JakartaPost-Jan 7, 2024
The government is working on an agreement with Taiwan to protect Indonesian migrant fishers amid increasing cases of human rights violations against them. Taiwan has long been a magnet for Indonesian migrant fishers, with nearly 220,000 workers working on Taiwanese vessels between 2013 and 2015, the largest number of any country, according to data from the Foreign Ministry. The agreement would regulate the process of employing migrant fishery workers, and would cover several issues including worker protection, stakeholders’ rights and obligations, standard work contracts, wages and cost structure. Details on the said provisions will be discussed further with Taiwanese stakeholders, said Rendra Setiawan, the Manpower Ministry’s migrant worker protection and placement director. News about the inadequate working and living conditions for migrant workers in Taiwan or on Taiwanese fishing vessels has frequently made the headlines over the past decade. The conditions have improved over time as Indonesian migrant fishers have received identity cards to access insurance from Taiwanese authorities, according to a 2022 study by the Indonesian Ocean Justice Initiative (IOJI). But Taiwan and mainland China remain precarious countries for Indonesian workers, as severe human rights violations, including human trafficking and smuggling, are frequently reported from both. Read more at:
