NGO/Non-profit/social activism in Jakarta

I have yet to see slavery over here (except the odd newspaper report of wages not being paid)  but I suspect I just haven't found it yet.

I'm guessing it's likely to be here in the form of people trafficked and forced into prostitution.
I know that happens in many countries so I guess it's here as well.
I get around but I have never looked closely at that trade.

Do you look at that type of slavery?

I work with one, but focusing more on health + education for street kids in various parts of Indonesia.  I'm out of Indonesia for the moment but can give you info in PM if needed.

As for slavery, there was a problem in Tangerang area- an aluminium wok factory, where they actually employ lots of people without pay and basically they sleep in prison-like accommodation and the workers were pretty much tortured. Wasn't too long ago (May 2013) the people around were able to break the factory.

Here's the short English version of the event. The indonesian ones were more thorough, though.
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2013 … ealed.html

There are few 'hidden' cases like these throughout Indonesia, it's just hard to get it uncovered because of many factors

Good luck

I looked at that one some while ago so I'm aware of the details.
I did suspect something was wrong at a place in BSD as there were many girls working there but the gates were always locked and they were never seen outside.
However, a few weeks ago that all changed and I often see the girls entering and leaving, unescorted.
Having said that, many or most of them look a bit messy and unwashed.
I'll take a closer look.

This is on the BBC website today as it happens

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-24560937

Is there an estimated number of people in Indonesia in modern slavery? WalkFree.org doesn't give numbers on its website.

lukereg wrote:

This is on the BBC website today as it happens

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-24560937

Is there an estimated number of people in Indonesia in modern slavery? WalkFree.org doesn't give numbers on its website.

It's a pity Blair backs this. It'll lose credibility if that idiot is anything to do with it.
This piece makes claims but is way out of date and discusses a lot about low wages, a less about slavery.
It does mention child labour and trafficking but seems to be uninformed as it pretty much misses out a lot I've seen for myself.

http://gvnet.com/humantrafficking/Indonesia.htm

Indonesia is the top "exporter" of slaves - to other countries like Malaysia, the Middle East, and Japan/Korea. its an issue within the country too, in the mining industry but also with palm oil in Kalimantan.

the rough estimate is 200,000.

Can you define slaves and what are they being sent to do? As the 4th largest country in the world that figure whilst shocking is not exactly that big

I've a nasty feeling about these things.
So many people count poorly paid people as slaves but they aren't.
I don't know if they do it to be PC or to justify their job.

Slaves are people forced to work for no money; not those on crap wages.
So many sites, including the one I linked to, add low waged workers to the number.

This just discredits the work of freeing actual slaves.
Very foolish.

Thrre may well be abuse in these industries but stories from people will a chip on their should, unsupported by evidence and told by extreme activists are less than worthy of much unless backed up by someone with real evidence.

http://understory.ran.org/2010/12/07/sl … roduction/

Exporter huh? Maybe he's talking about the TKW that are being sent to various places like Singapore, China, Hongkong, Arab Saudi etc?

There were cases of tortures happening to the TKWs, they're still getting paid but sometimes they are treated inhumanely and the cases aren't necessarily being taken care of until the news caught up w/ them.

Some reports:
Hongkong:
http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2013 … ring-maid/
Arab:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-11795356
Singapore:
http://www.straitstimes.com/breaking-ne … r-20130820http://www.todayonline.com/singapore/ma … bused-maid

etc

I've met a couple of TKWs while flying from Canada to Indonesia (had transit in HK), and they told me how their 'majikan' treated them and how happy they're going home for good. They showed me bruises and scars.

It happens locally as well, but harder to track or 'prove'... because of bribes. Hope the system will get better soon and these things can be reported safely (for the witnesses as well).

for those of you who prefer to do something - im organizing an NGO meetup next Monday via Couchsurfing - check it out here: https://www.couchsurfing.org/n/events/j … h-jakarta#

When I was in Sumba 2 years ago, the owner of my guesthouse was buying a horse. When I asked him what for he said, for the traditional event (acara adat) on January 4th. I will do belis. then he explained he was buying a 16 year old girl, to help his wife in the house and with the kids. he was buying her from her master (who was not her father...her father also belonged to the master)
the price for this girl was 3 horses and 2 buffaloes....
she would live with him forever, not get paid, help his wife. she would have a happy life though he said, but wouldn't be able to get married. but, he said, if she had a baby, that would be good for him, because then he could sell it later.

I was deeply shocked. I speak good Indonesian so, I think he was open to me because he thought I knew. but when I started quizzing him about it, he did become a bit uncomfortable and when I said the work budak (slave) he nearly fell off his car seat. he said, yes I suppose some people could call he that, but I don't as she will have a happy life with us.

.... 2 years ago in December this was.... in Sumba , Tarimbang.. far off the beaten track, hours on a truck away from towns.. gues its hard to keep an eye on everything that goes on in a big country like this.