Indonesia, China to Tackle ‘Mail Order Bride’ Human Trafficking

Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno L.P. Marsudi meets Minister of Foreign Affairs of China Wang Yi, in Bangkok, Thailand, Tuesday (30/7). (Photo: PR of Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

On the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Bangkok, Thailand, Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi on Tuesday (31/7) met with China’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi to discuss measures to tackle human trafficking using ‘mail-order bride’ modus operandi.

On that occasion, Retno underlined the importance to resolve and prevent it from recurring in the future, adding that she has called China’s Ambassador to Indonesia, while Indonesia’s Ambassador to China in Beijing has also called Director General of Consular Affairs of Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to further discuss the issue.

For the record, a number of Indonesian citizens are currently trapped in China due to ‘mail-order braid’ modus operandi, with most of the victims coming from West Kalimantan and West Java provinces.

“I just met eight victims of human trafficking from Pontianak, West Kalimantan province. They said they were recruited by agents who gave false information. Some of them suffered from domestic violence, sexual violence and were not given adequate food,” Retno said.

As a settlement effort, Retno proposed three things to the Chinese Government, namely:

First, the 18 victims who have been at the Indonesian Embassy in Beijing can be facilitated immediately for repatriation.

Second, the processing of legal documents for mixed marriages both at Chinese Embassy in Indonesia and in China can be carried out more strictly. In the meantime, Indonesia will apply the same policy as well.

Third, both countries need to cooperate in tackling human trafficking crime. Retno said that several suspects had been arrested in Indonesia and she asked the Chinese government to enforce the law to arrest agents operating in China.

Retno further said that her Ministry has carried out a mapping regarding the destination of the mail ordered brides crime and so far there are 3 Chinese provinces which become the destinations of the crime, namely Heinan, Hebei and Xiangdong.
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Translated by: Estu Widyamurti
Edited by: M. Ersan Pamungkas