S'pore a 'killing field' RI migrant workers: Study<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
While many Indonesian businessmen wanted for graft find refuge in
\nSingapore, the city state is a place of grief for some Indonesian
\nmigrant workers, a study says.<\/p>\n
The study, which was conducted recently by the Institute for
\nEcosoc Rights both in Indonesia and Singapore, was inspired by
\nrepeated deaths of Indonesian migrant domestic workers in the
\nneighboring country over the last five years.<\/p>\n
The institute said that the high mortality rate had a lot to
\ndo with poor working conditions.<\/p>\n
\"Many workers bring home Singaporean dollars as capital to
\nstart small businesses, but many others return in coffins or are
\nsent to jail for acts against their employers,\" the institute
\nsays.<\/p>\n
From 1999 through December 2004, a total of 114 Indonesian
\ndomestic workers in Singapore died for various reasons.<\/p>\n
There are almost 70,000 registered Indonesian migrants workers
\nin the neighboring country, 53 percent of whom are domestic
\nhelpers, mostly women.<\/p>\n
\"For big-time Indonesian criminals, Singapore is a safe place
\nto hide since the two countries have not signed an extradition
\ntreaty. But for many Indonesian domestic workers who live in
\npoverty at home, the city state is like a killing field as they
\nare not only overexploited but physically abused and trapped in
\nforced labor,\" Sri Palupi, who coordinated the study, said over
\nthe weekend.<\/p>\n
While Singapore restricts the entry of immigrants, Palupi said
\nthe country had failed to set minimum base standards for the
\nemployment of domestic workers, most of whom are not protected by
\nSingaporean law due to their working in the informal, or
\nhousehold, sector.<\/p>\n
The study was conducted between January and April this year in
\nSingapore and in the regencies of Tulangbawang (Lampung), Cilacap
\n(Central Java), Banyumas (Central Java) and Jember (East Java).
\nIt involved 120 former domestic workers employed in Singapore and
\n80 migrant workers who found themselves in trouble in Singapore
\nas respondents.<\/p>\n
Palupi said the study found the migrants were burdened by long
\nworking hours, heavy workloads and a lack of time off.<\/p>\n
\"Most respondents said they worked between 12 hours and 20
\nhours a day, and had no day off. They mostly do washing, cooking,
\nbaby-sitting and taking care of the elderly,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Some respondents said they received inadequate meals and slept
\nonly around five hours a day.<\/p>\n
They complained about living in their employers' small flats.
\nThis lead to physical abuse by their employers. Many workers were
\nalso dismissed without payment, Palupi said.<\/p>\n
She added that the researchers were skeptical about reports
\nthat some Indonesian migrant workers died of serious illnesses or
\ncommitted suicide, because they had undergone medical checks
\nbefore departure and were not familiar with a suicidal culture.<\/p>\n
The study also found that some domestic workers found
\nthemselves trapped in the equivalent of forced labor as their
\nmonthly salaries were cut for the first seven months of their
\nemployment to pay recruitment fees to their sponsors, and the
\nfact that they were not allowed to go out or to make contact with
\noutsiders, including relatives and the Indonesian Embassy.<\/p>\n
Separately, Wahyu Susilo, coordinator of the Migrant Care
\norganization in Jakarta, likened the employment of Indonesian
\ndomestic workers to slavery, and placed the blame for this
\nsquarely on the Indonesian government.<\/p>\n
\"This slavery continues as the government lacks a strong
\nbargaining position vis-a-vis foreign countries to make them
\nprotect our migrant workers. We cannot expect the workers
\nthemselves to be able to protect and defend themselves as they
\nare uneducated, unskilled and lack the ability to adjust,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/spore-a-killing-field-ri-migrant-workers-study-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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