Alarming rate of human trafficking

Panca Nugraha ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Mataram   |  Wed, 04/22/2009 2:16 PM  |  The Archipelago

Human trafficking in West Nusa Tenggara is growing at an alarming rate, as the province is not only a source of, but has become a transit and destination point for crimes related to human trafficking.

The local social agency has recorded more than 2,100 cases of human trafficking in the province between 2003 and 2008. The province recorded 36 cases between January and April this year alone.

Wismaningsih, head of the agency's assistance and social security affairs department, said incidents recorded between 2003 and 2006 largely involved victims from the province, but that from 2007 onward the trend changed and the majority of victims are now from outside the province.

They are trafficked through or destined for the province.

"This is a serious concern," she said.

Wismaningsih added the latest cases, handled by the social agency in April, involved 14 illegal migrant workers from East Lombok, five girls from Sumba destined to work as domestic maids in Bali and four young women from West Java and Banten who were employed as hostesses at nightspots in the Senggigi resort area of Lombok.

"The 14 prospective migrant workers from East Lombok were at one point placed at a shelter but have now been returned home."

The rest are still being accommodated at shelters, she continued, adding that her office was coordinating with the provincial social agency to return them home.

According to Wismaningsih, police stopped the 14 would-be migrant workers from East Lombok as they were about to leave for Malaysia through the Selaparang Airport in Mataram last week.

The four girls from West Java and Banten, believed to be underage, were rescued by police from nightspots in Senggigi, West Lombok.

The five girls from Sumba were netted by police in an identity card raid at the Mandalika terminal in Mataram. They were on a bus to Bali, where they were to be employed as domestic maids.

"The cases will be handed over to the police. We only take care of the victims, placing them in shelters and returning them home."

Wismaningsih added that, based on statements from a number of victims, trafficking rings are now sending a victims alone, and not with an escorted, so as to avoid suspicion.

Last year, the social agency registered that more than 70,000 women in the province were subject to social and economic problems.

"The women are subject to social and economic predicaments and are easily duped by promises of a better life."

"Traffickers usually use the methods, such as placements of migrant workers, domestic maids and shopkeepers, but the fact is they are being traded," she said.

Meanwhile, coordinator of the Panca Karsa women's advocacy group in Mataram, Endang Susilowati, said concerted efforts from relevant parties were necessary to reduce the rate of human trafficking in West Nusa Tenggara.

"They need to continue educating the people, because from a number of cases that we supported, we found that members of the village administrative offices were also involved by fabricating the ages of the victims on their ID cards," Endang said.

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