Indonesia works to rescue 20 trafficking victims in Myanmar

By NINIEK KARMINI
Associated Press

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesian officials say they are working to rescue dozens of their nationals who were trafficked to Myanmar to work as cyber scammers, amid an increase in human trafficking cases in Southeast Asia. Judha Nugraha, an official in Indonesia’s Foreign Affairs Ministry, said at least 20 Indonesian job seekers are trapped in Myawaddy township, the site of an armed conflict between Myanmar’s military and ethnic Karen rebels. Myawaddy is in eastern Kayin state along the Thai border. Nugraha said fake recruiters offered the victims high-paying jobs in Thailand but instead trafficked them to Myawaddy, about 352 miles south of Naypyidaw, the capital, to perform cyber scams for crypto websites or apps.