YANGON, Myanmar — Over 500 Indonesian nationals who fell victim to online scam operations in Myanmar are set to be repatriated in the coming days, highlighting the ongoing crisis of human trafficking and exploitation in the region.
These individuals are part of a larger group of approximately 7,000 foreign workers from various nations, primarily Chinese, who have been freed from squalid conditions in Myanmar’s lawless border areas. The victims were lured by promises of lucrative job opportunities but instead found themselves trapped in a web of deceit, forced to partake in fraudulent online schemes.
Judha Nugraha, director of citizen protection at Indonesia’s foreign ministry, confirmed that 400 Indonesian nationals will return home on Tuesday, with an additional 160 scheduled for repatriation on Wednesday. They will travel back on three flights from Bangkok after crossing into Thailand from Myanmar. This comes on the heels of a previous repatriation effort last month, during which 140 Indonesians were rescued.
The rise of cyber scams in Myanmar has drawn international attention, prompting a crackdown by local authorities, reportedly under pressure from their ally China. The situation has become dire, with many victims held in temporary camps along the Myanmar-Thailand border, living in deplorable conditions while awaiting rescue.
In recent years, thousands of Indonesians have been duped into seeking work abroad, only to find themselves ensnared by transnational criminal networks. According to data from Indonesia’s foreign ministry, more than 4,700 nationals were repatriated from various Southeast Asian countries, including Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam, between 2020 and September 2022.
The United Nations estimates that as many as 120,000 individuals, predominantly Chinese men, may currently be trapped in Myanmar’s scam centers, working against their will. As the plight of these workers continues to unfold, the urgency for comprehensive international efforts to combat human trafficking and online fraud becomes increasingly clear.
