URGENT APPEAL SZ 2011

URGENT APPEAL
SITI ZAENAB THREATENED TO BE BEHEADED FOR KILLING
HER FEMALE EMPLOYER IN SAUDI ARABIA

Siti Zaenab binti Duhri Rupa, 43 years-old, married woman with two children from Bangkalan, Madura, East java, and execution is currently detained in Madinah prison, Saudi Arabia. She was accused of stabbing her female employer 18 times.
   
Siti was recruited as a domestic helper by Panca Banyu Ajisakti, a Jakarta-base recruitment agency and departed to Saudi Arabia on 7 March 1998. This same agency also recruited Warni, the Indonesian woman migrant worker who was executed this June for killing her employer’s mother.

On January 1998, she registered as migrant worker via local sponsor named Nur and paid Rp. 350.000 as processing fee. Then she was brought to Jakarta and registered under Panca Banyu Ajisakti Company through another sponsor named Ahmad Sapawi addressed in Jakarta. After passing the medical test, she stayed at the agency temporary shelter owned by Ahmad Sapawi for two months waiting for departure.

On 7 March 1998, she departed to Madinah, Arab Saudi and worked for Mr. Abdullah Muhsin Al Ahmadi as a domestic helper. She had been sending her salary two times since she worked and often sent letters to her family.

On 30 August 1999, Siti Zaenab sent a letter to her family, telling them several times that her female employer and the son are bad. She also told them that she wanted to go home after finishing her contract.

On 2 September 1999, she wrote her last letter to her family, mentioning again that her female employer and the son are bad. In her letter, she said that her female employer and the son often acted cruelly. After this letter, she never sent any letter to her family.

On October 1999, her family received a message from their neighbour who just returned from Saudi Arabia informing them that there was a migrant worker named Siti Zaenab from Bangkalan died. However, the family did not respond to this information.

On December 1999, her family started to worry because until this time has not sent money yet eventhough she promised to send it on this month.

January 2000, because the Family has not received her salary, they met Mr. Ahmad Sapawi, her sponsor, to ask the information regarding her situation. Mr. Ahmad told them to wait for one week. However, the family was not satisfied with the answer and the following day, they went to the Manpower Department in Jakarta. They met with Mr. Asikin of Overseas Workers Bureau of Manpower Department. Mr. Asikin told the family to check with the recruitment agency for he could not find the name of Siti in the office’s documentation.

The next day, the family met with Mr. Edmon Sofyani, the Director of Panca Banyu Aji Sakti company dan Ms. Nelsy. The agency told the family to write a letter to the Indonesian Embassy in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia requesting information about Siti. After that they have to wait for a week.

On 3 March 2000, the family received a fax message from Indonesian Consulate in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia stating that Siti Zaenab has been arrested in Madinah’s women prison on accusation of killing her female employer with 18 stabs. On the court process, Siti Zaenab was sentenced by a Qishash.

On the mid-July 2000, two days before Qishas was executed for Siti Zaenab, President Abdurahman Wahid –after told by his wife Mrs. Shinta Nuriyah Wahid- directly called The King of Saudi Arabia on the case of Siti Zaenab by phone. The result of their conversation was the postponed of the Qishash execution of Siti Zaenab until the employer’s son, Mr. Walid Abdullah Muhsin Al Ahmadi reaches puberty ages (15 years old). It means on year 2013. Mr. Walid Abdullah Muhsin Al Ahmadi will decide whether qishash or pardoning Mrs. Siti Zaenab.

Since July 2000 Siti Zaenab was jailed in women prison in Madinah. She ever sent a letter to her family on her condition in prison through Foreign Affairs Ministry officer.

On March 9, 2011, Center for Indonesian Migrant Workers (CIMW) of Urban Community Mission (UCM) – Jakarta sent a letter to Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Republic of Indonesia through Directorate of Indonesian Citizen Protection and International Legal Agency of Foreign Affairs Ministry to ask the government’s further actions to release Mrs. Siti Zaenab before the employer’s son, Mr. Walid Abdullah Muhsin Al Ahmadi reaches puberty. On response letter dated March 23, 2011, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted that the effort to ask pardon from the employer’s family/son is still on the process. And for moral support, several times the officer of Indonesian General Consulate visited and met with Siti Zaenab in prison.

On May – June 2011, the case of Siti Zaenab was emerged again to the public and repeatedly announced by printing and electronic media related to the qishash execution of Ruyati binti Satubi –a woman migrant worker from Bekasi Regency of West Java. There was a “media polemic” related to Siti Zaenab’s case between government that represented by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Marty M. Natalegawa and the daughter of the late President Abdurahman Wahid, Mrs. Yenny Wahid. According to Mrs. Yenny Wahid –and that’s the fact- the qishash execution postponed of Siti Zaenab was caused by the direct “negotiation” of the President Gus Dur (1999 – 2001 period) with the King Abdullah; while according to the government version, the execution postponed was only because the son of employer was still not reach puberty.
But whatever the situation is going on, the family of Siti Saenab and CIMW are still repeatedly to campaign on the “Justice for Siti Zaenab –releasing her from Qishash execution!”. 

DEMANDS

WE, demand that:

1.    Indonesian Government and Panca Banyu Ajisakti Company are resposible to protect and guarantee the rights of Siti Zaenab as citizen in the foreign country.
2.    Indonesian Government and Panca Banyu Ajisakti Company are responsible to facilitate the meeting between the family and Siti Zaenab in Saudi Arabia for moral support.
3.    Indonesian Government and Pance Banyu Ajisakti Company are to protect and guarantee the welfare of Siti Zaenab Binti Duhri Rupa’s children.
4.    Indonesian Government and Panca Banyu Ajisakti Company are responsible to release her from death sentence and bring her back to her family.
5.    Saudi Arabian Government must hold a fair trial for Siti and provide an independent lawyer to fight for her rights.
6.    The Indonesian Government must set up an independent commission to investigate the case of migrant workers in Saudi Arabia whether they have received fair trials and their human rights have been respected.
7.    The government has to facilitate meetings among the children and the family of Siti Zaenab with the child (Walid Abdullah Muhsin Al Ahmadi) of her employer.
8.    Central and local government and all stakeholders have to be involved on the release process of Siti Zaenab.
9.    Central and local government, Bupati, the family of Siti Zaenab, Ulamas and Islam leaders have to meet The Saudi Arabia’s King, Ulama, Siti Zaenab’s employers family and all stakeholders related to this case to lobby for the release process of Siti Zaenab. 
10.    Indonesian government invites the family of the King of Saudi Arabia, the employer’s son and family to meet with the family of Siti Zaenab in Bangkalan, Madura – Indonesia.
11.    The government has to seek for international advocacy i.e:
a.    Advocacy through international forums e.g. UN, G20, UNHR commission where Indonesia as member.
b.    Advocacy through ILO.
c.    The goverment has to seek for a meeting with UN Special Reporteur on Migrant Workers on Siti Zaenab’s case and other migrant workers cases.
d.    Build cooperation with ASEAN and Asia sending-countries to work together urging Saudi Arabia to uphold and respect on human rights including on migrant workers rights and especially for sentenced migrant workers.
e.    Cooperate with world Islamic Organization and Muslim Ulamas in order to seek for the release process of Siti Zaenab.

PLEASE APPEAL TO:


1.    Mr. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
President of Republic of Indonesia
Jl. Veteran No. 16 - 17 Jakarta Pusat
Telp. (021) 3863777, 3503088
Fax: (021) 3442223
Or
Jl. Alternatif Cibubur Puri Cikeas Indah
No. 2 Desa Nagrag Kec. Gunung Putri Bogor-16967

2.    Mr. Boediono
Vice President of Republic of Indonesia
Jl. Medan Merdeka Selatan No. 6, Jakarta Pusat
Telp. (021) 3866676, 3857060
Fax. (021) 3456116

3.    Mr. Muhaimin Iskandar
Ministry of Manpower and Transmigration of Republic of Indonesia
Jl. Jend. Gatot Subroto Kav. 51 Jakarta 12950
Telepon : (021) 522-9285, 798-9924 Fax : (021) 797-4488

4.    Mr. R. M. Marty M. Natalegawa
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Jl. Taman Pejambon No. 6 Jakarta
Telp : (021) 344-1508, 345-6014 Fax : (021) 380-5511


5. Mr. Patrialis Akbar
Ministry of Law and Human Rights of Republic of Indonesia
Alamat: Jl. H.R. Rasuna Said Kav. 6-7 Kuningan, Jakarta 12940
Telp.:  (62-21) 5253006, 5253889, 5264280
Fax : (62-21) 5253095

6. Ms. Linda Amalia Sari Gumelar
Ministry of Women Empowerment and Children Protection
Alamat Kantor : Jl. Medan Merdeka Barat No. 15 Jakarta 10110
Telepon : (021) 380-5563, 384-2638 Fax : (021) 380-5562, 380-5559

7. Indonesian Riyadh Diplomatic Quarter
Riyadh Diplomatic Quarter – Amru bin Umayah Al-Dhomri Road, P.O. Box 94343 Riyadh 11693, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Telp. (966-1) 488 2800, 488 2282, 488 2131, 488 2472 Fax. (966-1) 488 2966,
E-mail : contact@kbri-riyadh.org.sa



Please join also on facebook: “Bebaskan Siti Zaenab” : ttp://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/

and

“Bebaskan Siti Zaenab (Group)”: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/home.php?sk=group_139162169493156&ap=1


For information and clarification please contact, Center for Indonesia Migrant Workers (CIMW), Jl. Buluh Perindu, Blow W no. 7A, Pondok Bambu, Duren Sawit – Jakarta Timur 13430
Telp: (021) 8612045
Fax: (021) 86615199
Email: cimw@cbn.net.id

Posted in: CIMW