Lawyers to be available for RI migrant workers
Lawyers to be available for RI migrant workers
BANDUNG (JP): A minister said here on Saturday that in a bid
to protect Indonesians working abroad from abuse, the government
planned to provide them with lawyers.
Minister of Law and Legislation Yusril Ihza Mahendra said the
lawyers would help Indonesian workers who happened to get
involved in legal cases in the countries in which they worked.
"This (plan) will be significant in providing migrant workers
with appropriate legal protection, which the manpower ministry
has yet to give. The lawyers will deal with legal problems faced
by the workers, such as disputes with their employees or the
local government," Yusril said.
He did not go into detail on where the lawyers would be
posted, but said he had discussed the plan with manpower minister
Bomer Pasaribu and the Association of Labor Export Companies
(Apjati). The two had agreed to the plan, he said.
Legal protection for Indonesians, especially women, working
abroad became the focus of attention after an Indonesian woman
working as a maid in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) was sentenced
to death by stoning after falling pregnant after sleeping with an
Indian worker. She gave birth in prison.
Kartini bin Karim, who has been working in UAE since 1998,
claimed last week that she had been raped by the Indian worker.
Reports on Kartini have provoked strong reactions from both
the government and non-governmental organizations at home.
Director General of Labor Placement Din Samsuddin flew to the
UAE to visit Kartini and in hopes of having her life spared.
Upbeat Yusril said that once the migrant workers got into
trouble they could contact the lawyers. "One lawyer may represent
200 workers."
Indonesia has been sending mostly unskilled workers to
Singapore, Malaysia, the Gulf countries and other East Asia
countries.
"We will discuss a possible legal deal with the countries'
authorities on the plan," he said, adding that government
representatives would be traveling abroad on March 24 and March
25 on a fact-finding mission concerning the matter. (25/sur)