Govt, firms at odds on migrants

Govt, firms at odds on migrants

Ridwan Max Sijabat, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The increasing cases of violence against Indonesian migrant
workers employed in Middle Eastern countries apparently has much
to do with the disorganized labor export program, for which
Minister of Manpower and Transmigration Jacob Nuwa Wea and labor
exporters blame one another.

Expressing his deep disappointment with the poor performance
of labor export companies on Tuesday during his visit to Jordan,
Nuwa Wea said he would revoke the licenses of labor export
companies that violate proper procedure.

He also said he would file an official complaint with the
National Police against unauthorized companies and individuals
who sent workers illegally to the region.

"Licensed labor exporters that infringe labor export
procedures will certainly lose their license and their companies
liquidated, while unlicensed companies that supply workers
illegally will be facing human trafficking or smuggling charges,"
he said during a dialog with the Indonesian community, including
16 workers who have been stranded at the Indonesian Embassy in
Jordan for illegal entry.

Nuwa Wea, who, along with several legislators, labor exporters
and other government officials, is on a state visit to look at
employment conditions of Indonesian workers in the Middle East,
said it was not a mystery that many workers were mistreated
because their placement and employment were not managed either
legally or professionally.

"Many workers have been mistreated and underpaid because they
are employed illegally. Troubles have developed with their
employers because they have been placed and employed without any
job training in Indonesia.

"Many others are even tortured and raped because they are
still young and are not skilled in defending themselves from such
abuse," he said, citing a ministerial decree that regulated the
minimum age of labor exports to the Middle East at 25 years.

He said it was difficult to ask foreign countries to treat
Indonesian workers humanely if labor exporters and the government
apparatus did not provide a good reason.

The 20 companies facing license revocation are: PT Irfan Jaya
Saputra, PT Sinar Mandiri, PT Arsyad, PT Ifwikon Jasindo, PT Wadi
Lesar Jaya, PT Sinar Kasih Soroako, PT Pikotama Bina Terampil, PT
Safarindo Indo Corpora, PT Rekan Wahana Mulia, PT Amil Fajar
Internasional, PT Megah Utama Kriya Nugraha, PT Graha Indohiwana,
PT Adi Santa Kencana Mas, PT ABRI, PT Asfrida Family, PT Mega
Untaian, PT Amira Prima, PT Dewi Moro Langgeng, PT Pira Suka and
PT Amanah Sejahtera.

Last year, the government came under fire when more than 120
Indonesian workers, mostly women, died and many others were
physically and sexually abused, even tortured, during their
employment in the Middle East, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan.
Over the last two months, at least six workers, all female, have
died after allegedly meeting with occupational accidents and
contracting fatal diseases in Saudi Arabia.

Local non-governmental organizations have called on the House
of Representatives and the government to speed up the
deliberation of the bill on overseas labor protection and
heighten services at Indonesian diplomatic missions to provide
protection for migrant workers.

Meanwhile, labor exporters have called on the government to
take account for the mismanaged labor export sector, because it
was the government's responsibility to regulate labor export
procedures and to supervise their implementation.

"It is the government's fault for licensing almost 500 labor
export companies and for failing to closely monitor the business.
The ministry should not allow workers overseas before they have
received the necessary training, and it should impose harsh
sanctions against unauthorized labor exporters and brokers,"
Deputy Chairman Anthon Sihombing of the Labor Recruitment
Agencies Association (PJTKI) told The Jakarta Post.

He said revamping the labor export should begin with the
government, especially at the manpower ministry, the immigration
office, the police and the military, and finally, labor
exporters.

Please, insert data on 2003 labor export from Ayi