Acting Head of the Public Relations Bureau of the Ministry Romal Sinada confirmed here on Tuesday that his side, through work units spread across Indonesia, is carrying out a comprehensive assessment of the victims’ needs.
"Based on the result of the assessment, we provide assistance intervention in the form of protection at our offices, health check, fulfillment of food and clothing needs, psychosocial assistance to relieve trauma, and motivation to work or do business in their own countries," he explained.
The ministry's Efata Kupang Office is handling the victims of human trafficking from Ende. The Ministry of Social Affairs is also helping the victims to return to their homes, he said.
"In their region of origin, we are also providing social empowerment assistance, especially entrepreneurial capital, so that they can become economically independent, able to meet the needs of their families," he said.
The 15 human trafficking victims from Ende were lured by the promise of a high-paying job at a company in Pekanbaru, Riau. The victims were smuggled in a goods transport vehicle.
The victims did not receive a salary even after working for 5 months. The Ende Police named PD as a suspect who benefited from the sending of the 15 people.
Apart from the victims in Ende, the ministry is also making efforts to handle 165 human trafficking victims in Cilacap, Central Java, who were tricked and smuggled as illegal migrant workers abroad.
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Translator: Devi Nindy, Raka Adji
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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