RIYADH, 3 July 2005 — In a gesture of support, the government has given SR50,000 in cash and ordered free medical treatment to a young Indonesian housemaid, Tarsen Embuk. Her left hand was amputated following an accidental injury she sustained during a gunbattle between the security forces and terrorists in Qassim recently.
The Ministry of Interior will also bear the cost of Tarsen’s two relatives, who will shortly be flown to Riyadh to look after the maid.
“The government has issued visas for maid’s brother Marta Embuk and her aunt Uar Suwarsih. Tarsen, 25, is currently recovering at the Prince Sultan Humanitarian City in Riyadh,” said M. Sukiarto, labor attache at the Indonesian Embassy, on Saturday.
Sukiarto said Tarsen received bullet injuries during a clash between the security forces and the terrorists at Al-Rass district in Al-Qassim. The gunbattle, which lasted three days, ended on April 5 after security forces managed to overpower the terrorists.
Sukiarto could not say how the housemaid received the injury other than she was found lying in a pool of blood before she was admitted to the King Fahd Hospital. “She is the portrait of a courageous woman, who symbolizes extraordinary bravery when thrust into unexpected life-and-death situation. The honor was conferred by the Saudi government not only on Tarsen but on all the Indonesian community,” said the labor attache.
On behalf of the Indonesian people, Sukiarto thanked the Saudi officials for their support to the maid.
According to the medical report issued by the King Fahd Hospital, the maid suffered severe injuries to her left upper arm. “There were very severe lacerations of the lower arm, elbow and upper forearm with severe damage to the tissues and the blood supply of the distal forearm,” said the medical report issued by Dr. Atif Surour, director of the King Fahd Hospital, and Dr. Hussein Ahamed, consultant orthosurgeon.
It was discovered after an X-ray that this case of gunshot injury was particularly complicated. The case was then discussed by a panel of vascular surgeons and neurosurgeons, who decided to carry out the amputation.
The maid has also been given thousands of riyals in cash and kind both by her Saudi sponsor and her well-wishers. She was transferred from Qassim hospital to Prince Sultan Humanitarian City last month.
