Indonesia Urges Myanmar To Save Indonesian Citizens Victims Of TIP

Director of Protection for Indonesian Citizens and BHI Ministry of Foreign Affairs Judha Nugraha. BETWEEN/Yashinta Difa/aa.

JAKARTA - The Indonesian government through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Indonesian Embassy in Yangon, and the Indonesian Embassy in Bangkok urged the Myanmar authorities to take effective steps to save Indonesian migrant workers who are suspected of being victims of criminal acts of trafficking in persons (TPPO).

The pressure was conveyed by the Director of Protection for Indonesian Citizens and BHI of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Judha Nugraha in response to a report by the Indonesian Migrant Workers Union (SBMI) regarding 20 Indonesian citizens suspected of being victims of TIP and are currently being held captive in Myanmar.

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Indonesian Embassy in Yangon, and the Indonesian Embassy in Bangkok have followed up on requests for protection for Indonesian citizens who were victims of online scam companies (online fraud based online) in Myanmar," Judha said as quoted by ANTARA, Wednesday, May 3.

Various protection measures have been taken by the Indonesian government, among others, sending diplomatic notes to the Myanmar Ministry of Foreign Affairs, coordinating with local authorities, and collaborating with international agencies such as the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Bali Process Regional Support Office in Bangkok.

Judha explained that the challenge of protecting Indonesian citizens in this case is quite high, because the majority of Indonesian citizens are in Myawaddy, which is the location of the armed conflict between the Myanmar military and rebel groups.

Meskipun demikian, dia menegaskan bahwa pemerintah akan tetap mengupayakan berbagai langkah perlindungan WNI, termasuk dengan meminta otoritas Myanmar memetakan jaringan di Myawaddy melalui kerja sama dengan berbagai lembahat online scam.

"Formal and informal approaches continue," said Judha.

In terms of law enforcement, he said, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has coordinated with the Criminal Investigation Unit of the Police to take action against the perpetrators.

Meanwhile, in terms of prevention, the government continues to carry out campaigns to increase public awareness about TIP modes in the case of online scams.

During the 2020-2023 period, the Indonesian Embassy in Yangon received a report of 203 Indonesian citizens experiencing problems in Myanmar, especially regarding indications/allegations of TIP.

Until April 2023, the Indonesian Embassy in Yangon has facilitated the completion or repatriation of 127 Indonesian citizens to the country.

Earlier on May 2, SBMI reported recruiters with the initials A and P who had placed at least 20 Indonesian migrant workers suspected of being victims of TIP in Myanmar, to the Criminal Investigation Unit of the Police.

The two recruiters illegally place Indonesian workers with the mode of offering them jobs as computer operators in a stock exchange company in Thailand.

Migrant workers are lured with a large salary of around Rp. 8 million-Rp. 10 million per month and housing facilities and free food.

Recruiters finance the accommodation for the departure of the victims such as making passports, plane tickets, and other necessities provided that the loan and repayment of the loan money by cutting salaries after the migrant workers have worked and received salaries.

Dozens of Indonesian migrant workers were dispatched to Myanmar by water from Bangkok, Thailand.

However, when they arrived at work, they were held captive by the company and guarded by armed and military-clad people, who confiscated the cellphones of the victims.

They employed the victims forcibly for online scams for 17 hours of work per day, treating the victims rudely and with acts of physical and psychological violence, even beatings and spectrum.