The mistreatment of domestic workers from Southeast Asian countries in the Middle East has resulted in numerous diplomatic disputes over the years. Cases of abuse and injustice often led to protests and recalls of ambassadors by countries such as Indonesia and the Philippines against host countries like Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. In one instance in 2011, Indonesia recalled its ambassador to Saudi Arabia after an Indonesian domestic worker was executed without proper notification to the Indonesian government. The relation between Indonesia and Saudi Arabia normalized after a formal apology was issued by the Arab kingdom.
However, instances of Indonesian domestic workers being executed in Saudi Arabia for killing their employers continued, leading Indonesia to impose a moratorium on sending domestic workers to the Middle East in 2015. The Philippines also faced a similar situation in 2018 when a Filipina maid was found dead in Kuwait, sparking a public outcry. President Duterte responded by banning the sending of new domestic workers to Kuwait and a diplomatic crisis ensued after the Filipino embassy assisted abused citizens in escaping their employers. Kuwait expelled the Philippine Ambassador and issued arrest warrants against embassy personnel but relations normalized after agreements were reached for better rights and benefits for domestic workers.
Despite these diplomatic rows, overall relationships between Southeast Asian countries and Middle Eastern countries in other sectors remained largely unaffected. Indonesia and Saudi Arabia maintained their trade and investment partnerships, with Indonesia being a key partner in sending pilgrims for the Hajj pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia. Similarly, the Philippines and Kuwait continued to be important trading partners in sectors such as oil and gas, apparel, and fruits despite the diplomatic crisis surrounding the treatment of domestic workers.
The mistreatment of domestic workers continued to be a sensitive issue for Southeast Asian countries sending workers to the Middle East. The cases of abuse and injustice that sparked diplomatic rows highlighted the need for improved protections and rights for domestic workers in host countries. Despite efforts to address these issues through bans and negotiations, the cycle of abuse and exploitation of domestic workers from Southeast Asia in the Middle East persisted, leading to ongoing tensions and occasional diplomatic disputes between the countries involved.
In conclusion, the mistreatment of domestic workers in the Middle East has been a longstanding issue that has caused diplomatic tensions between sending countries like Indonesia and the Philippines and host countries such as Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. While these disputes have led to recalls of ambassadors and bans on sending domestic workers, overall relationships between Southeast Asian and Middle Eastern countries in other sectors have remained largely unaffected. Efforts to address the mistreatment of domestic workers have resulted in some improvements, such as better rights and benefits for workers, but more still needs to be done to ensure the protection and well-being of domestic workers in the Middle East.
