Minister Theo faces first demonstration

Minister Theo faces first demonstration

JAKARTA (JP): Thirty activists and relatives of migrant
workers demanded yesterday that new Minister of Manpower Theo L.
Sambuaga step in and save five Indonesian workers possibly facing
the death penalty abroad.

Staging a demonstration outside the ministry, the activists of
Solidaritas Perempuan (Women's Solidarity) said Warni Sawiran and
Dimyati Usro may be beheaded if convicted of murders in Saudi
Arabia. Said Sangkala, Kasman Samad and Erfan Hamid were facing
possible execution by hanging in Malaysia.

"Be they legal or illegal workers, they are Indonesian
citizens who deserve protection," a poster displayed during the
demonstration read.

The Ministry of Manpower's director general of labor
placement, Jack Iskandarsyah, said earlier Dimyati was being
tried for allegedly murdering his employer's wife and parents,
while Warni for allegedly bludgeoning his employer to death.

No information was available on the three workers standing
trial for alleged murders in Malaysia. If convicted they could
face death.

In yesterday's protest, the activists and relatives of the
migrant workers called for "suspension" of death penalties.

A theatrical act of beheading, performed by a black-clad male
activist, was also staged yesterday. A small number of troops and
police kept a close watch on the protesters from inside the
ministry compound, which was closed off to the activists as soon
as they began their protest.

Later in the day, a delegation of five led by Solidaritas
Perempuan leader Tati Krisnawaty was allowed into the ministry to
deliver their petition. Minister Theo was not in the office, but
the activists were met by information official Hermanto.

The protesters said Manpower Law No. 25/1997 failed to provide
sufficient protection for migrant workers.

"We call on the government to ratify as soon as possible the
International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All
Migrant Workers and Members of their Families, (which was issued
in) 1990," they said in their statement.

Last year, Indonesians were shocked when news broke that a
migrant worker, Solehah Anam Kadiran, had been beheaded in Mecca,
Saudi Arabia, in September.

She had been convicted of killing her employer.

People were even more outraged when they learned that Nasiroh
Karmudin, another female Indonesian worker in Saudi Arabia, also
faced possible execution for a similar crime.

However, intensive diplomatic efforts worked in Nasiroh's
favor and she escaped the death penalty after one of the murdered
man's wives pardoned her. (aan)