Indonesia's Foreign Affairs Ministry has reported a troubling trend of its citizens willingly accepting jobs in Cambodia's online gambling and scam industries. This revelation comes amidst mounting evidence of human trafficking and forced labor, primarily affecting Indonesians tempted by the prospect of higher incomes abroad. Despite tighter immigration checks, many citizens find themselves caught in a web of deceit and exploitation in Cambodia.
The allure of lucrative employment opportunities often obscures the reality of the situation. Gambling in Indonesia is legally sanctioned for tourists and foreigners, with numerous casinos in Sihanoukville owned by Chinese investors. Yet, the promise of working in this industry becomes a trap for many Indonesians. According to Statista, as of February 2024, the average net monthly salary for an Indonesian employee is approximately 3 million rupiah. This figure pales in comparison to the enticing offers made by recruiters, making the prospect all the more tempting.
Despite efforts by Indonesian immigration authorities to tighten exit checks, these have not entirely deterred citizens from seeking work in Cambodia. The National Commission on Human Rights has highlighted that even with extensive media coverage of human trafficking cases, the public remains susceptible to deceitful recruitment schemes. This vulnerability is further exacerbated by the evolving profile of trafficking victims, who are now being sent to Southeast Asian countries instead of Middle Eastern nations.
The gravity of the situation is underscored by the United States Department of State's 2024 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report, which places Cambodia and Myanmar in the most severe "Tier 3" category. This classification highlights their government's inadequate efforts in combating human trafficking. In Cambodia alone, the Indonesian embassy in Phnom Penh reported 2,321 cases of Indonesians facing difficulties from January to September last year—a staggering 122% increase from the previous year.
“Avoid job offers that are too good to be true and report illegal recruitment activities to the Indonesian authorities,” – Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia
These sentiments are echoed in the experiences of individuals like Slamet, a victim who was promised a lucrative position at a palm oil company in Malaysia with a monthly salary of 20 million rupiah. Instead, he found himself trafficked to Cambodia and forced to work in an online gambling ring. His ordeal did not end with his escape back to Indonesia; he continues to face harassment from his former boss.
“If I wasn’t mentally strong at the time, I could have committed suicide.” – Slamet
The Indonesian government is actively collaborating with Cambodian authorities through its foreign ministry, police, and immigration departments to curb these trafficking operations. However, this is no easy task given the entrenched nature of these syndicates in regions like Cambodia, Myanmar, and Laos.
“The largest human trafficking syndicates operate in the Mekong region – Cambodia, Myanmar and Laos – because the governments and law enforcement agencies are not doing what they should be doing,” – Wahyu
The Indonesian embassy in Phnom Penh plays a critical role, handling 15 to 30 daily reports from citizens seeking assistance. Only a small fraction of these cases—three out of 2,321—were confirmed as instances of human trafficking. Nevertheless, each case highlights the ongoing challenge.
“Some were handcuffed, electrocuted and beaten and the reasons for this abuse varied, such as failing to meet targets or being punished for filing complaints, among others,” – Arina Widda Faradis
The tactics employed by traffickers have evolved, with recruiters often promising jobs as programmers within the digital technology sector. These roles turn out to be fronts for illegal operations.
“One of the tactics used by recruiters to lure victims is by claiming that they will be working as programmers in the digital technology industry when in reality, they are working in an illegal business,” – Wahyu
In December of last year, Indonesian police arrested seven members of a syndicate accused of sending citizens to Cambodia under false pretenses. These individuals were promised administrative positions but found themselves trapped in exploitative environments instead.
“I was pressured, not given food and forced to work,” – Agung Haryadi
Despite these challenges, Cambodian authorities acknowledge their limitations in combating these complex international networks. Significant resources are required to dismantle these operations effectively.
“However, the Cambodian government is aware of their limited capacity and the increasingly complex international networks (of human trafficking syndicates) which would require a large amount of resources to handle,” – Indonesian embassy in Cambodia
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