SL woman held in Saudi mansion by force

6 September 2015 01:29 pm - 10 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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Chilling details of a Sri Lankan female migrant worker who has been detained by her employer in Saudi Arabia has come to light, as the victim’s daughter seeks government intervention to ensure her mother’s release.

The victim, S. Wasanthi – a 46 year-old mother of three, had migrated to Saudi Arabia as a domestic worker for the third time on February 27. In March, her daughter R. Jayarani had received a call from Wasanthi, who had complained about the employer’s abuse.

“During the brief phone conversation, she told me she was being assaulted both verbally and physically. Thereafter on May 1, while I was in hospital to deliver my baby, my mother phoned me again and told me she suffered injuries and was hospitalised after she attempted to flee from the employer’s residence,” she said.

According to Jayarani, following two days of treatment at a hospital, the Saudi law enforcement authorities had reassigned her to return to her abusive employer despite her pleas to be taken to the Sri Lankan mission in KSA.

Jayarani had not received a call from her mother until two weeks ago.

“She spoke to me for less than two minutes. She sounded agitated and cried . . . she told me she was severely beaten and one arm was paralyzed as a result. Her hair had been cut off and said she was being kept locked up in a room in the employer’s mansion with no food or water for days,” the aggrieved daughter told Daily Mirror.

Since then, Jayarani says she has visited the employment agency through which her mother migrated, the Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission and the Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Bureau in seeking assistance to locate her mother and seek her release. So far none of the agencies have responded to Jayarani concerning the progress on complaints she lodged regarding her mother’s plight.

“I lodged a complained with the HRC on August 19. They informed that they would respond within two weeks but I still haven’t received a reply,” Jayarani said while adding, “Since our father abandoned our family, it was my mother who worked hard to put food on the table. She migrated to ensure our futures were stable. I wish for my mother’s return and I plead from the government to intervene in this matter and ensure my mother’s safe return. . .” (Lakna Paranamanna)

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Comments - 10

jem Sunday, 06 September 2015 07:35 PM

Seriously the middle east seems to be full of babarians...no way can this be called a doctrine of peace...look at even the migrants issue...non of the middle east nations were willing to help...Instead pointing fingers at Europe and saying they should protecting human rights. .seriously jungle animals are better than the people of the middle east

johan Sunday, 06 September 2015 07:37 PM

This is what Sobitha thera wants to completely stop sending House maids and to find alternate jobs in Sri Lanka like Garments Industry and lot of newventures the new Govt. must generate for the future ofwomen

Emanuel Sunday, 06 September 2015 09:20 PM

Over to you Mr President! How disgraceful that neither the HRC nor the SLBFE take the complaint seriously. These migrant workers are still the main source of foreign income generated into our country. Why are there no strict regulations governing how they are sent to work? And how is it that no authority has info as to who the employer is?

Sincere Monday, 07 September 2015 09:48 AM

New Minister of Foreign Employment, Thalatha Athukorala, this is over to you.

das Monday, 07 September 2015 10:25 AM

Other countries should stop dealing with these uncivilised countries.

OMG Monday, 07 September 2015 10:33 AM

No use of your noise. Only solution is to stop sending housemaids to the Middle East.

Gamini Monday, 07 September 2015 03:15 PM

Ms.Minister. Take action or resign. Now is the time to walk the talk.

Hamden Monday, 07 September 2015 04:08 PM

how many cases are as such reported? Also if you had read the above article well, you can see how our local HRC and Bureau have acted so far.

das Monday, 07 September 2015 04:38 PM

The people giving "thumbs down" to this comment must be fundamentalist lunatics living in SL.

Sylvia Haik Monday, 07 September 2015 04:59 PM

When Malaysia discovered their citizens were abused, they stopped their maids going to the Middle-east. We should do the same.

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SL woman held in Saudi mansion by force

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