Ministry rubbishes rape charges

11 June 2011 01:43 am - 18 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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The Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare Ministry said yesterday it had not received complaints regarding the alleged rape of Sri Lankan women in a garment factory in Jordan.

The ministry said it had contacted the Labour and Welfare officers at Sri Lankan Embassy in Jordan and they had confirmed that none of the workers had made complaints of that nature.

“Some of our labour officers had gone to the factory to investigate the reports and they said they had not received such complaints,” Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare Minister Dilan Perera said.

He said the Sri Lankan Embassy in Jordan had looked into the matter and added that the ministry would write to the “Institute of Global Labour and Human Rights” regarding the allegations.

“These are serious allegations and we are looking at them very carefully,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) too claimed that the report made by the US based organization was baseless as the Bureau had not received such complains.

It said it promoted job opportunities in factories as they were much safer than jobs in houses and stressed they would not send an employee to a factory against which there were black marks or doubts.

“A majority of Sri Lankans work in these factories and many of them would not stand by and watch something like this happen,” SLFBE Chairman Kingsley Ranawaka said. He said these workers would take some form of action if such a situation had arisen like halting the flow of work in the factory.

Mr. Ranawaka said if complaints were made it would conduct investigations and look into the matter. “Such baseless allegations are only an insult to the women who work there as they will be the ones to face the society when they return,” he said. “We have so many workers there and therefore there is some chance of hearing about it, we like to know from where this rights organization got such information.”

An organization calling itself the Institute for Global Labour and Human Rights had in a report alleged that scores of young Sri Lankan women working seamstresses in a Jordan garment factory called ‘Classic factory’ are alleged to have suffered routine sexual abuse and repeated rape, and in some cases even torture. (Nabeela Hussain )

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Comments - 18

Chathu05 Saturday, 11 June 2011 06:27 AM

Yeah I have seen it. Not just one Though. Its all over the international news.

ratan Tuesday, 21 June 2011 01:08 AM

Mr. Ranawaka, you are a typical srilankan politician, lying through your teeth. Always in denial.

Fit to be a politician, I suppose?

mirun Sunday, 12 June 2011 12:11 PM

had you have received complaints , what kind if action would have been taken?

Niranjan Rajanayake Sunday, 12 June 2011 01:48 AM

Thanks for the info. Time for me to go into action. At least there is someone like me.

Kalawedda Saturday, 11 June 2011 04:10 PM

If the chief of IMF can do why can't some factory manager in Jordan??

Karu Saturday, 11 June 2011 02:11 PM

Wow the government needs to read these comments it is sad that such a large number of Lankans have no faith in their government and its instituitions and actually if you look deeper into any of their politicians be there govt or opposition.

modaya Saturday, 11 June 2011 01:47 PM

Pls send all female MPs' to work there for a month , they will "know" the facts

Minister Saturday, 11 June 2011 11:16 AM

The best investigators would be some neutral personnel without any political affiliation. Then the real truth can be found out.

DHA Saturday, 11 June 2011 08:19 AM

Money talks.....

citizen1 Saturday, 11 June 2011 04:30 AM

The culprit must be related to a polititian!

Chathu05 Saturday, 11 June 2011 06:25 AM

You do not need a complain when the facts are out or when the information is given !!!

kenny_fdo Saturday, 11 June 2011 06:19 AM

These girls are the people who earn money that runs our country (and what the ministers happily dine on). we should at least have the decency to protect them. they have no other person to turn to.

clueless Saturday, 11 June 2011 05:57 AM

It is the "ministry" that is RUBBISH to rubbish these rape charges! There is no smoke without a fire!!!

Silva Saturday, 11 June 2011 05:40 AM

May be DP got his turn too when he visited so cover up. There is no smoke without fire.. One Rape and the other cover up

sena Saturday, 11 June 2011 05:24 AM

swept under the carpet? This was well documented by an international organization

Moda Wansa Saturday, 11 June 2011 05:15 AM

Cover up for Srilankan rapists!!!!!
Wonder of Asia!!!!!
Go Srilanka go!!!

bash Saturday, 11 June 2011 04:56 AM

ok, investigate it now

Dr.Wimal_Modawansa Saturday, 11 June 2011 04:42 AM

Excellent cover up operation.

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Ministry rubbishes rape charges

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