CNN.com After beheading, Indonesia may ban sending workers to Saudi Arabia
Jakarta (CNN) -- Indonesia is seriously considering a ban on the deployment of Indonesian workers to Saudi Arabia after the Gulf kingdom beheaded an Indonesian worker without first informing the Indonesian government. The ban, if enacted, would take effect in August. A special adviser to the Ministry of Manpower and Transmigration, Abdul Wahid Maktub, tells CNN, "There are meetings now to discuss the pros and cons of the Parliament's recommendation." The minister of Manpower is expected to make a decision soon, after consulting with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and other ministers. Public furor erupted after the sudden beheading of Ruyati binti Satubi, a 54-year-old migrant worker, on June 16. Ruyati was executed for killing her employer's wife. Saudi authorities did not inform Indonesia until after the execution was carried out. Indonesia says it was in the process of seeking her clemency. Indonesia filed a diplomatic protest with Saudi Arabia and summoned its ambassador in Jakarta for clarification. It also recalled the Indonesian ambassador to Saudi Arabia. On Tuesday, authorities scrambled to save Darsem, another Indonesian migrant worker, from execution by beheading in Saudi Arabia. Through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it paid about $525,000 or Rp 4.7 billion, as compensation to the family of a Saudi man, Darsem said she killed in self-defense. She claimed her employer tried to rape her. The family agreed to spare her life, if the compensation or blood money was paid to them, Maktub confirmed. Indonesian activists also earlier called for a moratorium. Migrant Care Executive Director Anisa Hidaya said, "The moratorium represents momentum for improvement and at the same time emphasizes a firm stance on the part of Indonesia towards Saudi Arabia." Twenty three Indonesians are on the death row in Arab kingdom and an estimated 345 have been condemned in Malaysia. Human Rights Watch Senior Women's Rights Researcher Nisha Varia tells CNN, "It is important that Indonesia is sending a strong message to Saudi Arabia. That it is not acceptable for Saudi Arabia to execute one of its nationals without informing them". However, Varia also says this latest incident was not a surprise, given Saudi Arabia's treatment of its foreign workers. It also highlights, she adds, the fact that Indonesia needs to much more to protect its citizens who seek employment abroad, particularly in countries like Saudi Arabia and Malaysia. Anger has been brewing in recent years over allegations of abuse by employers, particularly towards domestic helpers. Activists are demanding the Indonesian government review its policies and regulations in the recruitment and deployment of migrant workers. The moratorium, Varia explains, won't stop Indonesians from illegally entering these countries and "it would perhaps expose them to even more risks." She also insisted Indonesia would benefit from strategically working with other countries like the Philippines who send their workers abroad to demand better employment conditions for its workers. There are about 4.3 million documented Indonesians working overseas. About 1.2 million are in Saudi Arabia and another 1.2 million are in Malaysia. An estimated 3 million others are undocumented, according to figures from the Indonesian Placement and Protection of Overseas Workers agency. Maktub says Indonesia finally began negotiations with Saudi Arabia on a Memorandum of Understanding or MOU that would stipulate better protection and employment conditions for its workers. The agreement was expected by the end of the year. The planned moratorium may help speed up the process of signing an agreement with Saudi Arabia. "There is a huge reformation internally and the demand for Indonesian workers in Saudi Arabia is very high," Maktub adds. Similar arrangements with other labor recipient countries will also be reviewed, he added. It has just resumed sending workers to Malaysia and signed an MOU, after a two-year suspension. It's unclear what the impact of a moratorium will be on Indonesia and for the millions of Indonesians looking for better paying jobs overseas. According the World Bank, remittances from migrants to the country reached over $7 billion in 2010. Links referenced within this article Find this article at: http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/06/22/indonesia.migrant.workers/index.html?hpt=hp_t2 Click Here to Print SAVE THIS | EMAIL THIS | Close Uncheck the box to remove the list of links referenced in the article. © 2008 Cable News Network. ------------------------------------ Post message: [email protected] Subscribe : [email protected] Unsubscribe : [email protected] List owner : [email protected] Homepage : http://proletar.8m.com/Yahoo! 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