Indonesian Migrant Workers Group Submits Statement Regarding the Government of Indonesia's National Voluntary Report at HLPF 2021
The Indonesian Migrant Workers Group sent a joint statement to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Indonesia's Permanent Representative to the United Nations New York, and the SDGs National Secretariat.
The Indonesian Migrant Workers Group sent a joint statement to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Indonesia's Permanent Representative to the United Nations New York, and the SDGs National Secretariat. This was done in connection with the Indonesian Government's National Voluntary Report at the 2030 Agenda High Level Political Forum (HLPF) at the United Nations Headquarters, New York.
The Indonesian Migrant Workers Group feels the need to submit a joint statement and provide recommendations to the Government of Indonesia in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda achievement because they feel the Indonesian Government's lack of attention to the welfare and protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers. By submitting this joint statement, it is hoped that the Government of Indonesia will know and understand the situation of Indonesian Migrant Workers and their families, and can prioritize the implementation of the recommendations provided. The Indonesian Migrant Workers Group is also looking forward to getting a response and discussing it with the relevant ministries.
As quoted from the joint statement, the Indonesian Migrant Workers group stated:
“We acknowledge that the Indonesian government has made many breakthroughs, including issuing the PPMI Law (Law on the Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers), establishing LTSA (One-Stop Integrated Service), building Desmigratif (Productive Migrant Villages) and mobilizing Sampoerna to provide assistance to Indonesian migrant workers and their families. However, even before the pandemic the condition of Indonesian Migrant Workers was already very vulnerable due to the lack of protection and exploitation practices carried out by employers, agents and other parties. The COVID-19 pandemic is multiplying exploitation and worsening the working and living conditions of Indonesian Migrant Workers and their families.”
As a group that contributes the second largest foreign exchange after the oil and gas sector, and thereby contributes to development, it is appropriate that the Indonesian Migrant Workers group should receive more attention from the Indonesian government.
This joint statement and recommendations were signed by 17 organizations and alliances of Indonesian Migrant Workers and their families and their supporters, namely the Keluarga Besar Buruh Migran (KABAR BUMI), Jaringan Buruh Migran Indonesia in Hong Kong, the Jaringan Buruh Migran Indonesia in Macau, Beranda Perempuan, Yayasan Studi Migran Indonesia, Asia Pacific Mission for Migrants (APMM), Asosiasi Buruh Migran Indonesia in Hong Kong, Asosiasi Buruh Migran Indonesia in Taiwan, Indonesian Migrant Workers Union in Hong Kong, Indonesian Migrant Workers Union in Macau, United Indonesian Migrant Workers Against Overcharging (PILAR), Indonesian Migrant Muslim Network (GAMMI), League of Indonesian Migrant Workers (LiPMI), Mission Movers Indonesia, Gabungan Tenaga Kerja Bersolidaritas (Ganass Community Taiwan), Indonesia Family Network Singapore and Paguyuban Solidaritas Pelaut Indonesia (Pasopati Indonesia – Taiwanese – Korean).
Joint Statement
On the Indonesia National Voluntary Report on the Implementation of SDGs
No Migrants Left Behind, Inclusion, not Exclusion, Aids for All!
We understand that migrant workers are part of Sustainable Development Goals in the Agenda 2030. More than 9 million Indonesian Migrant Workers (IMWs) abroad contribute to the country's income, the second largest after the oil and gas sector. IMWs have been part of the development since the 1970s. Investment and development programs in the country do not reduce the number of IMWs, the absence of decent jobs in the country continues to be the driver of the people to become IMWs.
We recognize that the Government of Indonesia has made many breakthroughs, including issuing PPMI (Indonesian Migrant Worker Protection Law), establishing LTSA (One Stop Integrated Service), building Desmigratif (Productive Migrant Village) and mobilizing Sampoerna to provide assistance to IMWs and their families. However, even before the pandemic the condition of IMWs has already been very vulnerable due to the lack of protection and exploitation practices carried out by employers, agents and other parties. The COVID-19 Pandemic doubles the exploitation and worsens the working conditions and life of IMWs and their families.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, many IMWs were infected with the virus, even died, without any compensation and easy and affordable access to healthcare. IMWs experience layoffs and deportation. In addition, IMWs also experienced wage cuts, being unpaid, working in a no work no pay system, overwork, not provided PPE by employers and destination country government, increased stigmatization and discrimination, not being provided with isolation and quarantine for free, resulting more burden to migrants and their employers’ finance. IMWs also do not get the right to day off, and are not allowed to leave the workplace, not given financial subsidies and other assistance like other local communities. There are not even subsidies or financial assistance from the Indonesian government for repatriated migrants. In the middle of it all, IMWs do not get shelter and the cost of return, especially for undocumented and detained IMWs. Meanwhile, IMWs still have to pay expensive placement costs, subject to document retention by P3MI (placement company), agents and employers.
Indonesian Domestic Workers experienced three types of pressure: First, physical pressure due to longer working hours and overwork due to the policy of Work from Home and the demands of cleanliness during pandemic, poor rest or sleep, and very short rest hours (average 5-7 hours); Second, mental / psychological pressure due to the demands of the employer's family and family at home, the prohibition of holidays and the prohibition of holidays outside the employer's house, so IMWs cannot rest and do social activities; and Third, financial pressures due to reduced salaries but having to buy their own PPE, and own healthy food, and are required to send more money to families who are also affected by the pandemic. In addition, there has been an increase in physical, psychological and sexual violence experienced by IMWs, amid the unavailability of access to migrant services, shelters, legal aid and health services, as happened to the four IMWs in the domestic workers sector in Hong Kong recently.
IMWs in the industry sector also experience the same thing, lost jobs, no work no pay, vulnerable to forced labor, did not get wages, was not allowed out of the factory area on the grounds of Covid-19, did not get access to social protection and did not get PPE assistance. Moreover, IMWs in the industry sector struggle to fight for their rights due to the unavailability of guarantees of freedom to organize and speaks.
IMWs in the plantation sector amid the slowing production of plantations due to Covid-19, experiencing termination of employment, vulnerable to violence that occurs in plantations, and also does not benefit from social protection.
IMWs as crew and shipping workers were infected by virus, mass repatriated, not paid, and not provided financial assistance by the Indonesian government. While those who remain in work experience abandonment, forced labor and do not get wages. In fact, there was a case of IMWs died and was abandoned on the ship. IMWs in the fishery sector also does not have access to social protection and financial assistance.
On top of that, wage cuts due to IMWs placement scheme through the company continue to occur. The government of placement affirms the rules that prohibit IMWs to replace employers or jobs, as well as difficult access to return home. For Taiwan, there is a policy of stopping the process of changing employers so that many IMWs who are looking for new employers have to be delayed and run out of cash for living by their own. Migrants continue to be blamed for spreading the virus and restricted their rights as human beings, workers and citizens.
Several state governments are continuously carrying out arrests and detentions of IMWs, especially those who are undocumented. In the midst of this pandemic the placement government should legalize them and give them jobs to help the local economic recovery.
IMWs and candidate of IMWs and their families have not gained access and convenience to access PCR tests and vaccines for free, unless they are newly repatriated. Even IMWs who are on leave, generally pay for their own PCR test to qualify for a flight back to the country of placement.
So in this very important opportunity, through the agenda of HLPF (High Level Political Forum) we provide the following recommendations to the Government of Indonesia:
- Regardless of immigration status, guarantee IMWs access to health services, counsellor services, legal handling, fulfillment of IMWs rights, shelter, financial assistance, PPE assistance, food assistance and repatriation
- Provide access to PCR and Vaccine tests for all candidate of IMWs, IMWs and their family members for free and easily.
- Provide financial subsidies to IMWs repatriated during the pandemic both documented and undocumented.
- Include IMWs family as beneficiaries of various social protection programs organized by the state.
- Free all IMWs from placement fee and debt scheme
- Provide independent contract options for domestic workers
- Guarantee and protect the rights of IMWs abroad, the right to get a holiday, wages and free from violence.
- Engage and enter IMWs into social protection programs for free
- Return all candidate of IMWs detained in P3MI (placement company) because they have not been able to fly to the country of placement
Signatories:
- Keluarga Besar Buruh Migran Indonesia (KABAR BUMI)
- Jaringan Buruh Migran Indonesia (JBMI-Hong Kong)
- Jaringan Buruh Migran Indonesia (JBMI-Macau)
- Beranda Perempuan
- Yayasan Studi Migran
- Asia Pacific Mission for Migrants (APMM)
- Asosiasi Buruh Migran Indonesia di Hong Kong (ATKI-HK)
- Asosiasi Buruh Migran Indonesia di Taiwan (ATKI-Taiwan)
- Indonesian Migrant Workers Union (IMWU-Hong Kong)
- Indonesian Migrant Workers Union (IMWU-Macau)
- United Indonesian Migrant Workers Against Overcharging (PILAR)
- Indonesian Migrant Muslim Network (GAMMI)
- League of Indonesian Migrant Workers (LiPMI)
- Mission Movers Indonesia
- Gabungan Tenaga Kerja Bersolidaritas (Ganass Community Taiwan)
- Indonesia Family Network Singapura
- Paguyuban Solidaritas Pelaut Indonesia (Pasopati Indonesia – Taiwan – Korea)