Facilitated but unauthorised return: the role of smugglers in return migration and clandestine border crossings between Malaysia and Indonesia

Abstract

ABSTRACT People smuggling is commonly associated with unidirectional movement, that is, procuring entrance from underpriviledged origin and transit countries to more desirable destinations that offer gainful employment and/or safety from human rights abuses. Yet, as we expose here, under certain circumstances migrants also make use of smugglers to return to their home countries. To examine this phenomenon more closely and explore why and under what conditions migrants seek out the services of smugglers in order to return from Malaysia to Indonesia, we have analysed 13 court verdicts and conducted eight interviews with law enforcement personnel responsible for arresting facilitators of unauthorised return migration (‘smugglers’). Our findings show that return smuggling results predominantly from the inadequacy of options for authorised return, which are costly, time-consuming and have punitive elements. Based on these findings we propose a theoretical clustering along four different modes of return. By disentangling the causes that triggered the evolution of facilitated but unauthorised returns we offer new insights into ongoing debates concerning return migration and ‘irregular’ migration. The multi-directional nature of smuggling services between Malaysia and Indonesia thus demands that we take a fresh look at the facilitation–authorisation nexus, particularly the modalities and infrastructures accessible for returning migrants.