News on Nasiroh's escape from death brings joy
News on Nasiroh's escape from death brings joy
JAKARTA (JP): The nation rejoiced in the news that Nasiroh
Karmudin was saved from a possible death sentence, but remained
wary over the fact that many Indonesians could still be
imprisoned in Saudi Arabia.
Minister of Manpower Abdul Latief said the government was
preparing to send a team to the oil-rich kingdom to examine the
fate of Indonesians incarcerated there.
"I've asked for complete details regarding all Indonesians
currently in prison in Saudi Arabia," Latief said yesterday.
"We will send another team on Saturday which will include the
Ministry of Manpower's Secretary General and other high ranking
officials. They will gather information on all of the Indonesians
there," he told reporters after meeting with President Soeharto
at Merdeka Palace yesterday.
Nasiroh, 24, was awaiting sentencing after she initially
admitted having murdered her employer in 1994. She has been in
jail in Gassim since then.
News of a possible death penalty for Nasiroh came in the wake
of an execution of another Indonesian maid, Soleha Anam Kadiran.
The government has been heavily criticized for acting slowly
in both cases.
On Wednesday the government announced that the deceased's
family forgave Nasiroh and she would not have to face the death
penalty.
Latief yesterday revealed that a team which included Said
Umar, head of the legal division of the Association of Labor
Export Companies (APJATI), engaged in talks which helped rescue
Nasiroh.
The team also included Nasiroh's brother, Majid, who persuaded
Nasiroh to change her confession.
Latief remarked that President Soeharto said "Alhamdulillah"
(thank God) when told that Nasiroh would be saved.
When pressed further over reports that Nasiroh had written a
letter disclosing that 16 other Indonesians were facing a death
sentence, Latief replied that her information might only be from
rumors.
"If you want to know the truth, ask God. We don't know,"
Latief said.
Separately Nasiroh's mother, Soleha, also expressed her
delight upon hearing that her daughter was spared.
She vowed to hold a thanksgiving gathering when Nasiroh
returned to her village in Cianjur, West Java.
Although saved from the death penalty, Nasiroh is still
expected to serve the remainder of her sentence and is not due to
be released until September.
Speaking on the repatriation of "problematic" Indonesian
workers in Saudi Arabia, Latief said 5,999 had been airlifted
home.
The number of workers to be returned has swelled from an
earlier prediction of 9,000 to a current number of nearly 17,000.
"They are continually arriving. Yesterday some 300 to 400 came
from Mecca," Latief said.
He said that a flight armada which included planes from three
airlines -- Garuda Indonesia, Saudi Airlines and Singapore
Airlines -- helped to shuttle 1,200 workers a day.
"Insya Allah, we have targeted the airlift to be completed by
Nov. 11," Latief said. (09/prb)