JEDDAH/RIYADH, 22 August 2007 — One of the Indonesian maids allegedly beaten up by her employers two weeks ago was taken into custody on Monday from hospital where she was being treated for her injuries.
The Indonesian Embassy was not informed beforehand of the transfer nor has it been allowed official access to the woman or her fellow maid, who was also beaten up by the employers and is still in hospital.
“Tari Tarsim, 27, has been taken away by police to an unknown destination, while Ruminih Surtim, 25, is still in the hospital recovering from her injuries,” Sukamto Javaladi, labor counselor at the Indonesian Embassy, told Arab News yesterday.
A vicious attack two weeks ago on four maids working for the same employers in Aflaj in the Riyadh region resulted in the death of Siti Tarwiyah Slamet, 32, and Susmiyati Abdul Fulan, 28. Tari and Ruminih were left severely injured in the incident. Seven members of the family that the maids were working for are also being held.
The Indonesian Embassy has not yet been officially notified of the incident and only found out about it through Indonesian nationals in Aflaj.
Tarsim and Surtim were admitted into intensive care at Aflaj General Hospital and then were transferred last week to the Riyadh Medical Complex where they have been placed under 24-hour police guard.
“Tari was transferred to police custody yesterday (Monday) but we don’t know why,” said Adi Dzul Fuat, vice consul at the Indonesian Embassy. “The policewoman guarding their room at the hospital told us that Tari has been transferred to jail,” he said.
The embassy has not yet been given a copy of the medical report or allowed access to pictures of the victims. According to doctors Ruminih would take at least seven more days to get recover. Tari came to the Kingdom in early January, while Ruminih has been in the Kingdom since October last year.
Tarsim spoke to Arab News about the attack when she was at Aflaj Hospital. She said that the 17-year-old son of her employer whipped her with his igal accusing her of practicing witchcraft.
The Indonesian Embassy is worried that once Surtim’s condition improves she would also be taken into custody. The maids have been denied access to visitors and legal consultation.
“Not allowing officials from the embassy to visit the two maids is in violation of the international Vienna Convention on Consular Relations of 1963 Article 36 and not informing the embassy of the two maids’ death without delay is a violation of the convention’s Article 37. And denying the maids legal consultation is in violation of Investigation and Public Prosecution Procedures in Saudi Arabia, which states that every accused has the right to have a lawyer present during questioning and to have legal representation,” said Nasser Al-Dandani, the lawyer hired by the embassy to follow up on the case.
Speaking about accusations that the maids practiced witchcraft, which is a legal offense, Al-Dandani said, “The maids are denying this completely. And regardless of whether it is true or not, the accusations do not give employers the right to beat them and kill them.”
The Indonesian Embassy has requested, through diplomatic channels, custody of the two maids and assured authorities that they would ensure they would cooperate with police. However, a response has not yet been received.
The embassy has also informed the victims’ families in Indonesia. An autopsy has been carried out on the bodies of Siti Tarwiyah Slamet and Susmiyati Abdul Fulan.
However, the embassy personnel have not been permitted to see the bodies.
Adi hoped that the two bodies would be repatriated to Indonesia as soon as the investigation is over and that the two surviving maids, who have suffered physical and emotional distress, are allowed to return to Indonesia as soon as possible.
“I believe the Saudi government will hold the perpetrators accountable according to its justice system,” he added.
Adi said that the families of the deceased have requested the mission to send the bodies home.
“We have to respect the wishes of the bereaved family, therefore, we are very keen on sending the bodies back home as soon as the police investigations are over,” Adi said.
Adi added that the embassy usually learns of abuse cases against Indonesian domestic workers from workers or newspapers and tries to obtain information and track down the perpetrators themselves.
“We would like to have access to the surviving victims and to have a power of attorney from them allowing the lawyer to represent them,” said Adi. The power of attorney form is obtained through Saudi authorities.
He pointed out that the two survivors of the incident are still in a traumatic state and he does not think that the victims will be in a position to give proper evidence in the case till they recover from the mental shock.
