Gov't: Dozens of Indonesian migrant workers face execution in Saudi Arabia

[News_Editor]

Gov't: Dozens of Indonesian migrant workers face execution in Saudi Arabia

2011-06-21 00:15:45 GMT+7 (ICT)

JAKARTA, INDONESIA (BNO NEWS) -- At least 22 Indonesian migrant workers could be facing execution for crimes they committed in Saudi Arabia, the Indonesian Foreign Ministry said, saying it designated Rp 4.6 billion ($534,000) of its budget to help one of the workers.

Indonesian Law and Human Rights Minister Patrialis Akbar told the Antara news agency that 22 out of 316 Indonesians in Saudi Arabia are involved in legal cases that could lead to execution by beheading, as happened to house maid Ruyati binti Satubi last Saturday.

The information was gathered after the Indonesian law and human rights minister met with relevant ministers in Saudi Arabia in order to try to prevent migrant workers from being executed there. Following the meeting, the Saudi government agreed to possibly free troubled migrant workers who had not already been sentenced to death and could still receive a pardon from the victims' relatives.

In addition, Indonesia's House of Representatives' Commission approved the Rp 4.6 billion budget to assist migrant worker Darsem binti Dawud Tawar who was convicted of murdering her employer in May 2009. The victim's family has pardoned her, but the situation continues to press because she would need to pay financial compensation by July 7 in order to avoid execution, according to Saudi Arabian law.

Ruyati, 54, was beheaded last Saturday after confessing to the murder of the wife of her employer. The family of Ruyati said it planned to sue the Indonesian government for its lack of legal assistance, but Coordinating Public Welfare Minister Agung Laksono said the government lacked options since Ruyati had confessed to the murder.

Meanwhile, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono expressed his condolences over the death of the migrant worker. "The President is concerned and is truly saddened by what happened to Ruyati," presidential spokesman Julian Aldrin Pasha said Sunday. "The President instructed ministries involved to provide legal assistance to migrant workers that are facing legal cases."

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-06-21

[EnSvenskTiger]

Strange nation this SA! And the worlds response to all this strange to! But I guess they have some good friends so no bigg deal. Perhaps it will all change real soon and very rapidly? You never know these days do you?

Saudi Spring or something like that.

TTiger

[geriatrickid]

Saudi Arabia uses its version of Islamic law. Indonesia also uses Islamic law. This is a civil issue between two consenting Islamic countries. If you disagree, I suggest you consider preaching the Gospel of St. Mark to the Saudis . Better yet, consider opening a Bahia or Hebrew Temple. Failing that, the Jehovah Witnesses and Mormons are always up for a prosletyzing adventure.

[maidu]

Extradite 'em.

Saudi Arabia is a powder keg. It's going to have similar deep problems to its neighbors Syria and Yemen when the bubble bursts. Probably closer to Yemen's, but on a much larger scale. If the Saudi aristocracy aren't quaking in their gold enameled & sequined boots, they should be. If I were one of the gilded royalty there, I'd be securing property (and putting money) in a safe and sane country like Sweden or Switzerland - which I'm sure they're already doing.

Rhino horn-handled daggers and empty promises aren't going to shield them when the you-know-what hits the fan.

[Steely Dan]

It's common knowledge that the underground alcohol suppliers sell out weeks before a major Islamic conference in Saudi. The whole place is an amoral hypocritical cesspool where the population are no better off than under a medieval feudal system, whilst the rich elite indulge in every decadence the west has to offer.

P.S There is one very good reason why I think Saudi Arabia will unwind, but it's off topic.

[Scott]

Steely Dan, you are a cunning poster. You posted this:

P.S There is one very good reason why I think Saudi Arabia will unwind, but it's off topic.

You have piqued my curiosity. First why do you think Saudi Arabia will unwind and second, do you think this will impact the number of Indonesian's who get executed?

[Steely Dan]

Steely Dan, you are a cunning poster. You posted this:

P.S There is one very good reason why I think Saudi Arabia will unwind, but it's off topic.

You have piqued my curiosity. First why do you think Saudi Arabia will unwind and second, do you think this will impact the number of Indonesian's who get executed?

Scott,

Thanks, I think. I already surmised the newsfeed is not controlled directly by any of the mods, hence I refraimed from making any requests for a news item to be shown. But now you give me permission to stray a little I'm frankly amazed the following item has been kept so quiet;-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8QVAAFfcRg&feature=player_embedded

If Israel has oil reserves equal to half a trillion barrels of oil (more than Saudi) then I suspect Countries will be less likely to give OPEC nations a free pass with regards to their appaling human rights records if they can buy oil from a democracy. The likely future reduction in the oil price would likely also increase civil unrest in Arab Countries and the pressure on them to modernise will in my view greatly increase.

It's many steps along the chain but the rights of migrant workers in Saudi would also likely be improved by any concessions to modernity that Saudi are forced to make.

[snarky66]

I am with GK. Indonesians know full well the penalty for committing crimes in KSA. Both are Islamo states. What's the big deal? Ditto Malaysia & anywhere else that Islam is the State religion. (Pakistan, Iran).

[meom]

If Israel has oil reserves equal to half a trillion barrels of oil (more than Saudi) then I suspect Countries will be less likely to give OPEC nations a free pass with regards to their appaling human rights records if they can buy oil from a democracy.

I think the price of oil determines where countries buy it and human rights records and/or democracy don't really enter into the equitation.

Besides, Israel might be a democracy but there human rights record ain't that great either.

Regarding oil shale the US has 1.5 trillion barrels waiting to be exploited.

[geriatrickid]

If Israel has oil reserves equal to half a trillion barrels of oil (more than Saudi) then I suspect Countries will be less likely to give OPEC nations a free pass with regards to their appaling human rights records if they can buy oil from a democracy.

I think the price of oil determines where countries buy it and human rights records and/or democracy don't really enter into the equitation.

Besides, Israel might be a democracy but there human rights record ain't that great either.

Regarding oil shale the US has 1.5 trillion barrels waiting to be exploited.

Shale gas begs a thread of its own. It is not a panacea, any more then Canada's tar sands are. In order for israel to extract the shale gas it would have to experience the same pain as in North America. Extraction of shale gas has resulted in the loss of ground water sources in North america and a lot of collateral damage. It's a messy business. Israel, like the rest of the middle east faces a severe water shortage and Israel cannot afford to lose any water sources. I'd say water is as valuable as oil in the region.

As for the link between civil rights and oil. I disagree. The Netherlands is a major exporter of natural gas. The Dutch seem decent enough. Canada is the largest energy supplier to the USA. Aside from its oil pipelines that keep leaking, its human rights record is good.Then there are Norway and the UK with their North Sea oil. They both have a decent human rights record. I am not a fan of the Saudis, but their system has maintained peace and stability in a region that is hardly the destination for peace lovers. We cannot impose our values on a culture that has been around for centuries.. we can try to educate and cajole, but that's about it. The British colonial presence didn't accomplish any softening of the Saudi approach to things did it?

[Scott]

Hopefully, something will come across the news with your story, Steely Dan, because it's quite interesting and would be worthy of a topic of it's own.