Migrant workers set up federation

JAKARTA: A group of migrant workers officially established an organization on Saturday to help them in their struggle for justice and fair treatment.

Called the Federation of Indonesian Migrant Workers (FOBMI), the organization groups migrant workers and organizations from across the country. Dina Nuriyati, a former migrant worker in Hong Kong, was named the group's first chairwoman.

In its manifesto, FOBMI said the government treated migrant workers as cash cows and turned a blind eye to their problems. It also stated that fraud was an inherent part of the lives of migrant workers because most were poorly informed about their rights.

From their recruitment to their return to Indonesia, migrant workers face fraud, violence, extortion and death but the government does nothing to defend them, the federation said.

Dina said the federation would operate in the regions from which many migrant workers come, to provide counseling and assistance to prospective and former migrant workers.

In the long run, FOBMI will establish chapters in Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan, she said. -- JP