Sat, 26 Mar 2005

RI needs law on human trafficking

JAKARTA: Indonesia needs a law on human trafficking to protect the country's female workers at home and abroad against violence, an expert says.

"The recent United Nations conference on the status of women highlighted the issue of women trafficking as a problem that must be immediately addressed... That's why we need a law on human trafficking," Rita Serena Kolibonso, the executive director of women organization Mitra Perempuan, was quoted by Antara as saying on Thursday.

Rita, who attended the conference, said the government had drafted the law on human trafficking in 2003, but had not yet submitted it to the House of Representatives for deliberation.

"To put an end to the trafficking problem, we need a legal framework. With the law, the definition of human trafficking can be made clear along with the penalties (for the offense).

"The law should not only detail the sanctions for human traffickers who send women to foreign countries, but also for human traffickers who work within the country," she said. -- Antara