MANILA (Mindanao Examiner / Apr. 7, 2014) – An Indonesian domestic worker who was severely beaten by her Hong Kong employer is set to return to the former British colony as various migrants’ rights groups demanded justice for her.
The Justice for Erwiana and Migrant Domestic Workers said it welcomes the return Erwiana Sulistyaningsih, adding her stay shall have positive impacts to the call for justice for her and all migrant domestic workers in Hong Kong.
Eni Lestari, spokesperson of the Justice for Erwiana and Migrant Domestic Workers, said Erwiana’s return is facilitated by the Hong Kong Police. “The move is a step in the right direction to achieve justice for Erwiana,” Lestari said in a statement sent to the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner.
Erwiana is arriving with her father, her lawyer, her case worker in Indonesian and the Indonesian domestic worker who posted her bruised and beaten photos on Facebook that gained wide sympathy in Hong Kong and also overseas.
“We hope that with Erwiana’s arrival, her case will prosper better and faster. We also look forward for her to meet the rest of the J4EMDW members and also her fellow Indonesian migrants so that we may express in person our support for her case,” Lestari said.
However, Lestari said that the Indonesian government, through the Indonesian Consulate General seems to be not keen for Erwiana and company to meet migrant organisations and advocates while they are here in Hong Kong.
“If they are really supportive of Erwiana, they should honour her wishes and let her spend time with people and groups who not only sympathize with her but also committed to see changes in the policies of Hong Kong and Indonesia that make migrant domestic workers vulnerable to the tragedy that befell Erwiana,” Lestari said.
Lestari said Erwiana’s presence in Hong Kong shall further inspire the migrant’s community and advocates for migrant’s rights to see that reforms happen in Hong Kong.
“Erwiana is the face of modern-day slavery in Hong Kong. Her case is a litmus test that will prove if the Hong Kong government shall really make move to reform policies that gravely impact migrants such as the Mandatory Live-in Policy, Two-Week Rule, and the lack of effective regulation of placement policies that put migrant domestic works in abusive working conditions,” Lestari said.
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