Over 250 illegal workers arrive from Saudi Arabia

Over 250 illegal workers arrive from Saudi Arabia

JAKARTA (JP): The first batch of returning Indonesian workers
being evacuated in a major airlift operation arrived here
yesterday with 258 aboard a Garuda Indonesia flight.

Upon their arrival at Soekarno-Hatta Airport they were greeted
by Minister of Manpower Abdul Latief who draped flowers around
the necks of three returning workers.

"Welcome home," said a smiling Latief as they disembarked the
Boeing 707 plane.

Armed Forces spokesman A. Wahab Mokodongan said this was the
first large batch arriving home. Others have already returned but
only in very small numbers.

The government has committed itself to returning 10,000
"problematic" workers in Saudi Arabia. Most of their work permits
have either expired or they have been working in the oil-rich
Kingdom illegally.

In July, the Saudi government launched a campaign to flush out
foreigners working illegally. They threatened to jail illegal
workers for six-months and fine them US$26,000 if they failed to
get a permit or leave the country by Oct. 16.

Thousands of illegal Asian and African workers rushed to leave
Saudi Arabia but many remained stuck in deportation centers.

There are at least 10,000 Indonesians waiting to leave Saudi
Arabia -- 7,000 are sheltering at the Indonesian Consulate
General in Jeddah, 2,900 at the Haj Center in Jeddah and at least
100 in Riyadh.

The government has promised to bring them home at the
government's expense.

But Latief yesterday revealed that the immediate funds for the
mass repatriation would be taken from PT Jamsostek.

The state-owned company collects funds from workers' salaries
to manage a social security program in the fields of savings,
occupational health, health care and pension funds.

"That was an order from the President," he said adding that PT
Jamsostek has made huge profits and its funds were the most
readily available.

Latief would not say how much the repatriation would cost but
it is estimated to be about $300 for each person.

The Armed Forces also sent the first of six Armed Forces'
aircraft yesterday to help the repatriation.

The Boeing 707 flew out of Halim Perdanakusuma military air
base for Jeddah where it will pick up 165 workers. It is due to
return tomorrow.

The other five military aircraft, all Hercules C-130s, are due
to leave in the next few days.

Garuda has added six extra flights to its usual schedule of
three flights per week to Saudi Arabia.

"I expect at least 700 to 1,000 workers can be flown back to
Indonesia per day," Latief said.

The government plans to complete the repatriation mission by
Nov. 8.

The airlift operation comes amid public concern of Indonesian
workers in Saudi Arabia following the execution of maid Soleha
Anam Kadiran last month after she was convicted of murder.

Another maid, Nasiroh Karmudin, is awaiting the verdict of a
murder charge and could face the same fate.

The government has been criticized for its slow reaction in
coming to the aid of both workers.

Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ali Alatas, said
yesterday that the government was often not promptly informed
about such issues.

"This is a problem we sometimes face, not only in Saudi Arabia
but also in other countries, that the news comes too late," he
told reporters yesterday.

Separately, the women's rights group Solidaritas Perempuan
(Women's Solidarity), held a demonstration outside the Saudi
Arabian Embassy here to express their concern over the impending
fate of 24-year-old Nasiroh.

Tati Krisnawaty, who led some 20 activists, urged the
government to seek all possible avenues for her release.

Nasiroh is currently in jail in Gassim, Saudi Arabia. She
allegedly shot her employer after claiming she had been sexually
assaulted.

The demonstrators presented an open letter to Saudi Arabia's
King Fahd, urging him to "help find a fair resolution for
Nasiroh".

Minister Latief earlier yesterday denied reports in Pos Kota
daily that Nasiroh will be executed today after Friday prayers in
Gassim. "That was a mere rumor, we have not been informed," he
said. (10/prb/amd/aan)