Maids turn to prostitutes

Maids turn to prostitutes

From Media Indonesia

The report that appeared under Detik of Media Indonesia on Feb. 26, 1997, really caught my interest. It was a story on female workers (TKW) in Saudi Arabia.

I was truly pleased to have a Minister for the Role of Women who immediately flew to our place of work when she received the report.

However, I believe that the Minister did not need to fly out so quickly, as she was only partially successful. Foreign travels undertaken by any minister usually entails an entourage, which only adds to transportation and accommodation costs.

Aside from this, their visits cannot be separated from official protocol which dictates their arrangements. I do not think that a minister would wander around narrow alleys to gather objective and accurate information.

Her staff would not let her go around on her own, unless knew the area very well.

This sort of work might be done efficiently if the minister delegated it to someone who could be entrusted with the job, a person with investigative talents. Such a person may achieve a satisfying outcome.

There is no need to worry about informants who speak the language, there are enough Indonesian servants roaming around in Jeddah or Mecca, who would readily volunteer and point out these "sinful pockets" run in this country.

Apart from that, the Consul General in Jeddah must have more data on the subject since they reported the matter in the first place.

As to the denial of the Minister of Manpower and the Saudi Arabian Ambassador, this should be supported with more accurate information and objective data. Statements made by high officials should reflect their professionalism.

Scandal is not an ethical subject for a paper really, but what to do about it. Our sense of nationalism is stronger than our sense of shame, and has been hurt and disgraced by certain women of Indonesian nationality. I could not face some locals, migrants, who openly admired the services of our women. Aggression, dormant within me, rose to the surface in an effort to defend the nation.

However, what is there to defend if the truth is different? It is too embarrassing and too painful.

Those who authorized the decisions in this country, must be informed that these shameful "flesh traders" are illegal residents who live in areas which the arm of the law is unable to reach.

RASULI

Mecca, Saudi Arabia