The mistreatment of domestic workers in the Middle East, particularly those from Southeast Asia, has been a source of diplomatic tension between countries such as Indonesia and the Philippines, which send domestic workers abroad, and host countries like Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. Cases of abuse and injustice have led to public outrage at home, prompting formal protests from the sending countries.
In 2011, Indonesia recalled its ambassador to Saudi Arabia in response to the execution of an Indonesian domestic worker accused of killing her employer. Indonesia felt that it was not properly notified of the execution, depriving its diplomats of the chance to protect the workers. Relations between Indonesia and Saudi Arabia normalized after the Arab kingdom issued an apology and promised to review the cases of other Indonesian maids on death row.
Despite the normalization of relations, instances of Indonesian domestic workers being executed in Saudi Arabia continued, with Indonesia arguing that the maids were acting in self-defense due to abuse. In 2015, Indonesia imposed a moratorium on sending domestic workers to Saudi Arabia and other countries in the Middle East and North Africa.
The Philippines also faced a diplomatic crisis with Kuwait in 2018 after the death of a Filipina maid whose body was found in her employer’s freezer. This led to a ban on sending new domestic workers to Kuwait and a rescue operation that strained relations further, resulting in expulsions and arrest warrants. Both countries eventually agreed to normalize relations, with Kuwait offering improved rights and benefits for domestic workers.
Despite these rows and crises, other aspects of the relationships between Southeast Asian and Middle Eastern countries remained largely unaffected. Trade and investment partnerships between Indonesia and Saudi Arabia, as well as the Philippines and Kuwait, continued to thrive. Indonesia continued to send pilgrims for the annual Hajj pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia, while the Philippines and Kuwait maintained their trade partnerships in sectors such as oil and gas, apparel, and fruits.
In conclusion, while incidents of abuse and injustice towards domestic workers have strained diplomatic ties between Southeast Asian countries and the Middle East, relationships in other sectors have remained strong. Both sides have worked to address the issues and find solutions to improve the welfare and protection of domestic workers, ensuring that overall partnerships remain intact despite occasional challenges.
