Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – Who should be blamed for the increasing violence against Indonesian migrant workers overseas? Foreign employers and user countries? The government? Labor exporters? Insurance companies? Workers?

The questions led Labor Minister Erman Suparno to self-introspection in a roundtable discussion Thursday. He regretted the public's emotional condemnation foreign employers' brutalities, saying the rampant labor abuse had its initial and main trigger in the poor recruitment process, lack of training and many other problems at home.

Referring to the recent bilateral labor agreement with Jordan and previously Malaysia, Saudi Arabia and Hong Kong, the minister asked all stakeholders at home, mainly the government, labor exporters and labor advocacy organizations to put the problems on table because over-reacting would not settle the issue.

"First, housemaids at home must be legally protected to end hypocrisy and avoid double labor standards."

Indonesia has gained US$25 billion annually in remittance from around 4.8 million migrant workers, mostly housemaids who work overseas but the government has been under fire for the increasingly great number of labor abuses overseas.

In 2008, more than 45,000 workers faced troubles, including rapes and fatalities, mostly in Saudi Arabia, Malaysia and Hong Kong.

The labor and border problems between Indonesia and Malaysia and the public overreaction to the issues has led the government to suspend the supplying of workers to the neighbor country.

Anis Hidayah, executive director of Migrant Care, which provides advocacy for migrant workers, agreed and said authorities had to simplify the procedure, phase out red tape in recruitment and training, and certify well-trained workers prior to their departure.

Instead of reducing labor protection merely in the insurance scheme, Anis said the government had to revise the labor policy and regulations to guarantee migrant workers' labor rights on minimum payment, annual vacation, working hours, social security programs and severance pay; their social rights to freely practice their faith and communicate with their relatives; and their political rights to vote in general elections.

Deputy Chairman of the Indonesian Labor Exporters Association (Apjati) Rusjdi Basalamah admitted some faults of certain labor exporters in supplying workers overseas but they could not be taken as the only subject of blame for the labor abuses.

Labor exporters agreed their role was limited to supplying the labor market while the recruitment, training and certification were down to the government because of the constitutional imperatives requiring the government to generate jobs for the people and protect Indonesian citizens abroad.