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PRESS RELEASES 2000
Jerusalem, May
03, 2000
The Palestinian Authority
arrests a freelance correspondent for the London based
al-Shark al-Awsat .
An Indonesian girl attempts to commit suicide in Gaza:
Who is responsible?
Mila Windsari Afendi, a 15 year old Indonesian worker, is
now handicapped as a result of trying to commit suicide, and
is now in al-Shifa hospital in Gaza city suffering
disability in the lower part of her body.
According to documents, her age is 27, but Dr. Issam Abu-Ajweh
from al-Shifa hospital, confirms that she is only 15 years
old, her height is 150 cm. And her weight is 40 Kilos. She
began a hunger strike on 21st April 2000, demanding return
to her country because she feels miserable and no one
understands her language.
Mila was brought from Indonesia to work as a servant in Gaza
for a lawyer called Nihad al-Sheikh Deeb, who works as a
legal consultant to a security service through a mediator
office called Star of the Morning which functions in this
kind of business; bringing in people to work as servants in
the Gaza Strip. And so she arrived on 3.3.2000 through
Jordan, and stayed for few days in Nablus in the West Bank,
then arrived in Gaza on 17.3.?2000?
On 25.3.2000 The girl tried to commit suicide by throwing
herself down to the street from the 4th floor, but she did
not die, some passers-by heard her moaning, and called the
police who took her to al-Shifa hospital.
Medical checks carried out on her at al-Shifa hospital
proved that she was still a virgin, suffering from bleeding
in her kidney, and broken legs. The lawyer, Nihad al-Sheikh
Deeb refused to meet the costs of her medical treatment or
sign any papers, the office in-charge of bringing her to
Gaza also refused to hold responsibility for the girl.
Officials in the Palestinian Authority did not provide any
information, assistance, or reply regarding the case of the
Indonesian girl. A similar case happened earlier with a girl
from Sri Lanka. The Palestinian Ministry of Interior must
have more control on such offices that bring in girls to
serve in the houses of wealthy Palestinians. It must also
follow up on their working conditions. So, until someone
claims responsibility, and offers to help the girl, she
remains in her bed at al-Shifa hospital in Gaza!
The PHRMG is appalled by the treatment forign workers have
recieved by the Palestinian Authority. We urge you to send
letters of protest of protest to the Ministry of Interior
asking them to take immediate action.
President Yasir Arafat
Acting Minister of Interior
Ministry of Interior
An-Nasser St.
Gaza
PALESTINE (via Israel)
fax: +972 7 28240165
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