Indonesia bans maids recruitment to Kuwait

Monday, October 19, 2009

Published Date: October 15, 2009
By Ben Garcia, Staff writer
http://www.kuwaittimes.net/read_news.php?newsid=NzAyNzQ0NjU3

UWAIT: The Indonesian Labor Ministry has temporarily suspended deployment of Indonesian housemaids to Kuwait. The decision was implemented in Jakarta by the Indonesian Ministry of Labor at least until the issues of some 600 runaway housemaids are resolved.

We are sad to issue this decision, but it is for the greater benefit of our workers," said Indonesian Ambassador to Kuwait and Bahrain, Faisal Ismail, as he spoke with the Kuwait Times yesterday about the new development. "The Ministry of Labor in Jakarta implemented the order in mid-September. We currently have around 600 runaway housemaids at our embassy. They have issues that need to be resolved, and although the government of Kuwait has been very helpful, until their concerns are resolved we have to temporarily suspend deployment," said ambassador Ismail. "We shall enforce the order and we'll do our best to help our compatriots resolve their cases in Kuwait.

Ismail said more improvements when it comes to their worker's welfare in Kuwait were needed in order to scrap the new suspension order. "If Kuwait shows more improvements in how they can protect our workers and resolve our domestic laborers' issues, then we shall deploy workers once more. It has something to do with the improvement in treatment and conditions with regards to our workers. Yes, the issues here are many, but they are helping us. Meanwhile, the moratorium will continue until a new order comes
from our Ministry of Labor," he reiterated.

Meanwhile, Ambassador Ismail mentioned the complete termination of their previous cooperation with the Kuwait Union for Domestic Labor Offices (KUDLO) since their problems could not be settled by KUDLO alone. Months ago, KUDLO was accused by several local recruitment agencies of monopolizing the Indonesian domestic labor market. They promised that issues of Indonesian housemaids could be settled under their scheme, but they failed. KUDLO represents about 13 recruitment agencies against more than 400 other
agencies not associated or connected with KUDLO.

We already cut the cooperation agreement with KUDLO with regards to exclusive recruitment of our workers. As you know, there have been numerous oppositions to that scheme, and besides, they cannot resolve housemaid's cases alone," he said. There are around 80,000 Indonesians in Kuwait, of which 60,000 are engaged in domestic labor.