RI migrants in HK protest over lack of protection

RI migrants in HK protest over lack of protection

HONG KONG (AP): About 500 Indonesian migrant workers in Hong Kong on Sunday protested in front of the Indonesian consulate against what they described as a lack of protection by their own government.

The demonstrators marched from outside Victoria Park in downtown Hong Kong to the nearby consulate, accusing the Indonesian government of turning a blind eye to its own citizens being exploited by employers overseas.

The Indonesian government forces workers to seek jobs through employment agencies that charge exorbitant fees, and hasn't taken any steps to prevent exploitation, said Sulastri, the chairwoman of the Hong Kong Coalition of Indonesian Migrant workers.

Some claimed they were charged as much as 30,000 Hong Kong dollars (US$3,846) by agencies for finding jobs, said Sulastri.

Indonesian workers said they would like to see their government sign agreements with other countries that would guarantee them protection against exploitation. In Hong Kong, labor laws offered foreign workers adequate legal rights such as minimum wage and mandatory holidays.

Sulastri said she would like the Indonesian government to ratify the 1990 UN convention on the protection of the rights of migrants workers and members of their families.

The Indonesian consulate was not available for comment on Sunday.

There are currently over 59,000 Indonesian migrant workers in Hong Kong, most of whom are domestic maids.