Indonesia, Australia to curb human trafficking

INDONESIA: An increasing number of human trafficking cases involving Indonesia and neighbor Australia has resulted in an agreement between the police forces of both countries to fight the crime, the Jakarta Post reported on Thursday.

Director of Transnational Crimes at the National Police Brig. Gen. Saut Usman Nasution, said on Wednesday that the police had arrested 1,247 people attempting to enter Indonesia illegally so far this year.

“The number is significant. Last year, the number of people smuggled to Indonesia was only about 800,” Saut told the press after a meeting with representatives from the Australian Federal Police at the National Police headquarters. As many as 797 people smuggled to Indonesia this year were Afghanis and 105 were Sri Lankan, Saut said.

“From Iraq there were 43 people, Iran 57, and Myanmar 29,” he said.

Saut said most had been asylum seekers.

“They wanted to go to Australia to seek a better life but the Australian government feels their existence is a burden,” he said.

Saut said the police had arrested four alleged smugglers in Indonesian waters attempting to transport illegal immigrants on boats to Australia.

Jakarta, Thursday, Xinhua