SAUDI URGED TO LOWER EXORBITANT DIYAT TO SAVE WORKER'S LIFE by Fardah

    Jakarta, March 31, 2014 (Antara) - Diyat or blood money of Satinah, Indonesian migrant worker facing death penalty in Saudi Arabia for murdering her employer, has become a dilemma because the amount is considered too high and difficult to pay.

         Satinah, 41, who claimed to have been treated badly while working with the Al Gharib family, was sentenced to death in 2011, after she admitted to killing her 70-year-old employer, Nura Al Gharib, and robbing 37.9 Thousand Saudi riyals from the victim.

         Under Saudi law, the execution could have been avoided if the offender could pay compensation, called Diyat, to the families of the victims.

         Initially Satinah was sentenced to an absolute death penalty, but after appealing, she was later sentenced to "Qishash" death penalty, which can be avoided if she pays "diyat" (compensation or blood money) at an amount determined by the victim's family.

         Diyat demanded by the family of Al Gharib was originally worth 15 million riyals but later reduced to 7 million riyals or over Rupiah 21 billion (around US$1.9 million) after a number of negotiations initiated by the Indonesian government. The negotiations also postponed the execution of Satinah five times.

         However now, she is scheduled to be beheaded on April 3, unless the requested diyat is paid. But the Indonesian government is trying to negotiate yet again with the Saudi authorities as it has managed to collect only around four million riyals so far.  
    Indonesian House Speaker Marzuki Alie has urged the Saudi government to intervene as he considered the diyat was irrationally high, while Satinah, a housemaid, is not financially rich.

         "Saudi Arabia, as a friendly nation, should not let its citizen 'blackmail' us. The amount is Rp25 billion (too high)! No matter how many years the housemaid worked, she would never be able to earn that much money. We hope the Saudi kingdom will intervene and help in this matter," Marzuki was quoted by Kompas Daily on March 25.

         The Democratic Party politician expressed his sympathy to the family of Al Gharib, but noted that one should also understand that Satinah committed the murder because she was under psychological distress.

         A number of ulemas (Muslim leaders) in western-most Indonesian province of Aceh also urged the Saudi government to help lower the diyat amount.

         "We implore the victim's family and the Saudi government to have pity on Satinah because she is from a poor family who will never be able to afford the diyat," Chairman of Aceh's Nahdlatul Ulama Tgk Faisal Ali stated in Banda Aceh, recently.

         He affirmed that such a high amount of diyat is not in line with the Syariah (Islamic law).  "I consider the amount of diyat approved by the Saudi court as a form of arrogance, and not in accordance with Syariah," he retorted, adding that if the family insisted on that amount, it could also be seen as "blackmail".

         Faisal Ali also urged Indonesian migrant workers to behave well and not to violate the host countries' laws while working overseas in order to avoid fatal consequences.

         He asked the Indonesian government to give information about and knowledge of the host countries' laws and regulations to its citizens intending to work abroad.

         The Satinah case has triggered a public solidarity movement. Indonesian rock artist Melanie Subono, for instance, called on the public to donate money for the diyat payment.

         Several hundreds of Iwan Fals' fans in Lampung Province raised funds for Satinah in a solidarity movement held at Dawiel cafe.

         Popular Jakarta Governor Joko Widodo (Jokowi) reportedly contributed Rp10 thousand (less than one US dollar) to show his sympathy to Satinah.         
    "Herewith, I donate Rp10 thousand. Please don't judge the value. But, this is to encourage others to donate," Jokowi, the presidential candidate, proclaimed when legislator Rieke Dyah Pitaloka visited the governor's office to collect donation for Satinah.

         Gerindra party's legislative candidate Siti Sarifah Mustakarini urged the government to save the life of Satinah.

         However, the politician concurrently activist for migrant workers' rights, emphasized that the government needs to be selective in defending its workers abroad.

         "Look at it case by case. But, in the case of Satinah, she killed her employer because she had been abused before," she added.

         President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono planned to send former religious affairs minister Maftuh Basyuni to Saudi Arabia to submit a letter to King Abdullah in connection with the case of Satinah.

         Presidential special staff for international affairs Teuku Faizasyah told Antara recently that Maftuh Basyuni will be accompanied by several officials.

         President Yudhoyono recently led a limited cabinet meeting to discuss Indonesian migrant workers abroad, including Satinah.

         "We discussed legal aid for all citizens living and working abroad," President Yudhoyono clarified at the presidential office.

         He noted that the government has always provided legal aid to all citizens having legal issues in the countries they were working. He pointed out that he has always handled and sought the right solutions for their problems in the past 10 years of his presidency.

         President Yudhoyono asserted that he could understand the public outcry over reports of citizens being sentenced abroad, and the government was determined to continue improving the quality of education provided to citizens who wished to work abroad as migrant workers.

         He expressed his concern over the fates of Satinah and other migrant workers facing death penalty, when meeting with their family members in Semarang, Central Java last weekend.

         President Yudhoyono explained that the execution of Satinah has repeatedly been delayed since 2011 as a result of three letters that the Indonesian government has sent to the Saudi authorities. 
    "We keep making an effort with the hope that the pardon is granted. The negotiation on the payment of diyat paid to the victim's heirs is still ongoing," he affirmed.

         The government was also doing its best to free Siti Zaenab, Tuti Tursilawati and Karni from the death row in Saudi Arabia by seeking pardon for them.

         "It is my obligation as a leader of this nation to appeal for the release of my people from death penalty," the president declared.

         Around 1.3 million Indonesian migrant workers are working in Saudi Arabia currently. The number excludes the number of illegal immigrants in Saudi Arabia without proper documents.

         Yudhoyono pointed out that the government has successfully freed 176 Indonesians, including migrant workers, from being executed in foreign countries but 246 others are still on the death row.

         "We have released 176 Indonesian citizens abroad the death penalty over the years. This is not a small figure because it is not easy to request a pardon for even one person," the head of state rationalized on March 30.

         Previously, Foreign Affairs Ministry's Director for Indonesian Citizen Protection Tatang Abdul Razak stated that 39 Indonesian migrant workers are currently facing death penalty in Saudi Arabia for alleged involvement in various crimes.

         "From 2011 until now, a total of 48 TKIs (Indonesian migrant workers) have been acquitted from death penalty, but there are 39 others who still face penalty due to their alleged involvement in various cases, including killing employers or fellow TKIs," he explained.

         He added that the government, represented by the Indonesian embassy staff, had done their utmost to provide legal aid to Indonesian citizens facing jail or death sentence in Saudi Arabia.   ***1***
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(T.F001/A/BESSR/Bustanuddin) 31-03-2014 19:25:31