Fighting for the Dignity of Indonesian Migrant Workers
Sucipto dan Sulistyaningsih
Small in stature, they look a rather humble couple. Their courage in fighting for the rights of former Indonesian migrant workers, however, is formidable.
We see the figures of a husband and wife, Sucipto, 52 and Sulistyaningsih, 41, from the village of Dayu in Nglegok district, Blitar regency, East Java.The husband works the field to grow paddy and corn, while the wife makes snacks for sale. Other activities of the couple include helping other former migrant workers and their families get their rights granted.
Sucipto and Sulistyaningsih are now the go-to people for many migrant workers seeking solutions to all sorts of problems. The two are the managers of the Association of Former Indonesian Migrant Workers and Families (Pertakina), which they founded in Blitar in 2007. What gave rise to the birth of the association was Sucipto’s concern for the life of migrant workers and their families. From his own experience as an Indonesian migrant worker employed for 14 years aboard an expedition boat from Singapore, Sucipto knows that the world of migrant workers is full of problems.
They are frequently placed in unfavorable circumstances, starting with the formulation of agreements with the employing companies. They frequently go home without any wage, return to their motherland in a state of distress or are sent home in a lifeless state. There are even cases of migrant workers going missing for decades without any news. At home, many families break up and children experience various problems due to the lack of attention, such as drug abuse, pregnancy out of wedlock or legal charges.
Reflecting on experience
Sucipto and Sulistyaningsih met after they had both gone through failed marriages and returned from overseas. Reflecting on all of this, Sucipto gathered several people of his hamlet, Termas in Kedungduren village, Ponggok district, to support migrant workers and their families who need help. Eighty percent of the 120 families in Termas hamlet are migrant worker families.
In 2007, the Srikandi Association (which later was to become Partakina) was set up to help the migrant workers and their families. The first task handled by Sucipto was to manage insurance money and "blood money" (collateral for families of the workers) from the late Sulastri, his neighbor who died in Saudi Arabia in 2006.
Together with three members of Sulastri\'s family, he spent a whole week staying at the office of the manpower company that had deployed the victim in a bid to touch the heart of the owner of the company to process the victim\'s rights.
Their persistence paid off with the payout of insurance money and "blood money" and hundreds of millions of rupiah in “blood money”. The money was later used as capital for Sulastri\'s children to buy rice fields, a business that feeds the late Sulastri\'s family until this day.
"I just started with determination and good will. Any good will, if carried properly, will find its way. Initially we faced various obstacles, but they were removed in stages by the Almighty," said the senior high school graduate. His work, however, did not always go well.He once had a gun pointed at him by the boss of a company he’d asked to act responsibly in granting migrant workers their rights.
Pertakina\'s activities have also included helping children without ID cards, whose parents had died during employment abroad and whose wealth in the form of land and savings had become the target of their relatives. By involving village authorities, Pertakina strives to ensure that the compensation for children of migrant workers is not claimed by unentitled parties.
"I used to bea migrant worker. I know that migrant workers\' education is not high. They frequently fall victim to fraud, both in the country and overseas. I try to help, so that the migrant workers are able to enjoy their rights. We are fellow citizens and have the same right to protection and attention from the state," Sucipto said.
Sucipto is gradually getting the attention of the government. If previously Pertakina had to struggle by itself, utilize members and networks of Pertakina overseas to process documents and other needs, they are now supported by the Agency for the Placement and Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers (BNP2TKI).
BNP2TKI has set up a call center, which every problem faced by migrant workers can be reported to, to be followed up immediately. BNP2TKI also gave paralegal training courses to Sucipto and Sulistyaningsih in 2016 to support their activities.
The activities carried out by this couple continue to develop. Initially only covering one village, the Srikandi association continued to expand to every district of Blitar.
In 2016, the name of Srikandi was changed into Pertakina, as its coverage also included other regencies, like Tulungagung, Kediri, Madiun and Ponorogo. Now several regions, such as Malang, Banyuwangi, Probolinggo and Lumajang, are in the process of establishing branch offices of Pertakina. Its members now number 200.
Former migrant workers
As Sucipto mostly accompanies legal cases, Sulistyaningsih works more on the empowerment of former migrant workers and their families. She is responsible for various training courses for former migrant workers to provide them with skills and businesses so that there is no need for them to work overseas.
"We try to provide training in food processing, on how to process business permits, on how to pack and market products, on business management and other things. The objective is to enable former migrant workers to have their own business and not to choose to go overseas again to make a living. For us, working in our own country is better than in other countries," said Sulistyaningsih, who used to work in Hong Kong for five years.
All the training activities for Pertakina members have thus far been held in cooperation with regional administrations. Nevertheless, Pertakina\'s operation thus far does not get any assistance from the government.
When the association supports migrant workers in other cities, they jointly bear the costs for members who are assigned. In February 2017, Pertakina formed a cooperative to market products of its members.
Now, Pertakina is exploring the possibility of setting up early-age education (PAUD) for the children of migrant workers.
SUCIPTO
- Born: Blitar, October 10, 1965
- Occupation: Farming and poultry farmer
- Education: Senior High School (SMA)
- Organization: Founder of Pertakina
SULISTYANINGSIH
- Born: Blitar, September 28, 1976
- Education: SMA
- Occupation: Entrepreneur
- Organization: General Chairperson of Pertakina
- Address: Dayu Village, Nglegok district, Blitar, East Java
- Children: Yoki Handi Masdalih, Fauzan Teobal, Marfiya
