Indonesia

Latest news: Indonesia to Ratify UN's Convention on Migrant Rights Within 2 Years: Minister

Tuesday, 10 April 2012 11:48

Indonesia will ratify the UN convention protecting migrant workers within two years, Manpower and Transmigration Minister Muhaimin Iskandar announced on Tuesday.

He said the government, which has delayed ratification of the 1990 convention despite having signed it in September 2004, was preparing the necessary regulations.

"Ratifying the convention means that Indonesia needs to ensure freedom of establishing labor organizations, insurance and legal aid for Indonesian migrant workers overseas," Muhaimin said.

"We are working on this. I can see that we will finish preparations on the regulations and budget within one or two years."

President Yudhoyono Protests Saudi Beheading

Friday, 24 June 2011 04:30

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From VIVAnews

23 June 2011, 13:36 WIB
Bayu Galih, Fadila Fikriani Armadita
Translated by Indah Lestari

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono eventually spoke about the death execution of Indonesian migrant worker from Bekasi, Ruyati binti Satubi. Accompanied by some ministers, President Yudhoyono held a press conference at the Presidential Palace this morning.

“I’m also in mourning. I’m concerned over the issue and deliver a protest to Saudi Arabia,” said Yudhoyono at the president’s office, Thursday, June 23, 2011.

Three of his ministers, Foreign Affairs Minister Marty Natalegawa, Justice and Human Rights Minister Patrialis Akbar and Manpower and Transmigration State Minister Muhaimin Iskandar gave explanations. According to Yudhoyono, the three ministers are related to the matter of Indonesian citizen’s protection and vindication.

The Indonesian government, said Yudhoyono, protests against Ruyati’s death execution because it in fact violates international norm. Moreover, the Indonesian government was not informed about the execution.

In the press conference, President Yudhoyono also responded to the rebuke against the government, deemed failed to protect its citizen abroad. According to Yudhoyono, the rebuke was unnecessary if the problem was clear.

“Thus I believe I need to give a clear explanation to Indonesian people about the what, why and how,” Yudhoyono went on.

Indonesian maid's beheading is a blow to President Yudhoyono's claims

Tuesday, 21 June 2011 04:12

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From The Jakarta Post/Asia News Network

Mon, 20 June 2011

While President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was busy boasting to the world of his success in protecting Indonesia's migrant workers, the brutal execution of an Indonesian maid in Saudi Arabia may prove otherwise.

As Yudhoyono returned to Jakarta after six-day foreign visit, including to Geneva, Switzerland, where he boasted of his success in cooperating with other countries to protect Indonesian migrant workers, the beheading of Ruyati binti Satubi by the Saudi government, the clip of which was posted on Saudi Arabia-based alriyadh.com, has shocked many Indonesians at home.

Human rights activists and experts were quick to call Yudhoyono's speech shameful and worthless while others said Indonesia's diplomacy failed because NGOs knew about the execution well before the Foreign Ministry did.

"The beheading of Ruyati shows Yudhoyono's speech at the ILC [International Labour Conference] meeting was just empty. The fact is the government fails to protect migrant workers," Migrant Care executive director Anis Hidayah told The Jakarta Post on Sunday.

"The beheading is also clearly an embarrassment for Yudhoyono. The question is why did Saudi Arabia execute Ruyati? Were there any efforts by Yudhoyono to persuade the Saudi government to stop the execution?"