Trafficking In Persons Is A Crime Of Humanity, Must Be Eradicated Immediately

President Jokowi held a limited meeting on the Crime of Trafficking in Persons (TPPO) at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, on Tuesday, May 30, 2023. (BPMI Setpres/Rusman)

JAKARTA Crimes of Trafficking in Persons (TPPO) are very emergency. It takes serious steps to overcome this. In the past year alone, according to data from the Indonesian Migrant Workers Protection Agency (BP2MI), there have been more than 1,900 Indonesians who have returned home who have been lifeless.

Especially in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), it was even recorded that 55 bodies of Indonesian citizens were victims of TIP who were sent home from January-May 2023.

So far, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has ordered to take quick steps in handling the problem. The President has also ordered the National Police to investigate the support for criminals trafficking in persons.

"There is no backing for criminals. Backing for truth is the state, backing for law enforcement is the state," said Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud MD after a limited meeting at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta on May 30.

Not only Indonesia, according to Mahfud, the TIP problem has also received serious attention from ASEAN countries. From the results of the declaration in Labuan Bajo on May 11, ASEAN leaders will strengthen cooperation and coordination related to cases of trafficking in people caused by technological abuse.

Cooperation is carried out starting from border management, prevention, investigation, law enforcement and prosecution, protection, repatriation, as well as support for the rehabilitation and reintegration of victims.

"All ASEAN countries even ask us Indonesia to take a leadership position in the criminal act of trafficking in persons. For them, people's trade has also disrupted state life because this is a cross-border crime with a very neat work mechanism," said Mahfud.

As a result, the mode used by the TIP syndicate is to lure victims with large wages. The targets are low-income and educational communities who are struggling to improve the fate of their families.

An example of the case of Dede Asiah, a migrant worker from Karawang who is suspected of being a victim of trafficking in persons in Syria. Initially he was lured with a wage of Rp. 9 million per month as a household assistant in Turkey. However, upon landing in Istanbul, Dede as reported by the BBC was instead brought to Syria by a distribution company.

Dede works like a slave. He could only rest at 2 pm and wake up at six or seven in the morning. The wages given were not in accordance with the agreement.

Initially receiving a salary of Rp. 2.8 million. Two months of salary is eaten by agents," said Yongki Hamidun, Dede Asiah's husband, as reported by BBC News Indonesia on April 2.

After the caesarean health disorder also made him unable to work optimally. Meanwhile, to stop is also not easy because the employer has bought it from the dealer for almost Rp. 179 million for work for four years. Automatically, he must comply with the contract.

In 2021, migrant workers from Lebak Wangi, Serang, Banten with the initials SH will also experience a similar fate, becoming victims of fraud by rogue channeling agents. SH was initially promised to work as a household, but when he arrived in Dubai, he was instead made a Commercial Sex Worker (PSK).

In the last three years, BP2MI has handled 94,000 migrant workers who were deported from Middle Eastern and Asian countries. As many as 90 percent of them are believed to have departed illegally.

The syndicates sent them abroad using tourist visas, pilgrimage visas, or Umrah visas. It's not a work visa so it's illegal," said Head of BP2MI Benny Rhamdani when confirmed.

Benny has submitted a report to Mahfud five names of suspected dealers who carried out TIP. They are based on the results of investigations and investigations who always place Indonesian citizens to work in Malaysia and Singapore through Batam.

A number of documents, including passenger data on the ship carrying Indonesian citizens who were victims of TIP, have been submitted. If the TKI is illegal, on the passenger list there is always a code written behind the name indicating who sent it," said Benny.

The President of the Labor Party, Said Iqbal asked BP2MI to conduct a thorough investigative audit of the TIP crime mechanism. Certify Indonesian migrant labor distribution agents issued by independent institutions as prevention.

"If there is no certification, it is forbidden to send migrant workers. Especially Indonesian migrant labor distribution agents to Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Taiwan and Hong Kong," Said said in his statement, received by VOI on June 1, 2023.

In addition, it is also necessary to establish a Legal Aid Institute to advocate for Indonesian migrant workers. This is a form of deep protection.