BBC News Asia-Pacific
19 November 2010 Last updated at 10:25 GMT
Indonesia maid 'killed in Saudi Arabia'
A member of Migrant Care Indonesia wears a picture of Sumiati Binti Salan
Mustapa on her hat during a protest at the Saudi Arabian embassy in Jakarta
Sumiati Binti Salan Mustapa's injuries included cuts to her lips allegedly made
with scissors
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Indonesia has demanded an inquiry into reports that a maid working in Saudi
Arabia was killed by her employers and her body dumped in a bin.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said a team had been sent to the Saudi town
of Abha to investigate reports of the murder of 36-year-old Kikim Komalasari.
It comes as officials arrived in Saudi to follow up claims of torture against a
second Indonesian maid.
Sumiati Binti Salan Mustapa is recovering in hospital in Medina.
Her injuries include gashes to her face and cuts to her lips, allegedly
inflicted by her employers using scissors. She was also burned with an iron,
officials say.
Indonesia's president has demanded justice for the "extraordinary torture".
Indonesian media reported on Thursday that the Saudi Arabian government had
arrested the female employer of Sumiati, and apologised for her treatment.
'Beyond inhumane'
Reports of the murder of a second maid came on Friday.
Continue reading the main story
Analysis
Emily Buchanan BBC world affairs correspondent
Several countries across the Middle East and Asia host millions of migrant
domestic workers, ranging from 196,000 in Singapore to approximately 1.5
million in Saudi Arabia.
Whether or not they are well treated is a matter of luck rather than
legislation.
Employers have huge control over them and the workers have few rights. Most
have their passports taken away.
It is hard to document their treatment as they are "hidden" in people's homes,
but abuse is systemic, according to Human Rights Watch.
Traditionally, the Philippines has been a stronger advocate for its workers
than the other "sender" countries, but the protest by the Indonesian president
is unusually high-level - especially as it occurred during the Muslim Eid
celebrations.
There has been growing tension between Indonesia and Saudi Arabia over rising
fees charged by private Indonesian recruiting agencies. Saudi Arabia was even
considering banning Indonesian domestic workers.
Indonesia's labour minister Muhaimin Iskandar said Ms Komalasari's neck had
been slashed and she had severe cuts to the rest of her body.
Indonesia's president described it as "beyond inhumane".
He said he was encouraged by the Saudi government's quick response.
"I'm hopeful the perpetrators will be punished according to law," he said.
He was speaking to reporters following a cabinet meeting on the need to give
greater protection to the country's migrant workers in the Middle East -
estimated to be close to one million.
Rights organisations say many foreign domestic maids in Saudi Arabia work in
harsh circumstances and often suffer abuse from their employers.
The Saudi Labour Ministry has in the past acknowledged some problems, but the
government also says foreign workers' rights are protected under Islamic law.
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