8 hours ago
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March 18, 2025 | 04:51 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Budi Gunawan revealed that 554 Indonesian citizens who were victims of an online scam in Myawaddy, Myanmar, had endured violence from their employers.
According to Budi, these individuals were forced to work under duress at the scam syndicate’s headquarters. He emphasized that those who failed to meet their work targets were subjected to torture, including beatings and electric shocks.
"They are even threatened with having their organs taken if the targets set by the cartel or syndicate are not met," Budi Gunawan said during a press conference at the VVIP Terminal of Soekarno-Hatta Airport, Tangerang, on Tuesday, March 18, 2025.
Furthermore, Budi explained that the passports of these Indonesians were also taken by the company where they worked. In addition, these Indonesians were prohibited from communicating, including with their families.
Based on indications and clues obtained, Budi also believed that there are suspicions of mass kidnapping and a massive online scam mafia network in this case.
On the same occasion, Minister of Manpower Protection for Indonesian Migrant Workers Abdul Kadir Karding confirmed the exploitation and torture of Indonesian citizens. He mentioned that these Indonesians were often forced to work with very little rest time and experienced physical attacks if they did not meet their targets.
Abdul also recounted encountering victims who had suffered violence and injuries to their jaws and arms.
When asked about the alleged organ trafficking cases, Karding could not confirm. "To this day we don't have the data," he said.
A total of 400 Indonesian citizens (WNI) who fell victim to an online scam in Myawaddy, Myanmar, successfully arrived at Soekarno-Hatta Airport, Tangerang, on Tuesday, March 18, 2025.
They were flown in from Don Mueang Airport, Bangkok, after undergoing health screening processes and the National Referral Mechanism in Mae Sot, Thailand.
The repatriation of Indonesians from Mywaddy was also attended by Foreign Minister Sugiono, Minister of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection Arifatul Choiri Fauzi, and Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Bima Arya Sugiarto.
According to the records of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, out of the 400 evacuated Indonesian citizens, there were 313 men and 87 women. Five of the women were pregnant. The Indonesian citizens arrived in good health. The Indonesian Ambassador to the Kingdom of Thailand, Rachmat Budiman, personally led the repatriation to Jakarta.
A total of 400 Indonesian citizens came from 21 provinces. Most of them were from North Sumatra, Bangka Belitung, West Java, Jakarta, and North Sulawesi.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Protection Team for Indonesian Citizens, in collaboration with the Indonesian Embassies in Bangkok and Yangon, as well as the Indonesian National Police's Hubinter, carried out identification, escort, and repatriation efforts from Myawaddy to Indonesia.
The transfer process of Indonesian citizens from Myawaddy was assisted by intensive coordination and full support from the authorities of Thailand and Myanmar.
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