'Migrant workers are like human punching bags'

'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