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Discuss this article (7 Comments)Indonesia bans sending maids to Kuwait over abuse
by This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it on Thursday, 15 October 2009
MAID BAN: Indonesia has indefinitely suspended sending domestic helpers to Kuwait due to concern over abuse. (Getty Images)
Indonesia has indefinitely suspended the traffic of domestic helpers to Kuwait due to concern over widespread abuse and exploitation by their employers, the labour ministry said Thursday.
About 500 women with complaints ranging from physical beatings to the denial of pay are sheltering at the Indonesian embassy in the oil-rich Gulf emirate, awaiting assistance to be sent home, ministry spokesman Budhi Laksana told AFP.
At Indonesia's request, Kuwait stopped accepting new maid arrivals on September 14, he said.
"We have temporarily stopped sending domestic helpers to Kuwait since September 14 to protect our helpers who had problems with their employers there," Laksana said.
"The suspension will go on indefinitely until the problems are sorted out."
There are around 60,000 Indonesian domestic helpers in Kuwait and they are typically paid as little as 60 Kuwaiti dinars ($210) a month, he said.
"Most said they were owed salaries and when they asked their employers for the money, they were beaten up and some ended up in hospital," Laksana said, referring to the 500 women at the embassy.
Indonesia imposed a similar ban on sending maids to Malaysia in June, after a 43-year-old Malaysian woman was charged with causing grievous bodily harm by beating and scalding her Indonesian employee her with boiling water.
"We haven't lifted the ban in Malaysia because the problems our helpers faced there haven't been solved," Laksana said.
READERS' COMMENTS
Disclaimer: The views expressed here by our readers are not necessarily shared by ArabianBusiness.com or its employees.
Kuwaiti maid bashing
Posted by George, Nottingham, UK on Friday 29 January 2010 at 13:43 UAE time
It wasn't that long ago about maids being beaten by their employers in London, and yes it was Kuwaitis doing the bashing then.
They don't change!
Posted by George, Nottingham, UK on Friday 29 January 2010 at 13:43 UAE time
It wasn't that long ago about maids being beaten by their employers in London, and yes it was Kuwaitis doing the bashing then.
They don't change!
To Mohad Ali
Posted by Dan, Stockholm, Sweden on Friday 23 October 2009 at 20:33 UAE time
Sorry to say, but the whole Middle East is graded as third world. Including Kuwait.
Posted by Dan, Stockholm, Sweden on Friday 23 October 2009 at 20:33 UAE time
Sorry to say, but the whole Middle East is graded as third world. Including Kuwait.
Blame oneself and own country
Posted by Mohd Ali, dubai, uae on Friday 23 October 2009 at 12:56 UAE time
Third world countries shame on you! Your governments have no concern for you. Better stay in your own country and stop blaming citizens of the countries where you come to work.
Posted by Mohd Ali, dubai, uae on Friday 23 October 2009 at 12:56 UAE time
Third world countries shame on you! Your governments have no concern for you. Better stay in your own country and stop blaming citizens of the countries where you come to work.
..
Posted by Kevin on Sunday 18 October 2009 at 13:46 UAE time
It's about time the Indonesian Government paid attention on their people.
Other governments supplying such laborers must follow a similar practice.
These governments must also make it compulsory to have a minimum wage fixed for these positions.
Also to ensure salaries are paid in time, the government must open a bank account where in the employer must deposit the salary for a year in advance.
To ensure the protection of the employees and the employers, the government must control this account and make the salary payments on a monthly basis.
Did you know?
If the maid / cook / driver were to make a mistake, their salaries would get deducted?
For example, if the maid were to forget to water the plants, 5 Kwd would be deducted from their 60 Kwd salaries.
If Arabian Business were to need confirmation on this, then they should go ahead and acquire the information.
Think of the "slave scandal" in the camps of the construction companies, no one would ever consider them until the detail exposure went splashed on the media.
Posted by Kevin on Sunday 18 October 2009 at 13:46 UAE time
It's about time the Indonesian Government paid attention on their people.
Other governments supplying such laborers must follow a similar practice.
These governments must also make it compulsory to have a minimum wage fixed for these positions.
Also to ensure salaries are paid in time, the government must open a bank account where in the employer must deposit the salary for a year in advance.
To ensure the protection of the employees and the employers, the government must control this account and make the salary payments on a monthly basis.
Did you know?
If the maid / cook / driver were to make a mistake, their salaries would get deducted?
For example, if the maid were to forget to water the plants, 5 Kwd would be deducted from their 60 Kwd salaries.
If Arabian Business were to need confirmation on this, then they should go ahead and acquire the information.
Think of the "slave scandal" in the camps of the construction companies, no one would ever consider them until the detail exposure went splashed on the media.
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