Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel — The Indonesian government has successfully repatriated 46 of Indonesian nationals who fell victim to human trafficking in Myanmar. This repatriation comes amid human trafficking surge in Southeast Asia.
According to a statement from the Directorate for the Protection of Indonesian Citizens and Legal Entities at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the individuals were victims of transnational human trafficking networks. Among them was a former regional legislator from Indramayu.
The repatriation effort was carried out on Thursday night via Bangkok, Thailand, using two commercial flights. The victims arrived in Indonesia early Friday (February 21, 2025) at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, Banten, in two separate groups.
Judha Nugraha, Director of the Protection of Indonesian Citizens at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Kemlu), confirmed the repatriations.
He emphasized that the repatriation was the result of close cooperation between multiple agencies, including the Indonesian embassies in Yangon and Bangkok, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Indonesian Migrant Workers Protection Agency (BP2MI), the National Police’s Criminal Investigation Department (Bareskrim), the Ministry of Social Affairs, and other relevant institutions.
“This effort is part of a long-term process undertaken by the Indonesian government. Currently, approximately 270 more Indonesians remain in Myawaddy, Myanmar, and we are continuing our efforts to bring them home,” Judha stated, as reported by BeritaSatu.
Human Trafficking
The rising number of Indonesian citizens caught in human trafficking schemes abroad remains a serious concern. The government continues to work on repatriating victims from various countries, including Myanmar and Vietnam, which have become hubs for trafficking operations targeting foreign nationals.
Many victims falls to the human trafficking scheme were held captive and forced into online gambling and digital fraud schemes.
In December, Judha revealed that over 3,000 Indonesians had been involved in online scams operations abroad between 2020 and November 2024.
“From 2020 to November 2024, we have handled a total of 5,111 cases related to online scams involving Indonesian nationals. Of those, 1,299 have been identified as human trafficking victims,” he said in a press briefing in Jakarta on December 24.
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This human trafficking phenomenon has become increasingly concerning as illegal activities such as online scams and online gambling are being normalized by parts of society and even viewed as a new source of livelihood. “We are seeing a troubling trend where online gambling and scams are being accepted as legitimate livelihoods,” Judha said.
Judha explained that there is a growing trend where some Indonesian citizens are opting to work in these sectors abroad, lured by promises of high salaries. However, many has fallen into human trafficking scheme instead.
The latest repatriation effort underscores Indonesia’s ongoing commitment to combating human trafficking and protecting its citizens abroad. As cases continue to rise, the government remains focused on rescuing and assisting victims while working to dismantle trafficking networks that exploit vulnerable individuals.
(Raidi/Agung)
