No help for maid on death row

BANDUNG: The head of the West Java office of Ministry of Manpower said his office was not responsible for a local maid working in the United Arab Emirates who received the death sentence for adultery.

Tjepi F. Alowie said on Thursday his office merely provided training for Kartini Karim, 35, who is now awaiting execution.

Kartini, who hails from Karawang regency, was sentenced on Sunday to be stoned to death.

She had worked as a maid in the United Arab Emirates since February 1998 and was arrested for adultery after the authorities discovered she was pregnant with a child conceived out of wedlock.

Her now five-month-old baby was born in the prison in Fujairah.

Tjepi maintained that the matter should be the responsibility of the Indonesian labor company which sent her abroad.

He did not reveal the name of the labor company. (01/25)