'Migrant workers are like human punching bags'
Many returning migrant workers have sad stories to tell of being mistreated at the hands of their employers. Over the last two weeks alone, at least 15 migrant workers, mostly women, have been hospitalized upon their return to Jakarta with injuries and psychological trauma. The Jakarta Post spoke with several people about this issue.
Umar MS, 45, is a driver with the Morante Taxi Group. He lives in East Bekasi with his wife and three children:
I have been following the issue of the abuse of our migrant workers in the media. I have a lot of sympathy for their fate. I have heard they are tortured, mistreated, raped and still poorly paid.
I think the government must stop sending migrant workers to countries which have been proven hostile to our workers. The strict laws and morality police in some countries might lead some employers to take out their suppressed anger on our workers.
If we continue to send our workers to those countries, they will continue to suffer violence and mistreatment. They just end up like human punching bags, there just for the pleasure of sadistic employers. And we all know that the government fails to protect them.
If the government cannot do anything to protect our workers abroad, it would be better at the very least if they prohibited our workers from being sent to hostile countries? Just send our workers to countries that can ensure better salaries and treatment for our workers.
Cliff D. Inkirawang, 26, is a security guard at the Mulia Senayan Hotel in Central Jakarta. He lives on Jl. Percetakan Negara in Central Jakarta:
"I don't know why people are still interested in going abroad as migrant workers with all these horror stories being told by returning workers of the abuse they suffered.
I think, on the one hand, people must open their eyes and ears to all the reports of the mistreatment of migrant workers before making the decision to work abroad.
On the other hand, the government must improve its commitment to protecting our workers. They are Indonesian citizens and the government must protect them even when they are abroad.
It is also the government's duty to ensure the workers are able to return home safely without being extorted by unscrupulous officials and thugs here.
-- Damar Harsanto