The Indonesian Economic and Trade Office (IETO) has issued an ordinance prohibiting migrant worker groups in Taiwan from holding non-religious events until Dec. 12, following the death of an Indonesian man in a mass brawl in Changhua County on Sept. 2.
The IETO on Tuesday said that the ordinance was issued after discussions with the Changhua County Government and the Taichung Police Department, adding that the regulation prohibits the four Indonesian groups allegedly involved in the Changhua fight from holding any events until March 12 next year
Although the IETO said it would consult with authorities to “mete out strict punishments,” it is unclear if there is any legal basis for the event ban or how it would be enforced.
Photo courtesy of the Changhua County Police Department
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the ordinance issued by the IETO did not conform to Taiwan’s laws, adding that assemblies by migrant workers are governed by the Assembly and Parade Act (集會遊行法) and other relevant laws, and are regulated by the Ministry of the Interior.
A spokesman for the Changhua County Police Department said that the department would not stop migrant workers from holding events, while the Taichung Police Department described the IETO’s ordinance as “unilateral.”
The Central News Agency contacted the IETO on Wednesday to inquire about what consequences the Indonesian migrant groups would face if they ignored the ordinance, but it has not yet received a response.
The ordinance comes after a man was stabbed to death outside Changhua Railway Station during a brawl on Sept. 2. The crime is alleged to have involved four Indonesian martial arts clubs: Pagar Nusa, IKSPI Kera Sakti, Pantura and PSHT.
The office requests that evidence of incendiary or provocative comments, mockery or hate speech inciting conflict be e-mailed to ieto@ms8.hinet.
Changhua police said that 29 migrant workers found at the scene of the fight were brought in for questioning, while the main suspect in the fatal stabbing, a 24-year-old Indonesian man, was arrested in Taichung on Sept. 3.
The IETO said that it would consult with the Taiwanese authorities to issue punishments to any Indonesian workers that are attempting to seek revenge, found to be involved in fights or engaged in other illegal activities.
Indonesian nationals should report any potentially prohibited events during the aforementioned periods to the IETO by calling (09)985109202, (09)966536082 or (09)82690962, the IETO added.
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