JAKARTA (Bernama-ANTARA): The Indonesian Ombudsman urged the Ministry of Immigration and Corrections to enhance its immigration officers' capabilities in conducting rigorous passport verification procedures as a critical strategy to prevent human trafficking.
Ombudsman member Johanes Widijantoro revealed that according to the Ombudsman's study on human trafficking prevention, the watchdog institution found that several human trafficking victims could have been intercepted before their departure overseas through more rigorous immigration supervision.
"This proves that we need to strengthen the immigration supervision process, especially during the verification and interview process, as well as inspections at the immigration checkpoints," Widijantorosaid here Monday.
Despite the introduction of electronic identity cards (KTP-el), Widijantoro pointed out that forging identities and documents of potential migrant workers or other Indonesians remains disturbingly straightforward, leaving Indonesian citizens extremely susceptible to human trafficking.
Through interviews with several human trafficking victims, the Ombudsman discovered that these individuals were completely detached from their documentation processes, with the recruiting agency handling all paperwork without the victims' direct involvement or awareness.
The Ombudsman called on the Ministry of Immigration and Corrections to optimise the use of the Immigration Management Information System, which contains the list of citizens and Indonesian migrant workers who have gone overseas to work through non-legal channels.
Hence, he said, their departure abroad can be prevented.
The Ombudsman also highlighted aspects of education, coordination, cooperation, and regulations in the efforts to prevent human trafficking.
In addition, the Ombudsman has prepared a study to conduct an evaluation and provide suggestions to streamline efforts to prevent human trafficking. - Bernama-Antara
