Former forced laborers swindled

Former forced laborers swindled

SAMARINDA, East Kalimantan: Hundreds of former romusha, the
term for forced laborers under Japanese occupation, fell victim
to a man claiming to be able to help them obtain war
compensation.

Identified only as GT, the man had made 289 former romusha pay
between Rp 30,000 (approximately US$ 13) to Rp 50,000, promising
that he would obtain Rp 21 million for each of them.

It is not clear whether GT, claiming to have friends in high
places, promised the elderly people to get the money from the
Japanese government or from other sources.

The Antara news agency reported that in Balikpapan, another
300 former romusha and jugun ianfu (women forced to be the sex
slaves of Japanese troops during the war) had also been victims
of similar crimes. (swe)