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Indonesia hits Arab states with worker ban

DUBAI - Indonesia is to repatriate around 1,750 nationals working in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Jordan and place a ban on its citizens working in these countries due to mistreatment, its manpower minister said in remarks published on Tuesday.

"At least 1,750 migrant workers employed in the Middle East will be repatriated and for this purpose the government will send aircraft to the Middle East starting on November 9," Muhaimin Iskandar was quoted as saying by the Indonesian News Agency (Antara).

Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Iskandar said there were numerous instances of workers were not being paid and suffering physical abuse.

"Indonesians in these countries are working in appalling conditions because they are not being treated justly. Many of them become victims of violence and live in conditions below minimum welfare standards," he said.

"In some of the Middle Eastern countries, the rate of violations by employers against migrant workers is quite high,” he added.

Iskandar said the government plans to strengthen its recruitment procedures for citizens going abroad, including the protection of workers’ rights.

"Improvements will in the first place have to be made in the recruitment and training systems, provision of health services, transportation to airports and eventually in the workers` protection in destination countries to prevent the recurrence of abuses," he said.

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User Comments
Husain
Nov 10, 2009 at 07:45
I agree with Khalid, employers suffer more than employees.
msallati
Nov 06, 2009 at 11:19
I think countries (India, Pakistan, SRilanka, Bangladesh, Indonesia and Philippines) are equally responsible for the plight of workers. Most of Arab people are corrupt minded. The travel agents of these countries also responsible. The governments of these countries should implement strict law to avoid any breach of contract. First all respective govt and embassies/consulates of Arab countries should take bank guarantee/deposit to protect the rights of worker. Implementing this condition surely drop the violation of human rights and other ill practices doing by the employers in these countries.
Peter
Nov 04, 2009 at 22:04
Bravo! I wish that all foreign missions have the same outlook for all their citizens working abroad. I hope they sit up and take note of what the Indonesian government is doing for its people working over seas.

The employers in the GCC should start looking after their employees also as the news will spread and guess what it is going to get increasingly more difficult to get new staff. New staff is going to get hard to come by and if you treat them badly the word will spread and the employers will start getting a reputation. In fact I think it is high time that employers get named and shamed for transgressions towards their employees.

Anyway that is my 10 fils worth...

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