The human trafficking trend is growing globally. Indonesians are not the only victims. There are also victims from South America, southern African nations and Asia.
By
MEDIANA
·5 minutes read
KOMPAS/FERGANATA INDRA RIATMOKO
Families await the arrival of their family members who are Indonesian Migrant Workers abroad who return home via Yogyakarta International Airport, Kulon Progo, DI Yogyakarta, Monday (17/4/2023).
JAKARTA, KOMPAS – There is a growing trend in migrant workers being recruited as online scammers abroad. Recruitment ads appear on social media and instant messaging applications. The government is called on to take immediate preventive measures and to enforce the law to keep this trend in check.
Migrant Care executive director Wahyu Susilo said that throughout 2022, the organization received complaints from 271 Indonesian citizens working in various countries, including Malaysia, Cambodia, the Philippines, Myanmar, Laos, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Iraq and Libya. Of that figure, 189 Indonesians reported that they were victims of human trafficking or illegal recruitment, in which they were forced to work as online scammers and with online gambling rings.
According to the report, 108 of these 189 Indonesians were from North Sumatra, 24 from West Java, 18 from Central Java, 14 from East Java and 11 from West Kalimantan. Others were from the Riau Islands, Lampung, Banten, Jakarta, West Sumatra, South Sumatra, Bali, Aceh and the Bangka Belitung Islands.
Most of these migrant workers were placed in Cambodia, while others were placed in Myanmar, Laos and the Philippines.
“Most of the recruitment was done through digital platforms, such as Facebook, Telegram and WhatsApp. The perpetrators typically offer large salaries, housing, meals, sports facilities, commissions and free [transportation]. After [accepting the offer], the victims generally depart on charter flights,” Wahyu said in Jakarta on Friday (28/4/2023).
He also explained that the victims’ education levels ranged from high school to university. He suspected that the attractive salaries and the compatibility of information technology jobs were factors that roped in the victims. He also suspected that the victims had lost their jobs in Indonesia.
The perpetrators also typically use transit countries, such as Thailand.
Most of the recruitment was done through digital platforms, such as Facebook, Telegram and WhatsApp.
The fraudulent practice is now sophisticated, as the perpetrators use the names and images of companies or recruiters that appear legitimate. The same recruitment methods are used in other countries.
According to the complaints Migrant Care received, the victims were not given time to pray, did not eat properly or even receive food, were not paid or given days off, had their documents withheld, and some also experienced physical violence.
“This trend is only growing. When Cambodia was reported, the perpetrators had already escaped to a part of Myanmar that posed legal difficulties. The Indonesian government must not only carry out curative actions but must also take preventive measures by cooperating with digital platforms and the police,” said Wahyu.
He added that the government also needed to ensure that law enforcement against human trafficking reached digital spaces and collaborated with the governments of other countries.
SEKRETARIAT NCB-INTERPOL POLRI
The Indonesian National Police or INP team met 34 Indonesian citizens who were victims of an online fraud company in Cambodia in December 2022.
Confinement
Bobi Anwar Ma’arif, secretary-general of the Indonesian Migrant Workers’ Union (SBMI), said that there was a trend of trafficking people to work in cybercrimes even before the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2019, the SBMI took part in handling 72 cases in Cambodia and prevented seven Indonesians from leaving the country.
In 2021-2022, the SBMI received 52 complaints from Indonesian citizens, all from North Sumatra, who were believed to be victims of human trafficking for online scams. Their destination countries were Malaysia, Cambodia and the Federated States of Micronesia.
In 2023, the SBMI received 61 reports of Indonesians who were allegedly victims of human trafficking for online scams. Apart from North Sumatra, these reports also came in from other provinces, such as North Sulawesi and Jakarta. Their destination countries were Cambodia, the Philippines and Myanmar.
In March alone, the SBMI received complaints from 20 Indonesians who were strongly believed of being victims of human trafficking to Myanmar. They were scammed into leaving Bangkok for Myanmar by sea in gradual stages through unofficial channels. The victims admitted that when they arrived in Bangkok, two people escorted them to the border between Thailand and Myanmar. Then, they were then escorted by two armed men in military uniforms.
Before leaving Indonesia, the recruiters lure potential victims by telling them they will be working as computer programmers at an investment company in Thailand. However, they are instead forced to work from 8 p.m. to 1 p.m. to find targets to scam through the company’s crypto application or platform. If they do not comply, the victims are punished with physical violence.
These companies restrict their victims’ movements to the premises using armed men in military uniforms. Communication is also restricted.
Once the [victims] become used to scamming, they will be able to work on their own or in groups to commit fraud.
“There are similarities with human trafficking in general, namely in that the perpetrators offer large, attractive salaries. The terrifying thing is the aftermath. Once the [victims] become used to scamming, they will be able to work on their own or in groups to commit fraud,” said Bobi.
Anis Hidayah, commissioner for the promotion of human rights at the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM), said there had not been a single law enforcement process for the auctor intellectualis (intellectual perpetrator) to date. New law enforcement must reach the actors in the field. The number of victims is potentially rising every day.
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