The Asia Pacific maritime sector is one of the most influential sectors in the world economy. Southeast Asia, geographically, lies in a strategic position where its seas play a dominant role: more than 80% of the surface area is covered by oceans, being home to more than 31,000 island economies.

The ocean based economy provides significant numbers of jobs in East and Southeast Asia. But, the fact is, workers in the sea-based work place are vulnerable to human rights violations. Even, all of indicators made by ILO about forced labor are experienced by them in their daily works. Deception and coercion play a big role to “discipline” the workers, the debt bondage, got paid less than the minimum wage and also long working hours without overtime pay and sometimes got their salaries unpaid.

Why is that happening? What are the causes? Who are the responsible actors?

If you eager to know the answers, please listen to our conversation with Benni Yusriza, a lecturer of Paramadina University whose works and researches mostly about the sea-based migrant workers, seafarers, and fishers where he addresses the issue of human trafficking and forced labour in the fishing industry in Indonesia and Southeast Asia by combining everyday international relations approach with critical migration studies!

This episode is sponsored by the Sasakawa Peace Foundation.