http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/home/indonesian-slaves-rescued-in-costa-rica/368970
April 12, 2010 AFP & Putri Prameshwari Indonesian 'Slaves' Rescued in Costa Rica The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday said government efforts were under way to assist 13 Indonesians who had been working on fishing boats in Costa Rica and were subjected to forced labor. Teuku Faizasyah, the ministry spokesman, said the Indonesian Embassy in Mexico had sent representatives to the Costa Rican capital San Jose to meet with the victims. "Our team will check on their condition as soon as it gets there," Teuku said. "We will be coordinating with the local police and immigration officials." He added that the government would facilitate the victims' return to Indonesia. The 13 Indonesians were part of a group of 36 Asians who were freed by Costa Rican police on Sunday from "inhumane" conditions aboard two fishing boats operated by a foreign shipping company. They had been beaten and forced to work for no pay, local media said. Besides the Indonesians, the group included 15 Vietnamese, five Filipinos, two Taiwanese and a Chinese national, who were all forced to work for 20 hours a day, given little food and lashed as punishment, officials told La Nacion newspaper. The men were told they would be paid $250 a month, but no cash was given and the ship's Taiwanese operators claimed to have sent payment to the group's families. Their passports were confiscated in an attempt to thwart escapes. "This is modern slavery," Costa Rican director of migration Mario Zamora was quoted as saying. The owners of the fishing boats were not identified, but authorities said two Taiwanese men and a Costa Rican were arrested in the operation. Authorities are investigating the case as suspected human trafficking. Related articles Indonesia Admits People-Smuggling Role 8:10 PM 07/02/2010 Govt Backs Australia's Strict New Asylum Regime 10:43 PM 09/04/2010 Trafficked Girl, 14, Heads Back Home 10:36 PM 24/03/2010 6 Indonesians Arrested For Alleged Human Trafficking Into Iraq 9:44 PM 27/12/2009 Police Detain 4 in Alleged Indonesia Sex Ring Trafficking Women to Malaysia 11:17 PM 08/11/2009
