Director General U Myo Thant Pe, eight marine workers and their families pose for a documentary photo. Photo: Zaw Min Latt
Eight Myanmar marine workers who were promised jobs in Thailand but were instead trafficked to Benjina Island, Indonesia received US$32,000 (Ks43.65 million) in compensation from an Indonesian company yesterday. The Compensation Work Committee led by Consular and Legal Affairs Department Director General U Myo Thant Pe, along with members of the committee who are officials from Ministry of Home Affairs Anti-Trafficking in Person Division and Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement, handed over money to the eight workers in the Ministry office in Yangon yesterday.
“The eight Myanmar marine workers were trafficked to the island from Bangkok, Thailand. The Myanmar Embassy in Jakarta exposed this case of trafficking together with the Indonesian government departments and other entities. The eight were able to appear as witnesses in the case against the traffickers and afterwards the matter of compensation was followed up with the Indonesian Attorney General’s office. As per the agreement of the office of the Indonesian Attorney General, the eight workers were granted compensation of about US$32,000. The compensations were accepted by the Myanmar Ambassador to Indonesia and are now being handed over to the eight marine workers, depending upon the time they worked there”, said U Myo That Pe, the director general of the Consular and Legal Affairs Department. U Zaw Zaw Myat, one of the marine workers who received compensation, said, “I arrived in Indonesia in July 2013 from Thailand, where I initially worked, but I was trafficked to work on the fishing boats there. I received only small amounts of money. I was able to come back to Myanmar in June 2015. I received more than US$4,900 as compensation now.” Officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Union Attorney General’s Office, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Labour, Immigration and Population and Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement, together with Lembaga Perlindungan Saksi Dan Korban (LPSK) of Indonesia worked on the trafficking case. LPSK is a witness and victim protection agency of Indonesia.
The Indonesian government filed a criminal case against PT Benjina Pusaka Resources Company, and on 28 November were ordered to compensate the eight Myanmar marine workers. The $32,000 was divided among the eight Myanmar workers depending on how long they worked and how much abuse they endured, officials said.
Min Thit (MNA)
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