THE DIARY OF ONE SUNDAY

On Sunday, September 27, 2009 a beautiful and precious journey is worth written on the piece of paper. My day begins at 06.00 a.m. I opened my eyes from a nice sleep and saw the rays of the sun filtrating from the window half-opened. Putting my bed in order, going to take a bath, getting ready to go to the chapel for prayer and meditation, yes, as usual, this is a rhythm of my daily life. In God's providence I presented all the programs of the day. Sincerely, I have waited for this day to come, a day of the People's Feast in one of the small towns in Italy called Osimo where we have a parish St. Charles Borromeo.
In the morning, at 09.15 I and 5 other friends (Pierre (from Haiti), Agustinus (from Indonesia), Selmo (from Brazil), Brayan (from Perù, Tao (from Vietnam) left from the house bound to the Castro Pretorio Station where the pullman that would take us to Osimo parked. It took us almost an hour to arrive there. We were assigned to accompany the group of filipinos who would participate on the show in this people's feast. Actually, we were in charge of contacting three groups in Rome, namely: Filipino group, Latin America, and Mauritians. Latin American and Mauritian groups prefer to go there on their own car while the filipinos have chosen stick on the initial program to take a pullman.

Our Pullman departed from Castro Pretorio Station at 11.00 o'clock. The pullman has 54 sits but only 36 sits were taken while the others are vacant. While Ivano was driving, I took the microphone to greet all the passengers and give them some indications with regards to the trip. I reminded them of not leaving any dirt and trash on the pullman. I invited them to pray so that we can arrive safe and sound in our destination. There was a brief silence, then, the recitation of Our Father, Hail Mary and the Glory. As I wished them a good trip, they responded with shouts of joy.
Along the way, we enjoyed the panorama of the countryside. The highways were so good and I was wandering on what a great intelligence the architect has in building them. We stopped in the "area di servizio" to have a lunch. We brought our own foods. We had some bread, canned fish, and some fruits. How wonderful was it to smoke Indonesian cigarettes "Gudang Garam" after lunch!

After 45 minutes of break, we continued our trip. We passed by Ancona and Loreto. We arrived at our destination at almost 3 pm. Rosina, Antonella and some other people were waiting for us. They were smiling at us and I hugged them as I approached them. Yeah, I have been here for sometimes and there is so much familiarity in this beautiful place. We went to greet also Fr. Luigi, the parish priest, who was celebrating his 40 years anniversary of priesthood. He was very happy and he shared to us about his life and how the parish is going.
The program would start at 4.30 pm. We still had some time to roam around. I invited my friends to go to visit Elsa's family (peruvian family). Several times I have been to their house. It is very welcoming family. I was very happy to see again Elsa and her children. We stayed there for a moment and they offered us some drinks and some chips to chew. As the time goes, we excuse ourselves in order to be there in the parish to help the ongoing of the Feast.
Late afternoon, the Mauritian group and the Latin American group arrived. I was very happy to see Julio and his company. Every year his group participates the people's Feast (Festa dei Popoli) in Rome organized by the Missionaries of St. Charles-Scalabrinians. I accompanied them to the hall where the other groups were also gathering. They immediately began to prepare all the things needed for their cultural dance. Not long after, the Mauritian group arrived. They were accompanied by Antonio, an Italian whose wife is Mauritian. I and Pierre welcomed them and led them to the same hall where the other dancers were. I chatted with them for few minutes.

We started the mass at 6 p.m. The main celebrant was a representative from the diocese of Ancona. Fr. Luigi and the other priests con-celebrated this Eucharistic celebration. For the procession, there were two representatives of different nationalities in their traditional costums. In his homily, the main celebrant said that each human being is created by God and for that reason we have to welcome him no matter what color he belongs or from what country he comes from. After the homily, three Albanian children were baptized. In this celebration, the choir of youths of St. Charles Parish rendered the mass more lively. Before ending the mass, the representative of the parish council gave the medal of recognition to Fr. Luigi for his 40th Anniversary of his priesthood.
Right after the mass, we had dinner. The dinner was offered by different ethnic communities. I tasted the Peruvian food and drank caipirinha (Brazilian typical drink). We were eating in hurry because based on the program there would be a cultural show while having dinner. I had to go be sure that the groups from Rome are ready. I found the groups were ready to go on the stage.

The first group who went on the stage was the Filipino group. Their first presentation was Cultural dance called "Singkil". This dance comes from one of the provinces of Indonesia called Lanao. They danced very well. Many people applauded.
The Latin American Group who also call themselves "Alpasumac" went on the stage to present the Latin American dance. Their director is Julio Palacios. The name "Alpasumac" has its indigenous origin, in dialect "Quichua", translated as "Sacred Land". This group has represented Ecuador in various meetings, manifestations, international festivals done in Italia. They have been also in some programs of RAI, Italian National Television. From 1996 up to now this association has realized more than 100 artistic shows in a local and international level. Their music is very alive. There were many who danced in their own places as the music played.


After some cultural dances, another group of Filipinos went on the stage for Hiphop. This group is commonly called "KREWAYZ". It was founded on June 2008. Twice they took a first place in a competition in Chianciano and Florence. they have participated in various International events in Italy and in the Philippines. It was one of the best presentations of the night. Many young people were shouting of joy as these filipino guys moved well their bodies in harmony. After Hiphop, they continued with a Holy Family Choral. This is also a filipino group founded on January 2006. The Filipino Groups were amazing. They have made a good show.
The Mauritian groups were also eager to show their talents. They were in four and all of them are females. Just like the Filipino and the Latin American Groups, every year they always participate the "Festa dei Popoli". As they finished their presentation, I approached them to congratulate them for their beautiful dance.


We left Osimo at around 9 p.m. On our way back, we recalled again the short experience in Osimo. There were no so much talks on our way back. Many preferred to sleep after a very tiring day. We arrived in our house in the morning of September 28, 2009 (at 01.45).
I will treasure this day, a day where I can see different faces and enjoying different cultural presentations.

IN THAT DREAMED CITY

Few days ago I took a walk in the center of Rome together with my friend. On our way back home, walking along the street right beside the northern part of the Victor Emmanuel Park, few kilometers from Central Station Termini, on the entrance gate to the park, an elderly woman was sitting on the floor. In front of her there was a small box containing some coins. Beside her we saw a small bag full of her bilongings. She was just looking at the passers-by hoping to have mercy on their hearts for her. She is a beggar. It ain't nothing! It is usual in the big cities! People would utter those phrases when it comes to looking at those kind of people. Yeah...along the streets of Rome we would find many of them. But no...no...no...this elderly woman is so diffferent from many beggars I've met in the public places, in piazzas, on the train, or on diverse streets of Rome. I have been here for more than three years and for the first time I've seen an asian woman begging. What a pity!

I and my friend stopped there for a while. I bended down and threw some coins on the box prepared by her. I looked at her face. She was in her fifties. She looked ashamed as she raised her head up to look at us. "Grazie!" sincerely she said to me. "Niente", I responded. "Can I make some questions to you?", I implored. I was aware that it could be a stupid question a stranger could do. However, there was nothing else in my mind on how to begin a conversation with here. I was driven by a strong desire to crack a conversation. She was moving her head up as a sign of consent. "Where are you from?", I asked her immediately. "Vietnam", she responded. "May I know your name?". She eagerly mentioned her name. For my short memory, I could not memorize her name for so long. Forgive me for not being able to put well in my memory her beautiful and unique name! I began to see her face illuminated as I have tried my best to be with her and to talk to her. We were smiling to each other. "How long have you been here in Italy?" "6 years", she responded. Then, she continued, "6 years...and I don't speak Italian well. I hardly speak and understand italian". I could notice it on the way she was struggling to convey to me what she wanted to say. "Yes, Italian is a bit hard to learn but I tell you that I understood well what you said to me because you express it well and you pronounce the words well", I affirmed her. She was so happy to hear that affirmation. Her eyes were illuminated. After taking some pause fixed her eyes on the ground, she continued to recount her story. "I have worked before...recently I lost my job and I don't find any job anymore. I want to buy a ticket to go back to Vietnam to die there...I don't find any other ways except this one". She looked down again as if she was just ashamed in what condition she ends up. "Signora, I hope that every wish, every dream and every need you have right now will someday come into reality". We shaked hands and we departed in our own way. I wanted to stay there longer but perhaps it would block the way for those good souls who want to offer her some coins.

I took the bus 105 to go back home. I was sitting on the window side. The image of that elderly woman was so clear in my mind. It also recalls me of the many migrants all over the world, especially my countrymen whom the goverment calls "devisa hero". More than 5 million Indonesians are looking for a greener pasture in foreign land. Many of them have told beautiful stories of their adventure abroad, a salary on foreign currency, eating a new kinds of foods, encountaring new experience, seeing famous places around the globe, and so on. Unfortunately, there are also many others who end up their dreams in the big cities striving to survive. Perhaps some would end up their dreams like the vietnamese woman I've seen on that small angle of Rome. Those who don't choose to live that life "begging on the streets" but simply not finding way out. It came to my mind some news of the Indonesian migrants who have undergone the worst experience in their life; the story of Nirmala Bonat from Kupang few years ago who was abused by her employer and whose body filled with iron prints, the tragedy of Nunukan on September-October 2002 where 350 Indonesian migrants were deported from Sabah, Malaysia, in a worst condition and 80 of them died. Few months ago (on June 23,2009) another girl from Giava told her story. She was abused by her Malaysian employer, being beaten and dosed with boiling water and caned. There are still many other dark stories of our "devisa heroes".

The experience that day with the vietnamese woman opens my heart with all the migrants around the world who left their lovely countries to seek for a better life. Some can make it while many others sadly end up their dreams and wishes in unwanted situation. Perhaps many also want to have the last wish, "to die in their own land". I look up to heaven presenting to the Lord all this people in this pilgrimaged world.

INDONESIA PUSHES FOR BETTER MIGRANT-WORKER PROTECTION

Indonesian domestic worker Siti Hajar in a shelter at the Indonesian embassy in Kuala Lumpur on June 23, 2009, recounts the story of her alleged torture by her employer


By Lisa Thomas Tuesday, Jul. 28, 2009

Siti Hajar's face — scarred with red blisters and scabs — told of the horror. For the past three years, the 33-year-old Indonesian domestic worker from West Java says she was abused by her Malaysian employer, being beaten, doused with boiling water and caned. In June, the ongoing violence finally landed her in a Kuala Lumpur-based hospital. Photos of her burned face, distributed by Indonesian television stations and newspapers, sparked outrage throughout the country, prompting Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to make a personal call to her as she recovered in the hospital.

Sadly, Hajar's story is all too common in a nation where over 5 million citizens are working abroad in households and factories across the globe. Indonesia's migrant workers have been reporting both physical and mental abuse for years, particularly in neighboring Malaysia where over two million Indonesians make their living as maids and construction workers.

After the public outcry over Hajar's case, in late June Indonesia temporarily blocked its domestic workers from going to Malaysia to work until the two countries hammer out additional protections to a 2006 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on migrant workers. Indonesia's proposed amendments — including acknowledging workers' rights to wage increases and a day off each week — aim to protect domestic workers better by providing opportunities to build support amongst friends and ensure proper payment. This is not the first time where tensions have boiled between the two neighboring states over migrant abuse, but this time, they hope to reach a full agreement by early August.

The flow of migrant workers between Indonesia and Malaysia is considered one of the world's largest and busiest labor hubs. If passed, these provisions will help protect the roughly 3,000 workers Indonesia sends to Malaysia every month. The vast majority of these work as maids and domestic workers and remit billions home every year, earning them their nickname of "foreign exchange heroines."

The risks for domestic workers are staggering, from verbal and physical abuse to grueling work hours (in some cases, over 100 hours per week), few if any days off, nonpayment of wages, and appalling work conditions. Although more than 2,000 complaints of abuse are filed with the Indonesian embassy in Kuala Lumpur each month, it's impossible to say exactly how many workers are abused each year, largely because the exploitation is carried out in private. It's a problem for domestic helpers across the world, most of whom work in isolation and many of whom arrive via underground channels, out of sight from formal regulations.

Indonesia's actions are only the latest amongst migrant-sending countries seeking ways to protect their people when they go overseas, a shift from a time when financial considerations trumped all. However, some experts say privately that Indonesia's move may be a temporary gesture to please constituents during an election year. "There's greater attention being paid and more reporting and willingness of police and governments to take action in these cases," says Alan Boulton, Director of the International Labor Organization's Jakarta office. "NGOs have been able to bring attention [to] abuse cases."

As sending countries develop economically, they "now feel they have a moral obligation to protect their workers," says Christopher Lowenstein-Lom of the International Organization for Migration (ILO) in Bangkok. The Philippines — one of the world's largest migrant-sending countries — has set up worker-resource centers in destination countries to help distressed workers find help while they're overseas. Thailand, both a source and sending country for migrant labor, also offers consular services for its workers overseas, many who have suffered at the hands of human traffickers.

In the past year, migrant-rights groups and governments have grown increasingly concerned as the global recession has made migrants more vulnerable to abuse. More workers are being taken advantage of by unfair wages or, worse, not being paid at all as companies have folded. Unemployed migrant workers in host countries are also willing to take on increasingly risky work to maintain their incomes or pay back growing debts. And as sending countries continue to battle hard times, the supply of people looking for jobs overseas — even in dangerous conditions — has increased.

While many migrant-sending countries sign MOUs with employing nations as a way to build relations and bridge differences between labor laws, some migration experts are skeptical about their efficacy as typically, MOUs are nonbinding agreements. "They are written in very, very general terms," says Maruja Asis, research director at the Scalabrini Migration Center in Manila. "The implementation has been very problematic." Some experts say that MOUs can even harm migrants because they create a hierarchy of protection based on ethnicity or type of work. Host countries can be selective with which origin countries they will forge MOUs, creating situations in which some workers are better protected than others.

Human-rights and local migrant groups sharply criticized Indonesia's 2006 MOU with Malaysia for failing to include widespread human-rights protections, including a clear minimum wage, a weekly holiday or stringent monitoring mechanisms for labor agencies — often the source of abuse and fraud. Labor and migrant-rights groups hope this summer's revisions will beef up mechanisms to better protect migrant workers. Next summer, domestic workers will also feature high on the agenda at the annual International Labor Conference in Geneva where participants will try to develop international labor rights for domestic workers.

Experts say multilateral and regional forums like these are crucial to help deliver a stronger message about the basic rights of migrants, but they will not solve the vast array of risks that migrants face everyday in the work place. Multilateral frameworks "need the awareness of all sectors to provide protection to migrant workers," says Premjai Vungsiriphaisal, researcher at the Asian Research Center for Migration. Tragically, progress didn't come in time for Siti Hajar. There's hope that it will for thousands of other women like her.