RIYADH, 3 April 2005 — Indonesian Minister of Labor and Transmigration Fahmi Idris has expressed grave concern on the condition of Indonesian maid Nour Miyati whose four fingers were amputated at a local hospital the other day. Miyati developed gangrene in her hands and feet after being tied up for a month in a bathroom by her sponsor.

M. Sugiarto, labor attache, and Arif Suyoko, first secretary, at the Indonesian Embassy said yesterday the minister is personally concerned about the case. Idris revoked the licenses of 28 Indonesian labor exporting companies for neglecting workers they sent overseas. Lawsuits have been filed against four companies for poorly handling the recruitment and deployment of workers overseas. It was not immediately known whether the companies also include the agency, which hired Miyati for Saudi Arabia.

Asked about similar torture cases, Sugiarto said “such severe cases of beatings are rare”. He, however, expressed concerns over the growing plight of Indonesian maids and said some 853 cases of torture of housemaids were reported to the embassy in 2004 alone.

“In one case, four runaway maids were rescued from a makeshift brothel in the capital and were repatriated to Jakarta,” said Sugiarto. He said these maids were abducted en route to the embassy on the pretext of helping them and then sold as prostitutes.

Sugiarto pointed out that “more than 586 maids including 86 taking shelter in the embassy-run safe house are awaiting deportation”.

A growing number of requests for assistance from maids to the embassy and the Jeddah-based consulate are being made on a daily basis. Indonesian Ministry of Labor has asked the embassy to follow up the case of Miyati, appoint a lawyer and ensure conclusion of the case in favor of the victim within the framework of Shariah laws.

“We are very thankful to the Saudi officials, who have been extending all support to us,” Sugiarto said.

About the condition of Miyati, he said: “Doctors attending on the maid may not amputate her toes that have of late shown signs of recovery. Miyati’s forefinger of the right hand besides middle finger, forefinger and thumb of the left hand have been amputated in the first phase of surgery. In the second phase, we may go for plastic surgery of certain limbs and body parts.”

He also pointed out that the ban on recruitment of Indonesian maids still continues. “At the same time, we are working to set up task forces in nine Saudi cities comprising leaders of the Indonesian community to look after our female workers. The task force will be initially set up in Riyadh, Qasim, Dammam, Hail and Hofuf,” said Sugiarto.

The Kingdom is home to over 600,000 Indonesian women workers.