Labor protest marks Women's Day event<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The celebration of International Women's Day on
\nMonday was marked by a protest by migrant workers demanding
\nbetter legal protection from abuse by overseas employers, and
\nalso an admission by President B.J. Habibie about the country's
\ninsecurity and social and political tension.<\/p>\n
Led by activists from the Indonesian Migrant Workers
\nAssociation, about 100 workers from various cities in Java,
\nSoutheast Sulawesi and Lampung marched to the office of the State
\nMinister of Women's Roles Tutty Alawiyah to protest her recent
\nsuggestion that Indonesia stop sending domestic helpers abroad.<\/p>\n
The protesters insisted that despite their low positions and
\nthe government's ignorance of their fate, their earnings had
\nsignificantly contributed to the country's foreign income.<\/p>\n
"How many more workers must be treated as slaves, assaulted,
\nand raped before they get serious attention from the government?"
\nthey said in an open letter they delivered to the minister.<\/p>\n
They failed to meet with Tutty, who was with Habibie at the
\nBina Graha presidential office at the time. The protesters were
\nreceived by her aide, Abdullah Cholil.<\/p>\n
"Migrant housemaids reduce the unemployment problem and the
\nburden on the state. More than that they also contribute foreign
\nexchange to the state," they said.<\/p>\n
Citing government statistics issued in 1998, the labor union
\nsaid more than one million Indonesian workers -- some 700,000 of
\nthem women -- worked in 13 foreign countries.<\/p>\n
According to the statistics, 359,155 female workers were
\nregistered last year in Saudi Arabia, 200,935 in Malaysia, 82,034
\nin Singapore and 15,104 in Hong Kong.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Habibie opened an international seminar on
\nbusiness, women and the economic crisis at the State Palace. In
\nhis speech Habibie acknowledged that the raging violence in parts
\nof Indonesia would seriously worsen the country's economy.<\/p>\n
"The most important problem that we have to tackle first is
\nhow to create a secure situation as well as a good climate to do
\nbusiness. On these grounds, I repeat my appeal to all components
\nof the national forces to create such a situation together," he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The seminar was organized by the Association of Indonesian
\nBusiness Women (IWAPI) in cooperation with the Canada Asia
\nNetwork.<\/p>\n
Also on Monday, City Police arrested 99 students, including 87
\nfemale students from the Joint Women Action group, for staging a
\ndemonstration in front of the United Nations representative
\noffice on Jl. M.H. Thamrin, Central Jakarta.<\/p>\n
"Stop violence against women," they shouted before police came
\nto stop them. More than half of the protesters fled before the
\narrests took place.<\/p>\n
The students refused to talk to journalists. "None of us will
\ntalk until our lawyers arrive," said one of the protesters.<\/p>\n
The female student then said that they were to be represented
\nby lawyers from the Indonesian Legal Aid Institute and the Human
\nRights Association (PBHI).<\/p>\n
Later, at around 6 p.m., City Police also arrested 217
\nprotesters from Jl. Ridwan Rais in Central Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Of these 217 people, 118 were high school students, six were
\nstreet musicians and the others were university students,
\naccording to police.<\/p>\n
A police source said that most likely the students would not
\nbe detained. Police would question them and then release them, he
\nsaid. (prb\/emf)<\/p>",
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