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August 18, 2014

Foreign helpers roped in for anti-Occupy Central cause

Foreign domestic helpers take part in the anti-Occupy Central protest on Sunday. Photo: Post 852

Anti-Occupy Central organizers are eyeing foreign domestic helpers to help them fulfill their political agenda, some reports said.

The Association of Indonesian Migrant Workers in Hong Kong said some employers asked domestic helpers for their Hong Kong identity card, saying that they needed it to file a claim, Next Plus reported Monday.

The employers would then fill out a form in support of the anti-Occupy Central campaign and ask the helpers to sign it, the report said.

But the helpers did not understand what was printed on the form because it was in Chinese.

“Of course the helpers do not understand what it was about but they were afraid of their employers, so they just gave their Hong Kong ID,” said Eni Lestari, a spokesperson for the labor group.

Some Indonesian helpers said they were encouraged to join the anti-Occupy Central protest and were told they could receive HK$200 (US$25.80) to HK$300 afterwards.

The labor group earlier put out a notice urging its members not to go to Victoria Park on Sunday because their headcount would be included in the anti-Occupy Central demonstration.

It also encouraged the helpers not to show their support to the movement as the groups behind anti-Occupy Central had not been helpful to foreign domestic helper groups when they were fighting for their rights.

On Sunday, some foreign maids took part in the anti-Occupy Central protest, Post 852 reported.

After the march, they gathered near the General Post Office and Hong Kong City Hall and then boarded buses arranged by the Shap Pat Heung Rural Committee and the Federation of Hong Kong Guangdong Community Organisations, the report said.

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http://www.ejinsight.com/20140818-2/