Migrant Care Logs 40 Workers Allegedly Caged by Ex-Langkat Regent
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25 January 2022 09:44 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Migrant Care on Monday, January 24, revealed that former regent of Langkat, Terbit Rencana Perangin Angin, allegedly detained at least 40 workers in human-size cages built in the backyard and inside of his house.
The NGO head Anis Hidayat said the illegal practice had been going on for a long time. “From our initial findings, this practice has been going on for a long time until now,” he said in a press statement.
Anis explained there are at least two prison-like facilities built by the former regent located in the backyard of his house. “And the second one is a cage inside the house. This is where the 40 workers are being held,” he added. There were also chains and keys to lock the prison doors.
Anis however stopped short of detailing data about the workers, claiming that he has not yet known about the workers’ origin and how they were recruited.
He was though certain that the workers were employed to work on Terbit’s palm plantation. “They were forced to work for 10 hours from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.,” Anis said, adding that they never received a salary and was only given inappropriate meal twice.
“On this basis, we report the findings of evidence we have to Komnas HAM,” said Anis of alleged slavery practice committed by the former Langkat regent.
Read: Former Langkat Regent Suspected of Corruption, Slavery
ADITYA BUDIMAN
