Hundreds of Indonesian Citizens Become Victims of Trafficking in Persons in Cambodia

Phnom Penh, MINA – The Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs succeeded in rescuing hundreds of Indonesian citizens (WNI) who were indicated as victims of the Crime of Trafficking in Persons (TPPO) in Cambodia.

A total of 172 Problematic Indonesian Migrant Workers (PMIB) are being handled, including the repatriation process by the Indonesian Embassy (KBRI) Phnom Penh.

“All PMIBs have gone through the assessment process and almost all of them have been indicated as victims of the Criminal Act of Trafficking in Persons (TPPO),” said the First Secretary for the Acting Protection of Indonesian Citizens at the Indonesian Embassy in Phnom Penh, Rosie Anjani in a press statement quoted by MINA on Tuesday.

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The Indonesian Embassy in Phnom Penh and the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Directorate of Protection for Indonesian Citizens succeeded in repatriating 52 PMIBs, Sunday and 20 PMIBs on 13 October 2022 successfully repatriated to Indonesia.

“All elements of society must be involved in preventing our brothers and sisters in Indonesia from being trapped and becoming victims of exploitation by recruiting syndicates,” said Rosie.

Rosie said this problem had become a national emergency in Indonesia because many parties took advantage of the post-pandemic economic difficulties by offering the lure of high-paying jobs in Cambodia through an instant recruitment process.

Previously in August 2022, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had repatriated as many as 241 PMIBs from Cambodia who also had the same indications regarding the crime.

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However, unfortunately, until now the Indonesian Embassy in Phnom Penh has received many complaints from Indonesian citizens in Cambodia who claim to have been victims of job vacancies.

The arrival of these Indonesian citizens to Cambodia led to the exploitation of Indonesian citizens who were eventually employed as online scammers to offer fake investments.

Based on interviews conducted with PMIBs, Indonesian citizens certainly have valid reasons for coming to Cambodia to earn a living. Some admitted that they lost their jobs during the pandemic, went bankrupt businesses, to high school or college graduates who had difficulty finding jobs in Indonesia. (T/RE1)

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Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)