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February 3, 2025 | 05:07 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Migrant Workers’ Union (SBMI) urges the government to rescue Indonesian migrant workers abroad who have become victims of human trafficking in Myanmar.
“We implore the Myanmar and Indonesian governments to swiftly evacuate and repatriate the Indonesian migrant workers who have become victims of human trafficking,” said SBMI Campaign Media Coordinator Kirana, in an official statement on Monday, February 3, 2025. The migrant workers fell victim to online scamming.
SBMI has, to date, assisted 79 workers who were held captive in a number of companies in Myawady, Myanmar, adding that the victims suffered torture and violence, intimidation, and isolation from the outside world.
From 2020 to 2024, SBMI has handled 344 cases of online scams or forced scams, 95 percent of which met the elements of human trafficking. Kirana stated that there has been an increase in reports of Indonesian victims of human trafficking who are trapped in online scamming fraud in Myanmar.
According to Kirana, the victims were promised jobs in digital and stock market companies. "But then they were forced to work under conditions of forced labor, which strongly indicates human trafficking."
She mentioned that SBMI and the families of the victims had reported this case to the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Vice President's Report, the Office of Presidential Staff, the Ministry of P2MI/BP2MI, and the National Human Rights Commission since August last year.
However, there has been no clarity from the government regarding the progress of information on the evacuation of these Indonesian nationals.
Aside from the Indonesian government, SBMI also urges the Myanmar authorities to repatriate and protect the Indonesians held captive in the border town between Myanmar and Thailand. The union also demanded legal proceedings against companies involved in online scamming fraud.
The Secretary General of SBMI, Juwarih, stated that the crime of human trafficking and forced labor through online scamming fraud is increasingly widespread and ensnares many migrant workers, including Indonesians.
"This situation requires a rapid response and real action from various parties, especially the government, and not excluding the general public,” said Juwarih.
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