GL, Envoy talks

By Jamila Najmuddin

External Affairs Minister G.L. Peiris is expected to meet the Saudi Arabian Ambassador in Colombo shortly to discuss the incident of a Sri Lankan housemaid having nails inserted into her body by her Saudi Arabian employer.

Meanwhile the External Affairs Ministry is to submit a medical report to the Saudi government over the incident where 24 nails were inserted into the housemaid who was operated upon earlier today, Ministry sources said.

Doctors who performed the surgery have been informed to hand over the medical report of the housemaid to the External Affairs Ministry who will then send it to the Saudi government in order for them to take appropriate action against the Saudi employer.

“We need the medical report so that it will substantiate our case. The Sri Lankan Embassy in Saudi Arabia is already in discussions with the Saudi government and investigations have begun,” Ministry sources said adding, “Soon as we receive the medical report we will send it to the Saudi Foreign Ministry so that they can take the appropriate action against the employer who did this to the housemaid.”

Additional General Manager of the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) L.K. Ruhunuge told Daily Mirror online that if the need does arise, the housemaid will also be taken to Saudi Arabia to testify against the employer who brutally inserted the nails into her body.

“The Bureau will make all arrangements to take her to Saudi Arabia to testify. We are closely monitoring the situation,” Mr. Ruhunuge said.

Meanwhile Justice Ministry sources said that legal advice will be provided to the maid in order for her to file a case against her employer in Saudi Arabia over the alleged abuse incident and the matter may also be taken up with the International Office of Migrants (IOM) as well as the UN. (Daily Mirror online)