Indonesian Authorities Rescue 550 Fishermen Slaves From Island

Indonesian authorities freed 550 fisherman slaves in the island village of Benjina after a report revealed they had been forced to fish for seafood that was then sold in major food markets around the world, including the U.S.

The fisherman, half of whom were Burmese, were freed after an Associated Press report revealed that they had been tricked to come to Benjina and then forced into slavery as fishermen. Others said they had bee kidnapped and taken to the village.

The victims were reportedly forced to fish for seafood that was then sold in major grocery store markets around the world, including some in the U.S.

The fishermen were forced to live in a camp that included an enforcer, who would beat the fishermen if they were sick or tired.

42-year-old Win Win Ko told the Associated Press that he was going to go visit his parents after being freed. Ko had reportedly lost several teeth when a ship's captain kicked them out as punishment.

"I will go see my parents. They haven't heard from me, and I haven't heard from them since I left," Ko told the media outlet.

Others being held as slaves in the village are of Cambodian decent. Steve Hamilton, deputy chief of mission in Jakarta for the International Organization for Migration, told Voice of America that some of the slaves are afraid to leave, worrying that they'd lose years of owed back pay from their employers.

"We'll follow up with the Embassies and the victims to try and get restitution and compensation. I think that's another way to approach the men who are afraid to leave because they afraid they're losing years and years of back pay if they walk away, that at least they see someone is on their corner," he stated.