Surviving an unsurpassable tragedy

By Lakna Paranamanna

“When am I going to return home mother? When will I be able to sit with my family for a meal once more? . . .” a quivering voice at the other end of the phone line had inquired Rafeena on December 12 last year. Although her daughter’s questions caused grief and helplessness, they had been overshadowed by the joy of hearing from her daughter after several months of silence from Saudi Arabia. Little then, did Rafeena knew that it would also be the last conversation she would have with her daughter Rizana before she was cruelly robbed of her right to live in a far-off land, sending a shockwave around the world.

Rizana’s parents, Rafeena and Nafeek are still struggling to come to terms with the unexpected loss of their daughter and the siblings, Rafeena says, are still hoping the news of their sister’s death is an error and that she would return home.

When 17-year-old Rizana impersonating as a 19-year-old through forged documents, migrated to Saudi Arabia in 2005 as a housemaid her only hope was to elevate her family from the depths of poverty. Although Rafeena and Nafeek objected to their daughter’s plea to migrate for employment, Rizana’s determination had compelled them to agree. “People keep asking us why we sent her abroad . . . After languishing in poverty for years, with no route to escape the suffering, Rizana’s suggestion was the only beacon of hope to our family,” Nafeek says in a trembling voice.



Neither this mother nor the father, were the least aware of the plight about to befall their daughter on January 9 and were instead expecting a call from her, through Dr. Mrs. Kifaya Ifthikar who had been helping Rizana communicate with her family. “I was hospitalized few days earlier due to a chest pain and was in hospital when I heard the news of my daughter’s execution. These hands that were waiting to welcome my child home, had to be instead used to wipe tears of her loss,” Nafeek says staring at his roughened hands. “We were not even informed of our daughter’s execution and only heard about it through the media. As a mother I had a right to know!” Rafeena says, as she wipes the tears off the white shawl that covers her head.

" They also received several other donations including financial assistance from a Saudi prince, which Rafeena refused to accept. “I don’t want the money of my daughter’s murderers. We were robbed of our innocent daughter in the cruelest way imaginable, and no amount of money is going to bring her back "

Dealing with the trauma of losing a loved one is never easy, but closure brings a certain degree of reason to ease the pain. After not having seen their daughter and following the psychological strain they suffered owing to the undecided fate of their daughter for the past eight years, these parents have turned numb and do not wish to blame any party for the fate of their daughter. “I feel the government attempted their level best to get our daughter released. Anyhow there is no point blaming anyone because she will never come back to us. But we would like to plead the authorities to ensure that a similar fate does not happen to any other human,” the distressed father said.



These aggrieved parents visited Colombo few days ago, to visit the President where they were handed Rs. One million. They also received several other donations including financial assistance from a Saudi prince, which Rafeena refused to accept. “I don’t want the money of my daughter’s murderers. We were robbed of our innocent daughter in the cruelest way imaginable, and no amount of money is going to bring her back. We don’t have high hopes or detailed plans for our future because our present economic conditions allow us to worry of only one day at a time. But my husband and I would wish to realize Rizana’s plan of educating her siblings because it was a longstanding dream of hers,” Rafeena said.

Two years ago, when I met these parents in their make-shift home – a stunted mud-hut standing on dusty grounds in the backwoods of Mutur, they had decided to leave the fate of their daughter in the hands of God. “Our prayers for the safe return of our daughter were countless but things did not work out the way we wished. But I believe Allah has given us a lesson to learn through this loss. Therefore I plead with all those who wish to migrate for work, to think twice before making the decision.”  
Following an extensive silence, Rafeena joins the conversation. “Those who migrate for employment do so because of economic crises; because they wish to bring better times to their families. It is up to the individual to make the decision but I would like it if the death of our daughter was not invain and if it would help someone else save their life of a cruel end,” she said as she stared into space with watery eyes, filled with tears no doubt, of unspoken grief.

Pix by Pradeep Pathirana