Two More Mail-Order Brides Return Home

KOMPAS/SONYA HELLEN SINOMBOR

Representatives of the Indonesian Migrant Workers' Union (SBMI) hold a press conference on 26 June 2019 at the Jakarta offices of the National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan). The SBMI spoke to the press about the alleged human trafficking case of two migrant workers from West Kalimantan, DI and YI.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — More light is shed onto the practice of human trafficking through mail-order-bride schemes from China, as two more women from West Kalimantan who had just returned home to Indonesia said they had been victims of such a scheme. After Ma, 23, who returned to Indonesia in late June, two more victims, identified as 14-year-old IP and 28-year-old YM, returned to Indonesia on Saturday (13/7/2019).

IP and YM returned to Indonesia after A, the “agent” that monitored IP and YM in China, purchased tickets for both to return home. Both arrived at the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, Banten, on Saturday at 8:10 p.m. Thus far, 12 victims of alleged human trafficking through mail-order-bridge schemes from China have made it back safely to Indonesia.

At the airport, IP and YM were greeted by lawmaker Daniel Johan, who is from West Kalimantan, Indonesian Migrant Workers Association (SBMI) secretary-general Bobi Anwar Ma’arif, SBMI Mempawah chapter head Mahadir and Jandi Mukianto from the Lentera Keadilan Rakyat legal aid foundation. A had asked Jandi to come to the airport and pick IP and YM up.

Apart from receiving dowries, both IP and YM did not marry their respective “husbands”. YM had been promised that she would be able to send money to her family every month and return home to Indonesia after six months. As it turned out, she was told by her husband to work and earn money.

“My in-laws scratched me and my husband hit me. There are marks,” YM said.

IP, who left for China when she was only 13, said her husband once tried to choke her when she was asleep.

“He said he was only joking, but I felt the pain,” she said.

KOMPAS/PRADIPTA PANDU

Relatives of the 29 Indonesian women believed to be victims of a “mail-order bride” human trafficking scheme attend a press conference on 23 June 2019 at the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute (LBH).

IP and YM asked Daniel to help rescue two more Indonesian women in China.

“The longer they stay there, the more threatened their lives will be,” said YM, who was informed by her Chinese parents-in-law that she had been purchased from an agent.

“I want to confirm this. Your parents-in-law told you that you were purchased from an agent. How much does the agent get?” Daniel asked YM, who answered that the agent obtained around Rp 700 million (US$50,043.70).

Daniel said IP and YM were victims of human trafficking as they arrived in China due to a middleman, with money involved. The House Commission I has been informed of their cases for further investigation.

Bobi Anwar Ma’arif said what IP and YM had gone through was legally human trafficking, with exploitation and violence involved.

KOMPAS/ISMAIL ZAKARIA

A woman submits a passport application on 18 June 2019 at the Immigration Office in Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara. The immigration office is intensifying its background checks on passport applications and has implemented an integrated digital system to share data with the population and civil registration office as part of its efforts to prevent human trafficking.

However, Jandi Mukianto said that what happened to IP and YM was a family issue, without any mistreatment, and that it was not human trafficking.

“There were transactions but they were merely financial ones, as they kept being asked for money,” he said. (SON/SHR)