Palestine has yet to move in maid abuse case<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Palestinian Ambassador Ribbi Awad said on
\nThursday that he had yet to receive an instruction from his
\ngovernment to start an investigation into the alleged abuse of a
\nfemale Indonesian migrant worker by her employer in Gaza last
\nMarch.<\/p>\n
\"I sent letters to Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and
\nMinister of Foreign Affairs Farouq Qouddomi on May 25, telling
\nthem of the allegations and asking the government to initiate an
\ninvestigation.<\/p>\n
\"But I have yet to receive a reply from Palestine, thus I can
\ndo nothing because I can work only based on instructions,\" he
\nsaid during a meeting with Chairman of the Legal Aid Institute
\nfor Indonesian Migrant Workers (LPBHTKI) Munir Achmad, who
\nrepresented the abused worker Mela Windasari Afandi, 14, (not
\nMela Indahsari as reported earlier).<\/p>\n
The meeting, also attended by Mela's father Afandi, was held
\nin conjunction with the embassy's initiatives seeking ways to
\nresolve the problem.<\/p>\n
The opportunity was also used by Ribbi, who spoke in Arabic
\nand was translated by his staffer, Kamali Nasuha, to collect data
\nregarding the case.<\/p>\n
The ambassador said it was the Palestinian government that
\nwould conduct the investigation, \"what I can do is just provide
\nmy government with necessary data.\"<\/p>\n
Ribbi stated earlier that neither he nor the Palestinian
\ngovernment could accept the treatment allegedly meted out to
\nMela.<\/p>\n
The teenage migrant worker reportedly sustained repeated abuse
\nfrom her employers and representatives from the labor agency in
\nGaza from the outset of her contract in March. Her legs were
\nbroken after falling from the third floor apartment of her fourth
\nemployer when she tried to flee.<\/p>\n
Instead of earning the contracted wage of US$125, Mela who
\nworked illegally in Palestine, spent the last two months at Al
\nGaza Hospital in Gaza.<\/p>\n
An operation was performed without her consent to insert a
\nmetal support along her damaged spine.<\/p>\n
The girl is now still receiving treatment at the National
\nPolice R.S. Soekanto Hospital in Kramatjati, East Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Ribbi read aloud his letters to Arafat and Qouddomi saying
\nthat the abuse was a sensitive issue that should be handled soon,
\n\"for the sake of maintaining relations between Indonesia and
\nPalestine.\"<\/p>\n
Along with the letters, a clipping from The Jakarta Post was
\nalso attached with the file prepared by Ribbi.<\/p>\n
\"It is understandable if the Palestinian government has not
\nreacted yet due to the lack of data. The only information they
\nhave is the report by The Jakarta Post,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Representatives of the embassy visited Mela at the police
\nhospital at the end of last month.<\/p>\n
During the Thursday meeting, Munir said he expected the
\nembassy would take action against some Palestinians who illegally
\nrecruited migrant workers here.<\/p>\n
\"With cooperation from the City Police, we have identified a
\nPalestinian who was allegedly involved in Mela's case. He is
\nidentified only as Arsyad,\" said Munir while showing the picture
\nof Arsyad, who is still at large.<\/p>\n
Ribbi vowed to forward the picture of Arsyad to the
\nPalestinian police to assist the investigation.<\/p>\n
The victim's father Afandi said after the meeting that Mela's
\ncondition had not shown any improvement.<\/p>\n
\"The hospital has even recommended another operation because
\nthe metal support is broken.<\/p>\n
\"Mela has cried many times since hearing that she should
\nundergo another operation,\" he said. (ind)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/palestine-has-yet-to-move-in-maid-abuse-case-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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