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ather than bringing closure, the return of three workers’ bodies from Malaysia has raised suspicions among the bereft families that their loved ones had fallen victim to a human organ trafficking ring.

The three, originally from East Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), were reportedly murdered in Malaysia.

As the remains were prepared for repatriation to Indonesia, the workers’ families suspected some of the bodies’ organs had been stolen.

Accompanied by the migrant workers advocacy group Koslata, the families reported the matter to the Manpower Ministry, hoping the authorities would probe the official cause of death.

“We suspect the three became victims of a human organ trafficking syndicate because, based on statements from their families, the bodies were not intact, with their eyes missing and many stitches on their bodies,” NTB Koslata advocacy coordinator Muhammad Saleh said in Mataram on Thursday.

Saleh said the victims, Herman, 33, Abdul Kadir, 24, and Mat Nur, 28, were neighbors in Pancor Kopong, Pringgasela district, East Lombok, before they left for Malaysia in 2010, where they worked as construction workers.

According to Saleh, the case is somewhat unusual because a notice from the hospital authority in Malaysia and signed by an authoritative official was attached to the caskets, stating the victims were killed by multiple gunshot wounds.

Furthermore, he added, the Indonesian Embassy in Malaysia attached a notice that the embassy was not responsible for the condition of the bodies being returned home and that it had not examined the victims’ causes of death.

“The embassy letter also was not forwarded to relevant parties, such as the Manpower Ministry, NTB provincial or East Lombok regency administrations, and this is unusual,” said Saleh.

According to Sirman, 34, the victims’ relative who first discovered their condition in the Malaysian hospital, the three had asked for permission to go fishing, but they did not return to their work camp after three days.

“Sirman learned that the victims had died in the hospital after reading about it in a Mandarin-language newspaper in Malaysia,” said Saleh.

The three migrant workers were believed to be the victims of a shooting on March 24, but the chronology of events remains unclear.

Koslata called for an autopsy of the bodies.

“We also urge the regency administration to hold the embassy in Malaysia responsible, because it seems to have ignored this case. We have sent a letter to the Manpower Ministry through the NTB manpower office and the governor,” he said.

NTB Manpower Office head Mochlis confirmed he had received the report from NTB Koslata.

“The case has been reported to the governor and we will immediately send a letter to the Indonesian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Manpower Ministry and Foreign Ministry regarding the irregularity.” said Mochlis.