Crossposting: Measures taken to improve conditions for foreign workers

BEIRUT: Basic steps to improve the situation of Lebanon’s hundreds of thousands of migrant workers, at risk from abuse and exploitation, were taken by the syndicate of recruitment agencies Wednesday.

The Syndicate of the Owners of the Workers Recruitment Agencies has now entered into a formal agreement with Lebanese NGO Caritas, promising to better inform their employees of their rights, increase their access to social services and to blacklist employers who are known to have been abusive, preventing them from repeating their offenses.

It is hoped that the coordination, alongside legal reforms currently under review by the Labor Ministry and the Interior Ministry, could alleviate some of the worst human-rights abuses and help migrants secure a basic level of protection.

“Improving rights for migrants is, in fact, one of the most important goals of our syndicate,” said syndicate representative Hicham al-Bourji. “We are fully aware of the necessity of this matter and the need for it in our society.”

The agencies have also vowed to work more closely with migrants’ home countries to help them inform their citizens of the reality they will face once in Lebanon, and to help them, should abuses occur.

Most migrants work as domestic helpers but living inside their employer’s homes leaves them especially vulnerable to exploitation. Many reportedly suffer from physical and even sexual abuse but are unable to report the mistreatment. They can also be incarcerated inside the home, denied wages or access to medical attention, and forced to work for very long hours in tough conditions, with no rest.

In a recent report, Human Rights Watch estimated that conditions are so deplorable that around one suicide, or accidental death from women trying to escape the home, happens in the country almost every week.

Consequently, some foreign countries have taken the drastic step of banning their nationals from working in certain fields.

The ban, however, is only addressing the symptoms and is not helping to address the root causes, said Bourji.

“While we fully understand the reasons why [countries have] enforced the ban … [It is] being used as an excuse to minimize embassy protection and petition for change,” he said.

Embassy representatives – including the Sri Lankan ambassador – present at the memorandum signing expressed support for the latest developments, pledging to step up cooperation with the syndicates while simultaneously remaining skeptical that the latest developments will radically improve the situation.

The ability of agencies to firstly detect and then intervene in cases of abuse remains low. Not all agencies are represented by the syndicate, and many operate illegally in contradiction of legislation, such as those which do not provide translators.

“Our sector is divided into two parts: a part that abides by the human rules and regularizations originally connected without any exaggeration, and a smaller part that doesn’t abide by the rules and neglects the simplest human laws,” said Bourji.

Without direct inspections and more stringent government interference, however, there is little that can be done about them, and offending agencies will continue operating in spite of the recent moves.

“Migrant workers, especially those that are employed in the home, remain for us a subject of great concern,” said European Commission (EC) representative Diego Escala Paturel. “Lots of people exploit their vulnerability, making them work for more than 10 hours, without a moment’s rest, such actions which remain unacceptable.”

The EC is supporting the new moves and has previously assisted Caritas by funding various projects including the Caritas Migrant Center, providing basic services to those suffering from abuse, post traumatic stress and other phobias. Moves by other NGOs have also helped improve the situation and migrants are slowly becoming more aware of their rights, while a hotline has also been set up to report abuses. “But we must not rest on our laurels – there is a lot more left to do,” said Paturel.

The EC continues to urge Lebanon to adopt the United Nations Convention of the Rights of Migrant Workers and their Families and the UN Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, which would help migrants seeking asylum.

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Jakarta Globe article: Workers’ Rights Start At Home: Activists

As the government pushes for protection of domestic workers overseas, activists on Sunday said it must start by passing a law guaranteeing their right to fair treatment here at home.

A bill being deliberated by a House of Representatives commission would mandate certain protections for domestic workers in Indonesia, which its supporters say is a crucial step before the country can negotiate protections of its workers elsewhere.

Rieke Diah Pitaloka, a Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) lawmaker and member of House Commission IX overseeing health, manpower and trans­migration issues, which is deliberating the bill, told the Jakarta Globe that the legislation would set the tone for future deals with other governments to provide better working conditions for Indonesians working in such countries as Malaysia.

Rieke said 80 percent of Indonesian migrant workers were domestic workers.

Activists campaigning with the National Network for Domestic Workers Advocacy (Jala PRT) have been calling for such a law since 2004.

Jala PRT chairwoman Lita Anggraini lambasted the Ministry of Manpower and Trans­migration for not doing enough to help push the bill through.

The ministry denies dragging its feet on the issue. Myra Maria Hanartani, the ministry’s director general for industrial relations development and workers’ social security, told the Globe, “It’s not that we don’t support the bill or are politically disinclined to it; we just can’t comment on it because we haven’t seen a copy of it yet.”

From 2005 to 2009, Jala PRT received 472 reports of domestic workers facing abuse by their employers, ranging from sexual harassment to withholding of wages and overwork.

Lita said the bill should include provisions for a weekly day off, standardized salaries, clear working hours and time for schooling or other opportunities for self-betterment.

Live-in domestic workers in Jakarta earn between Rp 400,000 and Rp 500,000 ($44-$55) a month, while in Yogyakarta they earn between Rp 300,000 and Rp 350,000, according to Jala PRT. The city-mandated minimum wage in Jakarta is Rp 1.1 million, but domestic workers are not eligible for it, given the lack of government recognition of the job as formal employment.

“We really need to pass this bill and get rid of the feudal system,” Rieke said.

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Al-Akhbar article: Judge sentences Lebanese woman for abusing her foreign housemaid

المحكمة تعاقب لبنانية ضربت فيليبينية

لها حقوق مثلها مثل العمال اللبنانيين (مروان طحطح)لها حقوق مثلها مثل العمال اللبنانيين (مروان طحطح)في 9/12/2009 صدر حكم عن القاضي المنفرد الجزائي في البترون، قضى بإدانة لبنانية تعرضت بالضرب للعاملة الفيليبينية التي كانت تعمل في منزلها. الحكم لقي ترحيباً من خبراء قانونيين ومناضلين من أجل حماية العاملات الأجنبيات

بيسان طي
سجّل القضاء اللبناني انتصاراً لمصلحة عاملة فيليبينية تعرضت للضرب على يد مستخدميها. أخيراً، التقى صوت المحكمة مع مطالبات ناشطين من أجل حقوق الإنسان في قضية تعرّض خادمات أجنبيات للتعذيب. الحكم الذي سطّره القاضي المنفرد الجزائي في البترون منير سليمان خطوة في مشوار محاربة العنصرية التي يتّسم بها تصرف بعض اللبنانيين وأداؤهم.

الحكم صدر يوم الأربعاء الماضي، وقضى بإدانة المدعى عليها ف. ص. بالجنحة المنصوص عليها في المادة 554 عقوبات وبحبسها مدة 15 يوماً، وبتغريمها مبلغ خمسين ألف ليرة، وبإلزامها أن تدفع للمدعية (أي العاملة الفيليبينية) جونالين ماليباغو مبلغ عشرة ملايين وثمانمئة ألف ليرة بدل عطلها وضررها. كذلك قضى الحكم بردّ سائر الأسباب والمطالب «ولا سيما طلب المدعى عليها الرامي إلى دعوة المدعية وإحضارها من بلدها»، وأخيراً تضمين المدعى عليها ف. ص. نفقات المحاكمة. وما يزيد من أهمية هذا الحكم بالنسبة إلى خبراء قانونيين، أنه صدر مع وجود المدعية خارج البلاد، أي إن القضاء انتصر لعاملة أجنبية بعدما غادرت الأراضي اللبنانية.

القصة تعود إلى عام 2006. خلال حرب تموز أحضرت ف. ص. العاملة التي تعمل في منزلها إلى سفارة الفيليبين في الأشرفية، حيث اجتمعت عاملات من أبناء الجالية خلال حرب تموز، وعُمل على تسفيرهن هرباً من الأوضاع الأمنية السيئة. كانت العاملة جونالين حينها برفقة ف. ص. وابنها المراهق، وكانت حاضرة الشاهدة هـ. أ. التي أدلت بشهادة أكدت فيها أن جونالين تعرضت للضرب.
عند وصول ف. ص. تعرضت للتهجم على يد موظفي السفارة وبعض العاملات، ما استوجب استدعاء القوى الأمنية.

ما سبب الهجوم على السيدة اللبنانية؟ تبيّن أن ف. ص. أقدمت على ضرب العاملة جونالين، ودفعتها لحثّها على السير بسرعة وهي تحمل حقيبتها الخاصة، وقد نُقلت جونالين إلى مستشفى في الأشرفية لمعالجتها بعدما أُغمي عليها، وهي تعاني ظهور بقعٍ سوداء وزرقاء، بعضها أضحى مصفراً حينها، في مختلف أنحاء جسمها. العاملة الفيليبينة قالت إن هذه البقع ظهرت نتيجة تعرضها للضرب المبرّح على يد ف. ص. وزوجها وابنها.

تلفت قراءة نص الحكم أن طبيبين شرعيين، هما ع. ح. و ن. ص. كشفا على جونالين خلال وجودها في المستشفى بناءً على تكليف من النيابة العامة الاستئنافية في بيروت، وأكدا وجود «كدمات في مختلف أنحاء جسم المدعية من دون وجود أي مرض في الدم وفقاً للفحوصات الطبية». وفي تقرير أحد الطبيبين أن العاملة تعاني أيضاً أوجاعاً في فروة الرأس، وأن الكدمات التي تعانيها ناجمة عن صدمات مباشرة.

تقارير طبية...

بدأت جونالين العمل في منزل ف. ص. في شهر شباط 2006، ونقرأ في نص الحكم أن ربة العمل اصطحبت العاملة لديها إلى الطبيب ن. و. وقد ورد في تقريرين أحدهما للطبيب ن. و. والثاني نظمه الطبيب هـ. د. يبينان فيهما رأيهما في الفحوص المخبرية العائدة للمدعية، فورد فيهما أن جونالين تعاني نقصاً في الصفائح الدموية، ما يسبب لها سيلاناً في الدم وظهور بقع حمراء وزرقاء على الجلد
على نحو عفوي. وأضاف أحد الطبيبين أن هذه
نُقلت العاملة إلى مستشفى لمعالجتها بعدما أُغمي عليها، وهي تعاني ظهور بقعٍ سوداء وزرقاء

البقع تظهر دون التعرض لكدمات، وأن العاملة تعاني استعداداً لمرض التلاسيميا. وحين استمعت المحكمة إلى هذا الطبيب بوصفه شاهداً، أكد معاينة جونالين ثلاث مرات «فيما لم يكن جازماً في مسألة ظهور البقع على الجلد بصورة عفوية من دون التعرض للصدم»، فيما قال الطبيب هـ. د. أمام المحكمة إنه «لا يمكن تلك البقع أن تظهر حتى في حالة مرض المدعية، من دون التصادم بأجسام صلبة».

متابعة القضية، وقراءة الحكم الصادر فيها، يلفتان إلى تعمّق القاضي في قراءته، وفي بحث القضية، ليطال هذا البحث، إضافة إلى البعد القانوني والميداني، الجانب العلمي ـــــ الطبي. ففي نص الحكم إحالة إلى مواقع طبية إلكترونية مشهود بكفاءتها، وقد تضمن الحكم توصيفاً علمياً شديد الدقة لإمكان ظهور نقاط قد تتحوّل إلى بقع كالكدمات على الأطراف إذا انخفض معدل الصفائح الدموية بين 15000 و30000 بالملليمتر المكعب. ويلفت الحكم إلى أن هذا لم يكن حال العاملة جونالين، إذ كان معدل الصفائح الدموية لديها 93000 ألف بالملليمتر المكعب «أي ما يجعلها بمنأى عن ظهور النقاط الدموية... والبقع الدموية العضوية». كذلك فإن البقع لم تظهر على الأطراف فقط، بل أيضاً «على الصدر وعلى الظهر وعلى الرأس».

لا يفوت الحكم التنبه إلى أن العاملة الأجنبية عندما تُستدعى للعمل في لبنان تخضع لفحوص مخبرية للتأكد من سلامتها، ولا يُسمح لمن تعاني أمراضاً مؤذية بالعمل فيه.

دقة علمية

يستند الحكم أيضاً إلى تقدير الطبيبين الشرعيين اللذين فحصا جونالين، وقد اتخذت لها صور فوتوغرافية. نقرأ في نص الحكم: «... ثبت للمحكمة أن البقع الظاهرة على جسم المدعية هي كدمات نتيجة المصادمة بأجسام صلبة يُضاف إلى ذلك موقع البقع على الظهر وعلى الصدر والرأس، وإفادة الشاهدة هـ. ا. لتثبت أن هذه المصادمات لم تكن عفوية، بل ناجمة عن أفعال ضرب تعرضت لها المدعية المقيمة بصورة مستمرة لدى المدعى عليها، وأن تقارير الطبيبين و. ود. أتت لتغطية أفعال المدعى عليها ولإبعاد الشبهات عنها».
جونالين عانت خلال إقامتها في منزل إحدى العائلات اللبنانية «ظروفاً إنسانية متردية»، وقد تعرضت «للقسوة... والضرب المبرح على يد ربة عملها... والحطّ من كرامتها الإنسانية وتعرضها للآلام الجسدية وللذل». غادرت العاملة الفيليبينية لبنان في 16/8/2006، حملت ذكريات سيئة ومؤلمة عن أشهر قليلة قضتها في بلاد الأرز. ذهبت ولم تعد. تركت خلفها قضية تُدرس في أروقة المحاكم... بعد ثلاثة أعوام، تغيرت الصورة القاتمة، قد تقرأ جونالين رسالة تحمل الخبر السار: في 9/12/2009 نطق القضاء اللبناني بحكم لمصلحتها.

English translation:

On 9/12/2009, in a criminal court lead by a single judge in Batroun, a Lebanese woman was sentenced for hitting her Filipino maid who was working in her household. Legal experts and migrant workers activists welcomed the ruling.

Baysan Tay

The Lebanese judiciary system achieved a landmark victory for a Filipino worker who has been beaten by her employer. Finally, the legal system joined human rights activist’s demands on the issue of the torture that domestic migrant workers endure. The ruling, made by criminal judge in Batroun, Munir Sleiman, is a step forward in the fight against racism, a characteristic of some Lebanese behavior and actions.

The ruling was issued last Wednesday and convicted the defendant, F. S., was condemned with a minor crime according to Article 554 of the Penal Code. F.S. was sentenced for 15 days in prison and a 50'000 L.L. fine, in addition, she was obliged to pay the plaintiff (i.e. the Filipino worker), Jonalin Malebago, the amount of 10'800'000 L.L. as compensation for the damage inflicted. The Judge also rejected claims made by the defendant specifically the one regarding her request to bring Malebago from her country to Lebanon. And finally, the defendant was obliged to pay for court expenses. What adds to the value of this sentence, according to legal experts, is the fact that the sentence was made after the plaintiff left the Lebanese soil.

The story itself goes back to 2006, during the July war, F.S. brought the worker to the Philippines' embassy in Ashrafieh, where workers gathered during the July war and were being repatriated back to their country, to escape the deteriorating security situation. Jonalin was there along with her employer; the latter's son and the witness H. A. who testified that Jonalin was subjected to beating.

Upon their arrival, embassy employees and some workers attacked F.S., an incident that required the interference of security forces.

Why was the woman attacked? It turns out that F.S. had beaten Jonalin and physically pushed her around to force her to walk fast while carrying the bag with her personal belongings. Jonalin was administered into hospital in Ashrafieh when she lost consciousness, she also suffered black and blue spots, and some had already turned yellow by that time, all over her body. The worker said these spots were the result of extreme physical violence by F.S., her husband and her son.

The reading of the verdict emphasizes two medical reports made by forensic doctors, A.H. and N.S., who examined Jonalin when she was in hospital upon the request of General Appeal Attorney of Beirut. The report confirmed the presence of “bruises in various parts of the body, no blood problem was revealed by the medical examination”. In one of the reports, the doctor mentions that the worker also suffers from pain in the scalp of the head and that the bruises resulted from direct impact.

Medical reports

Jonalin started working in F.S. household in the February 2006. In the reading of the verdict it is mentioned that the employer took her employee to the doctor N.W. and in two medical reports, one of them made by N.W. and the other by H.D, it is stated that Jonalin suffers from blood platelets deficiency, resulting in bleeding and spontaneous red and blue spots on her skin. One of the reports added that these spots appear even in the absence of violence. It is also mentioned that Jonalin has a predisposition to thalassemia. When summoned to court as a witness, the doctor confirmed examining Jonalin three times but “was not conclusive as to whether these spots could appear spontaneously without being subjected to physical violence. Whereas H.D. confirmed that, even if the plaintiff suffered from the aforementioned illness, it is impossible to develop these spots without any contact with solid objects”.

Following the case and with a closer look to the verdict reading, one can only notice the depth with which the judge dealt with the case, with research touching on the scientific/medical aspect, as well as the legal aspect. The verdict reading also includes citations from reliable online medical references. The reading provides accurate scientific information about the possible appearance of spontaneous spots on the extremities if the level of blood platelets is between 15'000 and 30'000 platelets/ml³. Adding that this was not the case with Jonalin who had an average of 93'000 platelets/ml³, which means she would not have these pigmentations... and organic blood spots”. In addition, these spots did not appear on the extremities only, but also “on the chest, back and head”.

It also did not escape the Judge's vigilance that any migrant worker coming to Lebanon to work is subjected to thorough medical examination to ensure her safety, anyone with serious illnesses is not allowed to work.

Scientific accuracy

The verdict is also based on the opinion of the two forensic doctors who examined Jonalin upon her admission to hospital, with supporting pictures, in the verdict we read: “... it was proven to the court that the spots evident on the body of the plaintiff are bruises resulting from physical impact with solid objects. The location of these spots, on the chest and the head as well as the testimony of the witness, H.A, come to prove this impact was not spontaneous, but a result of acts of beating that the plaintiff endured while living on a regular basis at the defendant's place. The medical reports made by N.W. and H.D. came as a cover for the defendant's actions and keep her away from suspicions”.

During her stay in a Lebanese household, Jonalin endured “deplorable human conditions”, she was subjected to “cruelty... severe beating on the hands of her employer... physical violence and humiliation”. The Filipino worker left Lebanon on 16/8/2009, carrying with her bad memories of the Cedar Land. She left and never came back. Leaving behind her a case to be studied in court... Three years later, the grim image has changed, Jonalin might soon read the great news in a letter: In 9/12/2009 the Lebanese legal system spoke in her favor.

A progressive and deterring step against violations

Nadim Houry, researcher at the Human Rights Watch, regards the ruling of Judge Munir Sleiman as “a very important and progressive step, indicating that the Lebanese judicial system can fulfill an important role in the protection of migrant workers' rights”. Houry, who issued a statement which certified that the month of October was a bloody month for foreign workers”, said in an interview with Al-Akhbar that it is “required from the judicial system to play a direct and broad role in the case of migrant workers, so that the sentences made become a deterring factor for abuse exercised against domestic workers in the future”. He also mentioned several barriers preventing domestic workers from pressing charges against their employers, including the high cost and the long duration of procedures required by the investigation on various issues. Finally, it is worth mentioning that the minister of interior, Ziad Baroud, said that his ministry intends to take action, and that «in full respect for human rights, and that the General Security will follow-up cases in coordination with the judicial system to facilitate the repatriation process».

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