Despite the defense cooperation between the two countries, another 22 Indonesian migrant workers are still facing execution by beheading in Saudi Arabia as happened to Ruyati.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Amidst strong reactions from various parties to the beheading of Ruyati, an Indonesian maid in Saudi Arabia, the two countries agreed here on Monday to place their defense cooperation on a solid footing.

Saudi Arabia carried out the death penalty on Ruyati binti Satubi, an Indonesian female migrant worker (TKI) on Saturday, June 18, 2011 in the country`s western province of Mecca.

Ruyati was found guilty of murdering Khairiya binti Hamid Mijid, her employer`s wife, by hitting her in the head with a meat chopper and stabbing her in the neck.

Soon after the news about the beheading of Ruyati in Saudi Arabia reached Indonesia, strong reactions from various parties flared up.

Indonesian Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesman Michael Tene said the execution was done without observing international practices related to consular protection.

He said the ministry was aware of the case and Ruyati had confessed to the murder but was not informed of the timing of the execution.

Expressing his condolences over the death of Ruyati, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono expressed hope that the family and relatives of the victim would be given the strength to live without her.

The president also hoped that the government would show much stronger reaction toward the Saudi Arabian government and try its very best to stop more beheadings of Indonesian workers in the future.

Strong reaction also come among others from the National Agency for the Placement and Protection of Indonesian Overseas Workers (BNP2TKI), and the Regional Representatives Council (DPD).

The BNP2TKI chief said on Sunday that the beheading of Ruyati really hurt the feelings of Indonesian people.

"It really hurts the feelings of the people especially the family and relatives of the victim at home," Jumhur Hidayat said, adding that BNP2TKI would immediately coordinate with the ministry of foreign affairs to have the body of Ruyati returned to her family in Bekasi for burial.

Criticizing the beheading, DPD spokesman Ahmad Jazuli said the council had asked Manpower and Transmigration Minister Muhaimin Iskandar to explain the case.

"We have invited the manpower and transmigration minister to explain the Ruyati case at a DPD working meeting here on Monday," DPD spokesman Ahmad Jazuli said.

According to Jazuli, Indonesia was still negligent in protecting its overseas workers, especially in Saudi Arabia.

He said the government was also not transparent about the fate of Indonesian migrant workers abroad who get into trouble with the law.

Jazuli added the fact that Ruyati was executed by beheading by order of a Saudi Arabian court indicated that the Indonesian government was still negligent in protecting its migrant workers abroad.

In spite of the reactions from various parties, Defense Deputy Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoedin said here on Monday that the Indonesian and Saudi Arabian governments had agreed to conclude a defense cooperation agreement after having conducted the necessary exploratory talks since April 2011.

Speaking to reporters after receiving a delegation of the Saudi Arabian Staff and Command School, Safrie said that the cooperation would cover training, education, information exchanges, and defense industry.

"In addition, the cooperation between the two countries will also cover humanitarian activities," Sjafrie Sjamsoedin said, adding that the visit by the students of Saudi Arabian Staff and Command School marked the beginning of defense cooperation which has been pioneered by the two countries.

Sjafrie said the agreement of both parties to cooperate in defense started with his visit to Saudi Arabia on April 8, 2011 to meet with Prince Khalid bin Sultan, the country`s defense vice minister.

During the visit to Saudi Arabia, Sjafrie and his counterpart, Khalid bin Sultan, discussed efforts to step up bilateral relations between the two countries in the field of defense activities covering education and training, personnel exchange, and defense industry development.

"As a follow-up of the cooperation effort, the scope of defense cooperation between Indonesia and Saudi Arabia will be inventorized by forming a Working Group/Military Joint Committee (WG/MJC) under the umbrella of defense bilateral agreement (MoU)," Sjarie said.

He added that the first WG/MJC meeting was planned to be held either in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, or in Jakarta, Indonesia late in June this year.

In addition, Sjafrie said the WG/MJC meeting would be followed by the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the two governments in December 2011.

In relation with defense industry cooperation, he said Indonesia has introduced a number of military products to Prince Khalid bin Sultan, namely an SS2 V1 rifle, the latest product of PT Pindad, and a miniature of medium transport aircraft CN 235 which was produced by PT Dirgantara Indonesia.

Despite the defense cooperation between the two countries, another 22 Indonesian migrant workers are still facing execution by beheading in Saudi Arabia as happened to Ruyati.

In Padang, West Sumatra, Law and Human Rights Minister Patrialis Akbar disclosed that another 22 Indonesian migrant workers might also meet the same fate as Ruyati.

Patrialis said the data of 22 among 316 Indonesians workers who were in legal trouble in Saudi Arabia was obtained following a meeting between the Indonesian law and human rights ministers and relevant ministers in Saudi Arabia on April 13, 2011.(*)

Reporter: By Otniel Tamindael
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2011