JAKARTA - The Directorate General of Immigration (DGI) provided training to  Immigration Officers for Villages Development  (Pimpasa), which was officially formed on Monday (11/04/2024). Through the Pimpasa Coordination Meeting held on Tuesday (11/05/2024), 146 Pimpasa personnel received essential materials related to social problems and crimes that often occur against Indonesian Migrant Workers (PMI). Several resource persons who were brought up in the training included the Indonesian Migrant Workers Protection Agency (BP2MI), the National Police Criminal Investigation Unit, and the Public Security and Order Development Agency (Bhabinkamtibmas).

"For Pimpasa to carry out its duties and functions optimally, Immigration needs to facilitate the development of HR (Human Resources) capacity. The first step we are taking is to synergize with related agencies such as BP2MI and the Police. Before providing immigration education, it is crucial for Pimpasa to understand the social context of the villages that it will supervise, said Acting Director General of Immigration, Saffar Muhammad Godam.

In his presentation, the resource person from Bareskrim Poli, AKP Roy Suganda Putra Sinurat, S.Trk, S.I.K, M.H. focused on handling the crime of human trafficking (TPPO) in Indonesia, which is regulated by Law Number 21 of 2007 and Presidential Regulation (Perpres) No. 49 of 2023. "TPPO includes elements of the process, method, and purpose of exploitation, which can include recruitment, transportation, and use of victims for various forms of exploitation such as prostitution practices, forced labor, to organ trafficking," he said.

He also outlined the factors that cause TPPO in Indonesia, such as economic, geographical, and socio-cultural factors. Low public awareness, the use of fake accounts for online recruitment, and differences in legal perceptions between countries are the main challenges in dealing with TPPO. The strategies implemented by the National Police to combat TPPO include dissemination and increased patrols in crime-prone areas.

A resource person from BP2MI, Brigadier General Pol. Dayan I.V. Blegur, S.I.K, M.H, M.Han explained that efforts to protect Indonesian Migrant Workers are carried out based on Law No. 18 of 2017 concerning the Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers. Some of the challenges faced by Indonesian Migrant Workers include negative stigma, illegal placement by irresponsible individuals, and debt with high interest rates. To respond to these challenges, BP2MI provides programs such as creating volunteer communities and encouraging entrepreneurship among Indonesian Migrant Workers and their families with assistance in accessing capital, training, and consultation.

Meanwhile, a resource person from Bhabinkamtibmas, Brigadier General Pol. M. Rudy Syafirudin, S.I.K, S.H said, Bhabinkamtibmas is tasked with maintaining public order through partnerships with the community (village apparatus), building empowered communities, and preventing security disturbances. He said Bhabinkamtibmas continuously conducts activities such as visits to residents, early detection to understand community dynamics, and problem-solving to resolve problems the fostered community faces.

On a different occasion, Director of Immigration Intelligence Anom Wibowo said the community consolidation process in villages supervised by Immigration cannot be separated from synergy with related agencies.

"Pimpasa holds the intersection of the three agencies we present in this briefing activity. Through this program, we provide education to the community about preventing human trafficking and people smuggling from the immigration perspective. Pimpasa also acts as an early warning system, where officers collect information in the form of suggestions and questions obtained from the community regarding immigration issues," he concluded.