Jakarta – The Indonesian Migrant Workers Network (JBMI) has called into a question President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's statement that Indonesia would proceed with its plan to execute Philippine death row inmate Mary Jane Veloso during his bilateral meeting with visiting Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte at the State Palace in Jakarta last Friday.
JBMI Hong Kong-Macau coordinator Sringatin said Jokowi's decision showed his administration's uncompassionate character to the fate of migrant workers falling victim to human trafficking and drug syndicates.
"Mary Jane is a victim, just like dozens of Indonesian female migrant workers who are currently facing the death sentence abroad. Moreover, a legal process to charge a recruiter, who had entrapped her, is still ongoing in the Philippines. Will the Indonesian government execute a victim who is still fighting for justice," she said as quoted by kompas.com in a written statement on Wednesday.
Sringatin further said Jokowi's claim that Duterte had given the go-ahead for Veloso's execution as the basis of his move was unacceptable. With such a decision, she said, Jokowi showed that he did not consider the fate of 209 Indonesian migrant workers currently facing the death penalty abroad, 63 of who were female.
"The Indonesian government has adopted the Human Trafficking Law since 2007; thus, the government should uphold both justice and protection for trafficking victims, such as Mary Jane, Merri Utami [an Indonesian drug trafficker whose execution was cancelled in July] and other victims, in line with mandates of this regulation," said Sringatin.
President Jokowi reasserted on Tuesday that Duterte had given the go-ahead to Indonesian legal authorities to process the execution of Mary Jane's death sentence. (ebf)