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