BANDUNG - Deputy Chairman of the West Java DPRD Iwan Suryawan responded to the move of West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi who directly picked up West Javanese citizens who were victims of human trafficking (TPPO) in Maumere, East Nusa Tenggara, on February 23.
Iwan appreciates this action as proof of the government's presence in the midst of a crisis. However, he reminded that picking up the victims only solves the problem downstream.
"The pick-up action is a solution downstream, but the real problem is upstream. The lack of decent jobs in rural West Java makes it easy for our citizens to be trapped by the appeals of illegal syndicates," said Iwan, Tuesday, March 3.
The PKS politician emphasized that the government must not stop at the evacuation process. According to him, the focus must be directed at the social and economic reintegration of the victims so that they do not fall back into the human trafficking network.
"We must not only focus on evacuation. Those who return must receive skills training and business capital so that they do not fall back into the vicious circle of human trafficking," he said.
Regarding the formation of a team of 200 lawyers by the governor to accompany the victims, Iwan expressed support. However, he asked the team to also be proactive in prevention efforts through legal education in areas that are pockets of labor senders.
He also highlighted the need to strengthen the functions of the Labor Office to the sub-district level. Supervision of labor distribution companies, he said, must be tightened so that no more illegal companies operate in West Java.
For the long term, Iwan proposed the establishment of an integrated crisis center with population data. According to him, this system can detect patterns of suspicious departures of residents early on.
"West Java needs a crisis center that is integrated with population data. That way, we can detect early patterns of suspicious departures of residents and save their lives before it's too late," he said.
In addition to strengthening the system, he emphasized the importance of the role of families and village community leaders. Literacy regarding the dangers of illegal work, he continued, must be included in the agenda of meetings of residents ranging from the RT level to the taklim assembly to break the chain of syndicate recruitment.
In terms of law enforcement, Iwan encouraged local governments to coordinate more closely with the National Police to hunt down intellectual actors and financiers behind the TPPO network.
"The arrest of field agents in villages alone is not enough. The government must coordinate closely with the National Police to pursue the intellectual actors and financiers behind this TPPO mafia syndicate," he said.
He also asked the West Java Provincial Government to increase the budget for the Productive Migrant Village program so that it really targets villages with high migration rates and provides safe alternative livelihoods in their hometowns.
According to Iwan, the case that occurred in Maumere is a stern warning for all stakeholders. Economic inequality between regions is often used by irresponsible individuals to exploit human beings.
He hopes that the victims who have returned will receive ongoing psychological assistance so that they can recover from trauma and return to normal activities.
"The West Java DPRD is ready to support the addition of funds for the protection of migrant workers and victims of TPPO in the coming fiscal year," he continued.
"The safety of the lives of West Java residents is a priority that cannot be negotiated. We in the DPRD are ready to fully support the addition of funds for the protection of migrant workers next year," he said.
In addition, Iwan encouraged the establishment of a memorandum of understanding between provinces, especially with areas that are often transit locations or destinations for illegal labor, to facilitate monitoring and rescue if similar cases occur.
He emphasized that protection of citizens is a constitutional mandate that must be carried out seriously by all levels of the executive and legislative branches in West Java.
"It is very sad that a province as wealthy as West Java still has citizens who suffer from human exploitation. This is the most fundamental constitutional mandate for us to protect them so that sad events like in Maumere do not happen again," he concluded.
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