergency Category, Sea Port Supervision Is Recommended To Be Tightened

ILLUSTRATION/TIP Victims Return to Indonesia after being assisted by the Indonesian government/DOK IST

KUPANG - The government and security forces must tighten supervision at airports and seaports in the East Nusa Tenggara Province to prevent the delivery of Indonesian Workers (TKI) from NTT who want to work abroad illegally.

"The government and security forces are carrying out stricter supervision at seaports and airports in NTT to anticipate the delivery of illegal migrant workers from NTT. It was terrible when the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Human Rights (Menko Polhukam) RI Mahfud MD revealed the data that the case of a criminal act of trafficking in persons (TPPO) that occurred in East Nusa Tenggara could be said to be an emergency," said legal observer Marsel Manek in Kupang as reported by ANTARA, Thursday, June 1.

Marsel Manek said this was related to the high number of TIP cases in NTT and for three years starting 2020-2022 there were around 1,900 bodies returning to Indonesia and the most from NTT Province.

According to Marsel Manek, NTT residents who go to work illegally abroad in general for reasons of economic factors and are tempted by large salaries.

Many illegal migrant workers who are recruited are underage and do not have adequate work skills but are desperate to go abroad by taking illegal methods such as manipulating population data.

"As a result, workers' rights while working abroad are not accepted as expected and even treated inhumanely," said Maserl Manek.

He hopes that the Government in this island-based province will prepare job training centers for prospective workers who want to work abroad so that when they are recruited to work abroad they already have work skills.

He said that in overcoming the TIP case, an independent task force must be carried out to reveal the parties involved in playing behind the case of sending illegal migrant workers, which is so widespread in this area.

"We appreciate the central government if there are plans to form a special operations task force for the Crime of Trafficking in Persons (TPPO), so that all those who play in illegal migrant workers including NTT can be eradicated. Brush anyone involved behind the TIP cases in NTT", said Marsel Manek.