Malaysia is one of Asia's biggest employers of foreign labour. But recently, cases of deaths, abuse and forced labour have come to light. What is going on? Who is protecting these migrant workers?
"The government will ratify the convention because Indonesia
is one of the biggest exporters of migrant workers," the ministry`s deputy
director of human rights and humanitarian affairs Suryana Sastradiredja said on
Thursday.
<P>Speaking at a seminar jointly held by the Aceh administration
and the ministry, Suryana said none of the 35 countries that signed the convention
on Sept 22, 2004 had ratified it.</P><P>Ratifying the convention which is one
of the main human rights instruments is part of efforts to lay an international
legal basis for the protection of migrant workers` rights, he said.</P><P>Nearly
4 million Indonesian citizens currently work abroad with 76 percent of them employed
as domestic helpers.</P><P>The Middle East is the main destination of Indonesian
migrant workers, followed by Malaysia and Hong Kong.(*)</P>
<P><I>Source: http://www.antara.co.id/en/seenws/?id=27555</I>
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