Death sentence for getting pregnant

I refer to the article on page 2 of The Jakarta Post of March 3, entitled No help for maid on death row. I wish I had not bought the Post. I wouldn't feel that tang of responsibility I now feel after reading the short article in which somebody who is responsible for doing his job stated that his office was not responsible. But surely some not revealed other office is responsible for sending an Indonesian woman as a maid to some country where you can be stoned to death if you become pregnant. Whether this is a result of "forced labor" or not doesn't matter, it is the woman's responsibility, is it not?

Isn't a country, in this case, the government, responsible for its citizens? Yes, please go ahead Ibu Megawati, Pak Gus Dur. Has everything been done or is this a case for Kofi Annan or Amnesty? Only the tip of the mountain of mistreatment of foreign labor and abuse is presently visible. It is high time that citizens are better protected by their government. It is high time that human rights are universally respected, not only on the battlefield but on the workfloor, in daily life.

In the meantime, there is not much time for Ibu Kartini...

DANA STRIETMAN

Ubud, Bali