Indonesian workers

Indonesian workers

From Kompas

On July 2, 1994 I witnessed a very unpleasant incident at
Sukarno-Hatta International airport at arrivals Gate 1, terminal
D. Some ten angry looking staff of the Manpower Central Office
were standing close to each other waiting for the arrival of
Indonesian women workers from Saudi Arabia.

After customs examination, the women were directly led by
the manpower officials to a certain place without inquiring
whether they were workers or not. Angry exchanges took place
between the women, who were actually tourists and had just
arrived from vacation in the neighboring countries of Singapore,
Malaysia and Brunei Darussalam, and the manpower officials.

I know that only officials of the Immigration Office have the
right to examine passengers' passports. When I was at the airport
to fetch a colleague from Singapore, the manpower staff rudely
asked to examine the women's passports.

I would like to appeal to the Manpower Office to deal with
Indonesian workers who work abroad in a more humane way because
they are certainly not criminals. Furthermore, let Immigration
examine their passports.

Name and address

withheld