Govt campaigning against human trafficking in Batam<\/p>\n
Fadli and Ridwan Max Sijabat, The Jakarta Post, Batam\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
The government and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) launched
\non Tuesday an all-out campaign to put an end to the widespread
\ncommercial sexual exploitation of children and women on Batam
\nisland.<\/p>\n
The campaign was kicked off during the opening ceremony of a
\nnational conference in Batam to identify commitments and ramp up
\nefforts by key government officials and activists to fight
\nagainst the problem both on the island and the rest of Indonesia.<\/p>\n
The two-day conference was organized by the government with
\nthe support of the International Organization of Migration (IOM)
\nas a follow up on the fight against transnational crimes, which
\nwas recommended at the sixth East Asia and Pacific Ministerial
\nMeeting in Bali last May.<\/p>\n
According to UNICEF, human trafficking is rampant in
\nIndonesia, largely due to the tens of millions of people mired in
\npoverty.<\/p>\n
Batam borders Singapore and has become a destination for
\ntourists and gamblers from that country, as well as Malaysians
\nand Thais, who come for weekend trips. It has also become a major
\ntransit point for women being smuggled to the neighboring
\ncountries and the Middle East.<\/p>\n
An official from the women's empowerment ministry, Karlini
\nKasri, who opened the conference, expressed confidence that Batam
\ncould be at the forefront of the nationwide campaign.<\/p>\n
\"I'm confident that Batam will take the lead and will make
\nsignificant progress to put a stop to the intolerable practice of
\ntrafficking children for the purpose of commercial sexual
\nexploitation,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Local NGOs concurred, saying that Batam was now a full-blown
\ndestination\/transit point that involved well-organized networks
\nwho \"trade\" some 300 women and children every week, some
\noverseas, but many more within Batam itself. According to their
\nmodus operandi, the victims, mostly from Sumatra, Java and West
\nNusa Tenggara, were officially given titles such as masseuses and
\nservants in star-rated hotels, entertainment centers, nightclubs
\nand gambling centers on the island.<\/p>\n
Many workers have stayed and worked permanently because they
\nhave found it easier to earn money than in the rest of Indonesia,
\nbut many others, with the help of international gangs, moved to
\nMalaysia, Hong Kong and the Middle East to earn higher salaries.<\/p>\n
Maya Manurung, an activist in Medan, North Sumatra, said over
\nthe weekend human trafficking had reached an alarming level since
\nan average of around 22,000 women and children were now being
\ntrafficked annually for commercial sexual exploitation both at
\nhome and overseas.<\/p>\n
During the ceremony, Batam Mayor Nyat Kadir expected the local
\npolice to check and recheck all people migrating to Batam and
\nthose who were going overseas through the island, the Court to
\ngive harsher punishment against human traffickers and NGOs to be
\ndisseminate information on the crimes.<\/p>\n
Nurlini said that after Batam, Bali would follow suit because
\nthe trafficking of women and children for commercial sexual
\nexploitation to the island was no less serious than Batam.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/govt-campaigning-against-human-trafficking-in-batam-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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