John D. Ciorciari quoted in International Business Times article, "Prominent Indonesian Migrant fears Jakarta's inaction on Saudi beheading"

June 24, 2011

John D. Ciorciari was quoted in an International Business Times article on the situation surrounding the beheading of an Indonesian migrant worker in Saudi Arabia.

The worker, Ruyati binti Sapubi, was executed after she was convicted of killing her Saudi employer, who she had stated was abusive. The Indonesian government, under fire from its citizens for not taking sufficient steps to protect its migrant workers, has stated that, in response to the execution, it will establish a moratorium on the movement of migrant workers to Saudi Arabia, starting August 1.

Circumstances have often dictated that poor Indonesians go abroad to bring in needed resources, but rising standards of living and decreasing returns on migrant labor have lessened the importance of this activity in recent years.

"Indonesia is less economically dependent on Saudi remittances than some of its poor and populous neighbors. That gives Jakarta a bit more room for maneuver in protesting the widespread abuse of migrant workers in the Gulf," said Ciorciari.