Ignored guest
We read daily about human right issues in Indonesia and the situation of Indonesian workers abroad. That care and protection must be given is a good development. Unfortunately, the Indonesian government as well as human rights organizations do not give the same attention to their guests. Here is one example of what happened some years ago.
On Oct. 1, 1992 at 2:30 a.m., I was robbed in my house by a gang of 15 armed men wearing uniforms and jackets. Because I did not keep a large amount of cash on me, they were not satisfied with what they found and assumed there was more money and other valuables present in the house. During the next one and a half hours I was tortured with machetes, a piece of lumber and was shot at twice by a colt .38, just to find out where I had hidden the money.
First, they slashed my face with a machete, destroying my left eye, cutting off my nose, and causing a fracture to my scalp. They struck my head with a piece of lumber, damaging my right ear. They also shot me twice in the leg.
One of my servants was able to escape and called the villagers for help. Frightened of a confrontation, the robbers fled the house within minutes. Actually, they could have finished me off rather than leave me with the severe injuries and an enormous loss of blood. They took electronic equipment, computers, a briefcase with ID papers, which they thought contained money, and other valuables.
I was rushed to Tangerang Hospital for emergency treatment, but was refused admission due to the severity of my injuries. They were not able to handle the emergency and suggested the Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital (RSCM) in Jakarta. After many trying efforts, I finally reached the RSCM hospital.
The government never contacted me to express their sympathy or to offer any help, although I was working for a semigovernmental organization. Renewing my ID and immigration papers was done without any help. Instead, I was made to feel responsible for the loss and I had to follow complicated procedures.
Some time later I managed to obtain a KIM/T stay permit which would allow me a permanent stay for the price of US$6,500. When it needed to be extended a year later, the visa did not exist anymore and I had to go back to a temporary stay visa for which again a sponsor was needed. As I work as a freelance consultant for many government projects, a new visa had to be applied for each new project. When no project was going on, I had to apply for a business visa and fly each time to Singapore for an extension.
To contribute to the development of Indonesia, which I learned to love from my Javanese father, might be too idealistic. Going back to the Netherlands without any savings is no alternative.
In spite of all these inconveniences, many pleasant things have happened. I have adopted many children and given them schooling and training in many fields. We built our own house. Most of my foster children have now a wife and children and Idul Fitri brings them all together.
CH. T. SAS
Tangerang, West Java