RIYADH, 6 May 2003 — The Indonesian Embassy here is in close contact with Saudi authorities for the release of 100 female migrant workers detained in the Kingdom for working as prostitutes.
“The embassy is aware of and is following up the case of Indonesians detained in the Kingdom,” an embassy spokesman told Arab News yesterday. He declined further comment pending the return of Ambassador Basuni, who is currently visiting Jakarta.
The spokesman was commenting on reports from Jakarta yesterday that Indonesia was lobbying Saudi authorities to release the 100 sex workers. Indonesian Manpower Minister Jacob Nuwa Wea had asked Ambassador Basuni to head the lobbying process.
“Right now, the government, through Ambassador Basuni, is holding talks for the possible release of the women,” Dwi Yanto, a ministry spokesman in Jakarta told AFP.
He said the women had originally come to Saudi Arabia as domestic workers but met other Indonesians who persuaded them to become prostitutes. “They became sex workers due to the promise of more money,” he said.
Nuwa Wea, quoted by yesterday’s Jakarta Post, said the women were nabbed in brothel raids in several Saudi cities. “Some of them left their workplaces and sought Indonesian pimps who hired them out. Others stayed on, after performing Haj, to work as prostitutes,” the Post quoted him as saying.
Saudi Arabia is the largest market for Indonesian house maids. Arab News reported on Monday said the Kingdom might stop hiring Indonesian domestic staff if Jakarta failed to remove obstacles to labor recruitment. Jakarta had suspended export of manpower to the Kingdom on Feb.2, reportedly to allow comprehensive administrative reforms at the Indonesian recruitment agencies and to put an end to visa racketeering.
