Palopo Immigration Office and North Toraja Regency Government Collaborate to Prevent Human Trafficking and Human Smuggling
North Toraja Regency, South Sulawesi — The Palopo Class III Non-TPI Immigration Office and the North Toraja Regency Government in South Sulawesi are collaborating to prevent acts of human trafficking (TPPO) and human smuggling (TPPM).
Through the Desa Binaan Imigrasi programme in Toraja Utara, which has been established in two urban villages, Palopo Immigration officers provide education, assist with collective passport applications via the eazy passport service, and exchange data.
‘In addition to the eazy passport service, there is already a desa binaan in Toraja Utara, with two urban villages. We hope the presence of the Village Immigration Mentor Officers (Pimpasa) will socialise immigration services to the villages and also prevent TPPO and TPPM,’ said Yogie Kashogi, head of the Palopo Class II Non-TPI Immigration Office, in Toraja Utara, South Sulawesi, on Thursday.
Under the Desa Binaan Imigrasi programme, immigration officers exchange data distributed via a WhatsApp group filled by officials from Toraja Utara Regency.
Through the group messages, data and details of residents applying for passports are shared.
The data includes names, passport numbers, origin, and reasons for passport applications, such as tourism and formal employment.
From this data, the labour department follows up to help direct passport applicants toward formal employment to ensure they truly work in compliance with procedures.
Meanwhile, for tourism-related residents, the data is monitored by the Toraja Utara Regency’s Department of Community Empowerment and Village/Community Development (DPML).
Friece Sumolang, regional head of the South Sulawesi Immigration Office (Kanwil), said the immigration service works with the local government to anticipate TPPO and TPPM.
With the presence of Pimpasa in the desa binaan, he said, this is an effort by the Immigration to provide protection to the community.
‘Through Pimpasa officers who visit villages or hamlets to educate residents who want to work abroad as seafarers and the like so that they use official channels with the proper documents available to ensure their protections overseas,’ said Friece.
In addition to Palopo, immigration desa binaan has also been established in 30 villages within the Sulawesi Selatan Immigration Office’s jurisdiction.
‘This is the collaboration between immigration and the North Toraja Regency Government to form the immigration desa binaan,’ said Friece.
Meanwhile, Toraja Utara Regent Anugerah Yaya Rundupadang said the regency government continues to coordinate with Immigration and other related agencies to supervise TPPO prevention.
‘This is already underway with DPML; coordination in TPPO prevention,’ said Anugerah.