Slavery of Indonesian Citizens in Myanmar Continues

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — The practice of human trafficking and forced labor using the online scam method that ensnares Indonesian migrant workers in Myanmar continues to recur. The lack of domestic employment opportunities makes this practice fertile. In addition, law enforcement against victims is still weak.

Based on data from assistance provided by the Indonesian Migrant Workers Union (SBMI), for example, SBMI has handled 344 cases of Indonesian migrant workers who were forced to work as online scammers or online fraudsters throughout 2020–2024.

As many as 95 percent meet the elements of human trafficking (TPPO). The majority of placement locations are in Myanmar.

Currently, SBMI is assisting 79 Indonesian migrant workers who are held captive and employed as online scammers in various companies in Myawady, Myanmar. The victims experienced torture, violence, intimidation, and isolation from the outside world.

SBMI, along with the victims' families, has reported the case of the 79 Indonesian migrant workers to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia, Lapor Mas Wapres, the Presidential Staff Office, the Ministry of Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers/BP2MI, and the National Commission on Human Rights, but there is still no clarity on when the evacuation will take place.

The victims' families even visited the Myanmar Embassy building for Indonesia, in Central Jakarta, on Monday (3/1/2025). However, they were not granted permission to have an audience.

Next, they held a sit-in protest in front of the embassy building while carrying posters demanding that the Myanmar Government take responsibility for repatriating the victims. This action began at around 09:00 WIB. The police dispersed the protest at around 10:30 WIB, considering that the participants were obstructing access to and from the embassy building.

According to the Chairman of SBMI, Hariyanto Suwarno, on Monday (3/1/2025), in Jakarta, the protest participants numbered around 20 people who came from Pangkal Pinang, Bekasi, Lampung, Jakarta, and Sukabumi. Among them were the families of victims and some victims who had successfully returned home, but several of their friends were still trapped in Myanmar.

"We have accompanied the victims here and there and have hit a dead end, so we hope the Myanmar government can show concern because the case is increasingly widespread," said Hariyanto.

Hariyanto explained that the recruitment model for being employed as an online scammer starts from online channels, such as social media. The perpetrators initially offer jobs as receptionists or admin staff with high wages. The victims are initially picked up outside Myanmar before finally being taken to Myanmar.

There, they were forced to work as online scammers. If they did not comply, the victims were tortured and physically abused. Furthermore, if the victim wanted to return to Indonesia, the perpetrator threatened that they had to deposit three to four of the victim's friends first.

There, they are forced to work as online scammers. If they do not comply, the victim will receive torture and physical violence.

"Similar to a multilevel sales system or MLM. The Indonesian government may have difficulty penetrating because the location of the workplace is in a conflict area in Myanmar. In addition, job offers are made through social media which may be difficult to track," he said.

The case of Indonesian workers forced to work as online scammers can be said to be a criminal act of human trafficking (TPPO). Cases like this are feared to become more widespread, adding to the list of TPPO cases of Indonesian workers in other countries, including Malaysia and Saudi Arabia.

He suspects that the difficulty of finding employment in the country is the main factor why many people are not critical in accepting job offers abroad until they end up becoming victims of human trafficking.

Since five years ago, Hariyanto continued, from the southern part of Sukabumi to the northern coast of Java, there has been a land conversion. Several areas of agricultural land have been converted into residential and industrial areas.

Law enforcement in TPPO cases is difficult to carry out because there are individuals involved,"

Meanwhile, fishermen have to travel further to catch fish. In urban areas, job opportunities are shrinking, risking increasing unemployment.

"In the country, people have difficulty finding jobs. The safe and affordable management of overseas worker placement is also not optimal. Law enforcement on TPPO cases is difficult to do because there are individuals involved," said Hariyanto.

Secretary General of SBMI, Juwarih, said that his party urged the Myanmar Government and the Indonesian Government to immediately evacuate and repatriate Indonesian migrant workers who were victims of human trafficking by being used as online scammers.

The Myanmar government is specifically expected to take legal action against companies that employ workers in this industry. Because there are strong indications that they are carrying out forced labor and human trafficking.

One of the family members who took part in the action in front of the Myanmar Embassy for Indonesia, Yeni, said that her sister was a victim of forced labor as an online scammer in Myanmar. Her sister left on August 14, 2024 and has not returned until now.

"If there is a chance, he can still contact his family. His request is only to return to Indonesia. In addition to not being paid, he said he was only given four hours of rest a day and received limited food," said Yeni, a resident of Cilincing, North Jakarta.

Minister of Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers/Head of BP2MI, Abdul Kadir Karding, said that the government has reminded people who want to work abroad to take official or procedural routes. Becoming a procedural Indonesian migrant worker facilitates maximum monitoring and protection because the data has been documented by the government.

In mid-January 2025, the Indonesian government repatriated two Indonesian citizens who were held captive and tortured by their employers in Myanmar. Their initials are AB and R.

Each from Semarang, Central Java, and Langkat, North Sumatra. Both AB and R were victims of human trafficking and were forced to work as online scammers in Myanmar.

Based on their statements, Karding continued, they experienced physical violence by the company in Myanmar. The company detained and tortured AB and R by electrocuting and beating them. He hopes that their statements can provide clues to free Indonesian citizens who are victims of human trafficking and forced to work as online scammers in Myanmar.