Kuwait Embassy responds

Regarding the article published in The Jakarta Post on March 4, titled Nuwa Wea hears horror stories of RI maids, allow me to clarify certain points.

I admit that there are serious problems involving several domestic Indonesian employees working in Kuwait, as I mentioned in a number of interviews.

They cannot be solved overnight, particularly legal cases currently in court. However, let me assure you that our respective governments are both working hard to improve the situation. I believe that the root of such problems can be addressed by looking at the onset of the employment of these people, in particular how they were recruited by employment agencies.

It is clear from this that there are irresponsible recruiting agencies that failed to prepare and inform adequately these people on what is expected in Kuwait or other countries. For our part we are very much aware of the problems that face the workers and are attempting to address such issues through three ministry task forces and the Kuwait Red Cross.

I personally contacted Ambassador Hadromi Nakim and related Indonesian ministries to seek a suitable solution to this important humanitarian case. I also visited the annex building to the Indonesian Embassy in Kuwait, which currently accommodates Indonesian workers seeking shelter.

We are now trying to repatriate these workers at the cost of the Kuwaiti government, pending the completion of certain formalities.

There was no intention on my part to avoid your reporters due to miscommunication. However, I would be open to another meeting to talk to you in the near future. I can be contacted on the following numbers: 3928069 or 52964953.

MOHAMED FADEL KHALAF, Ambassador of the State of Kuwait, Jakarta