Migrant workers seek more protection<\/p>\n
A three-day international conference on Indonesian migrant
\nworkers ended on Wednesday with a list of demands, including that
\nthe government enact a law on migrant workers to ratify the
\nmigrant workers' rights convention, help settle disputes
\ninvolving migrant workers abroad and support the migrant worker
\nsavings program.<\/p>\n
\"This conference's declaration will include those three
\ndemands,\" the secretary of the Coalition for Indonesian Migrant
\nWorkers Protection (Kopbumi), Wahyu Susilo, told The Jakarta Post
\nbefore the end of the conference.<\/p>\n
The conference on Migrant Savings, Alternative Investment
\n(MSAI) for Community Development and Reintegration was jointly
\norganized by the Hong Kong-based Asian Migrant Center (AMC) and
\nthe Indonesian Committee for Reintegration (Icore).<\/p>\n
Wahyu said the enactment of a law on the protection of migrant
\nworkers and the ratification of the International Convention on
\nthe Protection of the Rights of Migrant Workers was needed so as
\nto provide a proper legal framework for resolving labor problems.<\/p>\n
The government was also urged to give serious attention to
\nlabor cases involving Indonesian workers abroad, such as
\nfrequently occurred in South Korea, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia,
\nSingapore and the Middle Eastern countries, he said.<\/p>\n
\"In our declaration, we will refer to a number of cases in
\nthose countries. We hope the government will intervene to help
\nsettle them,\" Wahyu said.<\/p>\n
He revealed that dozens of Indonesian migrant workers were
\nfacing deportation from South Korea, while some fellow migrants
\nin Japan were being subjected to salary cuts.<\/p>\n
He said many migrant workers were forced to return home after
\ntheir employment contracts ended in Hong Kong, while other
\nIndonesian workers were facing document-related problems in
\nMalaysia.<\/p>\n
The government was urged to help an Indonesian worker who was
\nfacing trial in Singapore and dozens of abused women workers in
\nthe Middle Eastern countries, he said.<\/p>\n
The conference, which was attended by 133 activists from local
\nand foreign non-governmental organizations (NGOs), including NGOs
\nfrom Hong Kong, Taiwan, the Philippines and Japan, also agreed to
\ncampaign for migrant workers' savings for alternative investment
\n(MSAI).<\/p>\n
\"The government considers migrant workers to be a commodity
\nwithout thinking about their futures. This savings scheme is also
\naimed at improving the bargaining position of workers,\" Wahyu
\nclaimed.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the chairwoman of the conference's organizing
\ncommittee Anti Sulaiman accused the government of doing nothing
\nto improve the lot of migrant workers.<\/p>\n
\"The Ministry of Manpower often promises to empower migrant
\nworkers and their families, but nothing is ever done,\" Anti was
\nquoted by Antara as saying.<\/p>\n
She criticized the government for frequently saying that
\nmigrant workers were heroes and heroines, but doing nothing at
\nthe same time to stop abuses being perpetrated against them,
\nespecially women migrant workers.<\/p>\n
To press for the implementation of their demands as set out in
\nthe declaration, local and foreign NGO activists will stage a
\nrally in front of the State Palace on Thursday, the day
\ndesignated by the United Nations as migrant workers solidarity
\nday.<\/p>\n
Last month, dozens of women migrant workers were forced to
\nreturn home from Saudi Arabia. They alleged that they had been
\nabused, raped or left unpaid by their employers.<\/p>\n
There are around four million Indonesians working overseas,
\nsending home some US$2.4 billion in remittances annually.JP<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/migrant-workers-seek-more-protection-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}