Kartini's freedom

Kartini's freedom

From Gamma

The demands and hopes from many circles that Kartini Binti
Karim, an Indonesian migrant worker spared from being stoned to
death for suspected adultery, have been fulfilled. The Council of
Judges of Fujairah Court, United Arab Emirates, declared Kartini
free.

In this context, Legal Aid Institute-Association of Women for
Justice (LBH-APIK) highly appreciates the Indonesian government
for its noble work. LBH-APIK needs to emphasize that the Kartini
case should be made a significant lesson.

The institute is aware of how weak the government's protection
is for Indonesian migrant workers, including those who work in
Saudi Arabia. Improvements must be made on the procedures of
recruitment, accommodation, shipment of workers and their return
to Indonesia.

Concretely the government should do the following things:

* Provide in major airports all over the country special posts,
in cooperation with NGOs, to supervise the departure and the
arrival of the migrant workers. The service of the post should
include imparting information and giving guidance on how to take
care of themselves right from departure to the recipient country
until their return to Indonesia.

* To place an agency (together with NGOs) at every recipient
country in an effort to help migrant workers settle any problems,
should they arise. The workers should be informed of the
existence of such agencies.

* To establish a bilateral cooperation with the recipient
countries to protect the workers.

* To ratify the international convention on protection for
migrant workers.

SRI WIYANTI EDDYONO

Jakarta