39 stranded Myanmar fishermen return from Indonesia

Thirty-nine out of 130 Myanmar fishermen, who had been stranded in Indonesia's Ambon Island, have returned to their homeland with the rest to follow later, an official report said Thursday.

The 39 fishermen, who were sent back on Wednesday, are the next batch following the 176 who were repatriated from the Ambon Island last month after receiving their salaries from their employers.

However, another 443 fishermen, who were sent back from Benjina of Indonesia in early June, have not got their salaries from their Indonesian employers.

In connection with the case, the Myanmar Embassy in Indonesia is offering assistance to them in filing lawsuit against their former employers in a bid to resolve the salary dispute between the fishermen and the Indonesian company, the report said.

Meanwhile, 14 other Myanmar fishermen are set to travel to Indonesia later this month to testify in court against an Indonesian fishing company under trial for committing human trafficking involving the fishermen, a police official was quoted as saying. Enditem