`Greed, thuggery greet workers on return home'<\/p>\n
Soekarno-Hatta International Airport's Terminal III was built in
\n1999 to handle returning Indonesian migrant workers. Now, the
\nterminal is the scene of rampant extortion by unscrupulous
\nofficials and thugs. The Jakarta Post talked to some people about
\nthe problem.<\/p>\n
Mahmud, not his real name, 38, used to work in Saudi Arabia
\nfor six years. Now he is a seasonal worker and lives in South
\nJakarta:<\/p>\n
When I first returned from Saudi Arabia in 1999, I had to go
\nthrough the newly built Terminal III. I was furious. I even
\npunched a thug in the face because he deliberately broke my jar
\nof zamzam (holy water) after I refused to give him money.<\/p>\n
Then, some other thugs approached and threatened to beat me. I
\nwasn't deterred. I showed them my muscles and tattoos and shouted
\nthat I would kill them one by one.<\/p>\n
They let me go -- maybe I looked tough at the time.<\/p>\n
But my family who picked me up outside the terminal were
\nforced to pay the thugs and the officials a total of Rp 700,000
\n(US$82.35)!<\/p>\n
On my return home last year, I did not go through Terminal
\nIII. I believe that I have the same rights as other airline
\npassengers. It's too bad that other migrant workers are so
\npowerless and must run the gauntlet in Terminal III<\/p>\n
I would suggest that Jacob Nuwa Wea (manpower and
\ntransmigration minister) and Agum Gumelar (transportation
\nminister) pay a visit to Terminal III incognito. They could
\npretend that they are family members of migrant workers. Then
\nthey would see what is really happening!<\/p>\n
I would also urge both ministers to close down Terminal III
\nand start treating our migrant workers as human beings. They are
\na major source of foreign exchange earnings for the country.<\/p>\n
Narto, 46, is a taxi driver at the airport. He lives in
\nCinere, South Jakarta, with his wife and three children:<\/p>\n
I can't begin to describe the situation in Terminal III. It's
\nreally terrible. Corrupt officials and thugs extort the migrant
\nworkers every time a batch of them arrives here. Even the ojek
\n(motorcycle taxi) drivers extort them.<\/p>\n
The thugs also charge us taxi drivers between Rp 25,000 and Rp
\n30,000 for every passenger we pick up.<\/p>\n
Once I took a migrant worker who refused to pay the Rp 150,000
\ndemanded by a thug for what he called a \"transportation fee\". I
\ncharged her the regular fare although I had to pay the thug Rp
\n30,000.<\/p>\n
I agree that Terminal III should be closed and all the crooked
\nofficials and the thugs arrested. The officials are afraid of the
\nthugs and allow them to extort the workers.<\/p>\n
I don't understand why the government turns a blind eye to
\nthis sort of banditry.<\/p>\n
Nano, not his real name, 38, is a driver who lives in West
\nJakarta with his wife and daughter:<\/p>\n
When I picked up my relatives at Terminal III, I was forced to
\npay lots of money to some thugs. Luckily, my relative, who looks
\nlike a soldier, was brave enough to stand up to them. He actually
\ngave them a bit of a scare.<\/p>\n
We still had to pay them to enter Terminal III, though, but
\nonly Rp 20,000 thanks to my relative.<\/p>\n
I agree that Terminal III should be closed and that the
\ngovernment should act firmly against the thugs and corrupt
\nofficials. It's time to stop exploiting the weak.<\/p>\n
-- Leo Wahyudi S.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/greed-thuggery-greet-workers-on-return-home-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }