Embassies sheltering 1,100 workers

Embassies sheltering 1,100 workers

Sari P. Setiogi and Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Indonesian representative offices in several foreign countries
are sheltering 1,138 migrant workers with a variety of problems,
many of which have not been addressed.

Foreign minister Hassan Wirajuda said on Wednesday 11
representative offices were now housing migrant workers in
Malaysia, Singapore, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab
Emirates and Jordan, adding that there were a great burden on the
embassies' budget.

"In Kuwait alone, we spent no less than US$125,000 in extra
budget last year to accommodate the problematic migrant workers,"
Hassan said in his keynote speech during a national dialog on
protection of migrant workers' human rights here.

There were 998,228 registered Indonesian migrant workers
spread around several countries as of December 2003.

Hassan said his ministry shared the blame for the lack of
protection for Indonesian migrant workers, as many diplomats had
not provided adequate treatment for the migrant workers.

"A change in the corporate culture is needed to create a
friendly representative for Indonesian citizens abroad," he said.

The minister also said the ministry did not have the budget to
provide local attorneys and sufficient accommodation for the
troubled migrant workers.

Hassan emphasized that there needed to be revisions of
domestic policies because the power to regulate and recruit
migrant workers was totally controlled by just one institution.

He was likely referring to the manpower ministry, which not
only draws up regulations regarding the export of workes, but is
allowed to recruit them and prepare them for their placement
overseas.

"In the Philippines, exporting and sending migrant workers
home are conducted under one roof but, outside the labor
ministry," said Hassan.

In a bid to protect more migrant workers, the government will
sign the United Nations Convention on the Protection of Rights of
All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families during the
annual UN general assembly in New York at the end of this month.

"It will be part of our efforts to strengthen our legal
infrastructure," said Hassan, who will represent Indonesia at the
UN meeting.

Meanwhile, President Megawati Soekarnoputri is slated to meet
Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to discuss the
Indonesian illegal migrants issue, on the sidelines of their
visit to Bandar Seri Begawan to attend the Brunei Crown Prince
Muhtadee Billah Bolkiah wedding reception.

"On our side we would like to express appreciation for
Malaysia's understanding and their agreement to delay the mass
deportation until next year," said Hassan.

The two leaders will also discuss common measures in the mass
deportation process, including a sort of sensitivity course for
the Malaysian volunteers who are involved in the deportation
process.

"The volunteers are expected to visit Indonesia before the
deportation, so they can see how we would handle such a problem,"
Hassan said.

The discussion would substitute the annual consultation
meeting between the leaders of the two countries. Indonesia
should have hosted the meeting this year, but it was canceled due
to elections.