Indonesia is classified as Tier 2 in the 2007 United States Department of State Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report, U.S. Embassy Chargé d’Affaires to Indonesia John Heffern revealed Wednesday, saying that the improvement is due to the Indonesian government’s efforts in raising the awareness to the public about the human trafficking issues.
The government of Indonesia can be proud of the country’s status in dealing with human trafficking during 2006, which has now been bettering off. Heffern said, “The fact that Indonesia’s status has improved from Tier 2 Watch list to Tier 2 is testimony to the political will by the Indonesian government to fight human trafficking.”
The report that was released Tuesday by TIP in Washington, D.C. stated that, “The government of Indonesia does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so. In April 2007, Indonesia’s President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono signed into law a comprehensive anti-trafficking bill that provides law enforcement authorities the power to investigate all forms of trafficking. The new law incorporates all major elements suggested by civil society and the international community, including definitions of debt bondage, labor exploitation, sexual exploitation, and transnational and internal trafficking. Success will depend on the political will of senior law enforcement officials to use the law and on the quick drafting of the law’s implementing regulations.”
Mandated by the U.S. Congress, the report classifies three group of countries, that are Tier 1—the countries doing well in controlling and responding in human trafficking. Such countries as Hungary and Czech Republic are in this category for their well support and assistance to the human trafficking victims.
Tuesday’s report lists 75 countries in Tier 2 group – those, including Indonesia, that are showing a significant commitment to address the trafficking problems, but have yet to achieve the international standards in handling the problems.
While, this latest report shows 32 countries are on a Tier 2 Watch list – the countries that have failed to make improvements.
Despite some improvements shown by a number of countries in handling the human trafficking issues, more countries fall in the Tier 3 group, the countries that have shown no commitment to meeting the international standards with regard to the human trafficking issue. The report shows 16 countries in the bottom group, compared to 12, as stated in the last year’s report. Among the newcomers in the Tier 3 group are Algeria, Bahrain, Malaysia and Qatar.
In the statement released by the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta, Heffern furthered “The U.S. government will continue to support Indonesia by funding programs to help Indonesia prevent trafficking, rescue victims and in law enforcement efforts.”
For that purpose, the U.S. government has contributed some US$20 million during the past four years as a means of helping Indonesia fight the human trafficking crime.
Indonesia is a source for the traffickers, where women and children are the usual victims. Indonesia is also a place for transit as well as the destination country targeting the majority of women and children as well as men for the purpose of sexual exploitation and forced labor.
It is such an ironic condition that many Indonesian women working abroad like in Malaysia, Saudi Arabia and Hong Kong have faced humiliation and torture from their employers.
Based on the 2006 report from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), thousands of Indonesian children, mostly under 20 years of age, initially enticed by promises of a decent job and a good salary, mostly end up as commercial sex workers every year.
A source from the Indonesia’s Foreign Affairs Ministry said that the main reason of why the traffickers have engaged in such evil acts was the big profit earned from this illegal business. In fact human trafficking is the third most profitable illegal business in the world, after the illicit drugs and arms trade.
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