Open letter to the Malaysian Ambassador

Open letter to the Malaysian Ambassador

From Republika

Your Excellency,

With this letter, we, Women Solidarity, an NGO concerned with
issues related to migrant workers, wish to put forward some
matters relative to the protection of Indonesian workers in
Malaysia.

A few days ago, we were all startled by the sad news of the
death of eight Indonesian illegal workers and a Malaysian
policeman as a result of a riot in the Semenyih immigration
detention camp.

So far, there have been no reports in the media -- Indonesian,
Malaysian or other international media -- regarding the identity
of the eight victims, the number of missing people and the number
of injured people. We are in close contact with the families of
the workers in several regions in Indonesia. They are worried and
restless about the lack of clear information.

We are aware that the problem of illegal workers is the
responsibility of both sides, the Indonesian and the Malaysian
government. The huge flow of illegal workers is the result of
complex bureaucracy and the high cost attached to it, the slack
control on the mafia in the trade of workers and the tolerance of
parties which make a profit from employing illegal workers.

A number of incidents have shown that the illegal workers have
to bear the heaviest burden because of the weakness in their
position and protection -- both in the country of origin and in
the country of destination. They must face various problems in
the country of destination, such as extortion, violence, sexual
abuse and expropriation of property painstakingly acquired.
These are phenomena contrary to the International Convention of
1990 on the Protection of Migrant Workers and their Families,
which, regrettably, has not been ratified either by the Malaysian
or the Indonesian government.

In consideration of the above, we wish, by this simple letter,
to urge the Malaysian government to take the following steps:

1. Publish immediately the names of the dead illegal workers
and of people injured as a result of the riots in the Semenyih
immigration detention camp.

2. Cease the violent actions of the Malaysian security forces,
including the expropriation of the illegal workers' property.

3. Postpone deportation until publishing the identity of the
workers detained at the immigration detention camp.

4. Determine policies that are more humanitarian in responding
to the matter of illegal workers.

We thank you, Your Excellency, for your concern and
cooperation.

TATY KRISNAWATI

Chairwoman of the Executive Board

of Women Solidarity

Jakarta