Indonesian domestics score WTO for poverty in home country, wage cut and underpayment in HK

Press Release
19 November 2005

For reference: Eni Lestari
Chairperson
Tel. No.: 23147316, 96081405

The end of Ramadan or fasting month called Idul Fitri is an important religious occasion for all Muslims all over the world. For the millions of Muslim Indonesians, Idul Fitri this year is filled with uncertainty as prices of food and other basic commodities continue to rise in the country.

“We are the breadwinners of our families back home, with the worsening economic crisis in Indonesia; there is a demand for us to send more money for them to have a decent Idul Fitri celebration” says Eni Lestari of ATKI, an organisation of Indonesian migrant workers here in Hong Kong.

“With the opening-up of Indonesia market and the flooding-in of cheap agricultural products due to liberalisation, small Indonesians farmers are going bankrupt” adds Lestari who is one of the migrant leaders preparing for the celebration of Idul Fitri which will be held on Sunday, November 20 at the Central Lawn of Victoria Park.

This year’s celebration is different from the previous ones. This is in response to the upcoming WTO’s 6th Ministerial Conference which will be held in Hong Kong in December.

The celebration kicks off with a mass praying at 10 am and will be followed by religious speeches and cultural performances. The morning festivities will culminate with a Public Forum on the WTO which will start at 3 pm until 6:00 in the evening.

These activities are expected to gather around 2,000 Indonesians, mostly domestic helpers from different parts of Hong Kong.

“WTO promotes liberalization and it causes poverty back home. Our Public Forum aims to share information among Indonesian migrant workers of the impact of WTO on our lives as migrants and on our families in Indonesia” explains Lestari.

This is further worsened by the attacks of the HK government on the wage of domestic workers.

“We suffered two wage cuts already because of the HK government’s adherence to neoliberal policies. Coupled with the widespread underpayment among Indonesian domestic workers, our situation has become even more unbearable,” Lestari adds.

The religious festivities are being organized by migrant groups including AKHWAT GAUL, AL FADHILA, AL ISTIQOMAH, AN-NISSA. The Public Forum meanwhile is being organized by ATKI.