By Sumaiya Rizvi
One parent of the dead Saudi infant had pardoned her however both parents had to pardon if she were to be acquitted, Minister of foreign employment promotion and welfare Dilan Perera said yesterday at a press conference.
Sri Lankan housemaid Rizana is in death row in Saudi Arabia for the death of an infant. Her execution had been suspended by the king and her fate is now in the hands of the dead infant’s parents. Both parents had to pardon if she were to be released.
Minister Foreign Employment Minister Dilan Perera said that if she were pardoned the Lankan Government was willing to pay the blood money in exchange for her release and repatriation.
“We are working to help release her but I don’t want to talk about it as it might upset the victim’s family,” he added.
“We should not anger the Saudi Arabian public by protesting since they can protest against the suspended sentence on Rizana,” he said.
The Minister said the Ministry was willing to look after the welfare of Rizana’s family however their only need was the safe return of their daughter.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Lankan housemaid severely tortured
By- R. Anurudthan
A woman resident of Vakarai was severely tortured in Saudi Arabia by her employer that left her seriously maimed. She was handed over to her relatives at the Foreign Employment Bureau Office, on Monday. The Victim is Manohary Bawani, a mother of two children who went to Saudi Arabia in June 2003 to work as a housemaid in Damam.
The trouble started when she had asked for her wages after a lapse of two years.
She was hanged upside down and some chemicals put into her eyes. Her hair was set on fire and her ears were burned as a result, she said.“I was burnt with a hot iron rod”, she further said.
She couldn’t communicate with anyone and when she managed to report to the Police, they did nothing other than handing over to the employer following which she was subjected to more torture, Bawani said.
“Finally I was left stranded on the road and the Police who found me sent me to the Sri Lankan embassy, which made arrangement to send me back home” she said.
A woman resident of Vakarai was severely tortured in Saudi Arabia by her employer that left her seriously maimed. She was handed over to her relatives at the Foreign Employment Bureau Office, on Monday. The Victim is Manohary Bawani, a mother of two children who went to Saudi Arabia in June 2003 to work as a housemaid in Damam.
The trouble started when she had asked for her wages after a lapse of two years.
She was hanged upside down and some chemicals put into her eyes. Her hair was set on fire and her ears were burned as a result, she said.“I was burnt with a hot iron rod”, she further said.
She couldn’t communicate with anyone and when she managed to report to the Police, they did nothing other than handing over to the employer following which she was subjected to more torture, Bawani said.
“Finally I was left stranded on the road and the Police who found me sent me to the Sri Lankan embassy, which made arrangement to send me back home” she said.
Deported Lankans landed
About 40 Sri Lankan Tamil asylum seekers, who were deported from Britain, arrived here this morning, police said.
A senior police officer confirmed that currently statements were being recorded from them by a special team from the Criminal Investigations Department (CID). “We were just recording statements from them, once the procedure is over we will allow them to go soon,” the official said. (SD)
A senior police officer confirmed that currently statements were being recorded from them by a special team from the Criminal Investigations Department (CID). “We were just recording statements from them, once the procedure is over we will allow them to go soon,” the official said. (SD)
Decomposed body of Lankan recovered
The partially decomposed remains of a 30-year-old Sri Lankan woman who is said to have died of internal bleeding have been referred to Forensics, reports Al-Watan Arabic daily.
The daily quoting Kuwaiti security sources said police and paramedics acting on information from neighbors of the woman that foul smell was emanating from her apartment got permission from the Public Prosecution and forced open the door. Initial reports show the woman died of internal bleeding. (Arab News
The daily quoting Kuwaiti security sources said police and paramedics acting on information from neighbors of the woman that foul smell was emanating from her apartment got permission from the Public Prosecution and forced open the door. Initial reports show the woman died of internal bleeding. (Arab News
Last of stranded Lankans leave
The Sri Lankan Consulate cleared Monday the last batch of 117 stranded workers who were languishing under Jeddah's Kandara bridge, a popular location for stranded foreign laborers.
"This was the last batch of the 1,000 Sri Lankan workers who were living under the bridge in Jeddah since November," said Consul General Sabarullah Khan.
He added that the final group comprising 53 women were temporarily housed at special accommodation given by the government at the Haj Terminal near Jeddah Islamic Port.
The consulate has moved these stranded workers to the deportation camp from where they will be sent back home during this week.
Authorities from labor-remitting countries, such as Sri Lanka and the Philippines, regularly pick up stranded workers and deport them home at their own expense.
Khan explained that his office will render all assistance to prepare travel documents for these people to return to Sri Lanka. He also thanked the Saudi authorities for their help.
The consul added that his mission currently only has one stranded worker in its custody. "We have only one runaway maid at the shelter. Her case also will be settled soon," he said.
The diplomat requested the Sri Lankan workers in general to regularize their employment status in accordance with the Kingdom's regulations. "Stranded workers should report to the mission instead of squatting under the bridge," he said.
He pointed out that the food and lodging of these stranded workers are funded by the Sri Lankan Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE). Under a statutory law, migrant workers from the island nation have to register themselves with the SLBFE prior to their departure for overseas work posts. The bureau has a package of welfare measures for its registrants, especially women overseas workers.
(Arab News)
"This was the last batch of the 1,000 Sri Lankan workers who were living under the bridge in Jeddah since November," said Consul General Sabarullah Khan.
He added that the final group comprising 53 women were temporarily housed at special accommodation given by the government at the Haj Terminal near Jeddah Islamic Port.
The consulate has moved these stranded workers to the deportation camp from where they will be sent back home during this week.
Authorities from labor-remitting countries, such as Sri Lanka and the Philippines, regularly pick up stranded workers and deport them home at their own expense.
Khan explained that his office will render all assistance to prepare travel documents for these people to return to Sri Lanka. He also thanked the Saudi authorities for their help.
The consul added that his mission currently only has one stranded worker in its custody. "We have only one runaway maid at the shelter. Her case also will be settled soon," he said.
The diplomat requested the Sri Lankan workers in general to regularize their employment status in accordance with the Kingdom's regulations. "Stranded workers should report to the mission instead of squatting under the bridge," he said.
He pointed out that the food and lodging of these stranded workers are funded by the Sri Lankan Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE). Under a statutory law, migrant workers from the island nation have to register themselves with the SLBFE prior to their departure for overseas work posts. The bureau has a package of welfare measures for its registrants, especially women overseas workers.
(Arab News)
SL maid rescued after 13 years
A Sri Lankan housemaid was kept against her will by her Saudi sponsor and not paid since she came to the Kingdom in 1997, sources from the Jazan governorate said.
According to the sources, the authorities rescued 45-year-old Weerawardena Hettiarachchilage Indrani Mallika Hettiarachchi and arrested the sponsor on instructions from Jazan Gov. Prince Muhammad bin Nasser, who had been tipped off about the maid by a Saudi living in the neighborhood.
“It was the governor who took prompt action to rescue the maid from the clutches of the Saudi sponsor, who had kept her in captivity since she came to Jazan in 1997,” Deputy Jazan Gov. Abdullah Mohamed Al-Suwaid said.
The authorities had admitted her to the Social Affairs Protection Center in Jazan where she will stay until the sponsor pays her outstanding wages.
According to Al-Suwaid, the Saudi sponsor, who is currently in custody, had said that he cannot afford to pay the estimated SR60,000 in outstanding wages.
Hettiarachchi has two children back home — 20-year-old son Asanka Pradeep who is handicapped and 19-year-old daughter Dilrukshi who has just finished school.
The maid’s husband Sunil Premathilake told Arab News over the phone from the historical Sri Lankan city of Polannaruwa, 300 km from the capital of Colombo, that his family thought Hettiarachchi had died since there had been no news about her from the Kingdom.
“I am very happy to know that she is living and we want her back home as quickly as possible,” he said.
Sri Lankan Consul General in Jeddah Sabarullah Khan said that he sent a special team headed by the mission’s labor welfare officer Mohammed Meeran Jeffrey to Jazan to assist the maid. According to Jeffrey, Al-Suwaid had promised that authorities would make arrangements to pay some outstanding wages to the maid and she would be repatriated home within two months.
Al-Suwaid also said that he would claim as much as possible from the sponsor and top up the rest using state funds, Jeffrey added.
The diplomat thanked the National Society for Human Rights who were taking a special interest in Hettiarachchi’s case. (arabnews)
According to the sources, the authorities rescued 45-year-old Weerawardena Hettiarachchilage Indrani Mallika Hettiarachchi and arrested the sponsor on instructions from Jazan Gov. Prince Muhammad bin Nasser, who had been tipped off about the maid by a Saudi living in the neighborhood.
“It was the governor who took prompt action to rescue the maid from the clutches of the Saudi sponsor, who had kept her in captivity since she came to Jazan in 1997,” Deputy Jazan Gov. Abdullah Mohamed Al-Suwaid said.
The authorities had admitted her to the Social Affairs Protection Center in Jazan where she will stay until the sponsor pays her outstanding wages.
According to Al-Suwaid, the Saudi sponsor, who is currently in custody, had said that he cannot afford to pay the estimated SR60,000 in outstanding wages.
Hettiarachchi has two children back home — 20-year-old son Asanka Pradeep who is handicapped and 19-year-old daughter Dilrukshi who has just finished school.
The maid’s husband Sunil Premathilake told Arab News over the phone from the historical Sri Lankan city of Polannaruwa, 300 km from the capital of Colombo, that his family thought Hettiarachchi had died since there had been no news about her from the Kingdom.
“I am very happy to know that she is living and we want her back home as quickly as possible,” he said.
Sri Lankan Consul General in Jeddah Sabarullah Khan said that he sent a special team headed by the mission’s labor welfare officer Mohammed Meeran Jeffrey to Jazan to assist the maid. According to Jeffrey, Al-Suwaid had promised that authorities would make arrangements to pay some outstanding wages to the maid and she would be repatriated home within two months.
Al-Suwaid also said that he would claim as much as possible from the sponsor and top up the rest using state funds, Jeffrey added.
The diplomat thanked the National Society for Human Rights who were taking a special interest in Hettiarachchi’s case. (arabnews)
Saturday, February 5, 2011
LANKAN MIGRANT WORKERS TAKEN TO OTHER AREAS BEYOND LOW PAYING MIDDLE EASTERN ZONE
Sri Lankan migrant workers must be taken to other areas beyond the low-paying Middle East Zone, says Dullas Alahapperuma, Minister of Youth Affairs and Skills Development.
He made this observation while addressing a function in Colombo yesterday.
An agreement was signed with the Minster of Construction, Engineering Services, Housing and Common Amenities yesterday to provide a national vocational qualification to those engaged in the construction sector.
“When we look at the world's foreign employment policies, we can see that the Middle East is the lowest paying zone. The primary reason is that our workers lack professional qualifications. We hope that in the years 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014, we will be able to gradually conquer the foreign markets that lie beyond the Middle East,” said Dullas Alhapperuma.
“We always hear the slogan, 'Give employment to unemployed graduates'. But we never hear the slogan 'give employment to the younger generation', that didn't make it beyond the advanced level exam," said Wimal Weerawansa, Minster of Construction, Engineering Services, Housing and Common Amenities.
"Today a government has been formed which will not only create a future where graduates will be employed, but a government that formulates special programmes especially for the larger segment of youth who were unable to move forward with their education.
"This government will care for them and bring them forward as good citizens in the country,” said Weerawansa.
He made this observation while addressing a function in Colombo yesterday.
An agreement was signed with the Minster of Construction, Engineering Services, Housing and Common Amenities yesterday to provide a national vocational qualification to those engaged in the construction sector.
“When we look at the world's foreign employment policies, we can see that the Middle East is the lowest paying zone. The primary reason is that our workers lack professional qualifications. We hope that in the years 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014, we will be able to gradually conquer the foreign markets that lie beyond the Middle East,” said Dullas Alhapperuma.
“We always hear the slogan, 'Give employment to unemployed graduates'. But we never hear the slogan 'give employment to the younger generation', that didn't make it beyond the advanced level exam," said Wimal Weerawansa, Minster of Construction, Engineering Services, Housing and Common Amenities.
"Today a government has been formed which will not only create a future where graduates will be employed, but a government that formulates special programmes especially for the larger segment of youth who were unable to move forward with their education.
"This government will care for them and bring them forward as good citizens in the country,” said Weerawansa.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Look after our Middle East earners NOW
Lakbima
By Sqn. Ldr. J.T. Rex Fernando
With monotonous regularity there are reports in the newspapers of blatant harassment, exploitation and deprivation of legitimate dues of our migrant workers in the Middle East . The most recent cases of torturing of housemaids with nails have been shocking. The following are some of the recent news paper reports of harassment and torture of our migrant workers.
X “Sri Lankan maids suffer abuse in the Middle East .”
X “Domestic helpers still subject to abuse.”
X “Housemaid thrashed in Reynard.”
X “Housemaid abused by the Employer.”
X “Sri Lankan maids among the most tortured workers in the world.”
X “100 Lankan migrant workers stranded to be brought back from Saudi.”
X “ Ten Sri Lankan forcible detained by employer”
X “Doctor confirms housemaid tortured in Kuwait ”
Dismal record
According to news reports and the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment., the government received 2,000 reports on foreign employers abusing maids in 2003. According to the same report, 123 Sri Lankan women had died in 2003 while working abroad. The government had classified 45 of the cases as ‘Unnatural Deaths’. In other words those deaths are apparently murders. While the latest statistics are not available, this is an alarming rate of violence against Sri Lankan women in some Middle East countries. It is true that those countries help Sri Lanka by providing employment opportunities our men and women but there should be some effective mechanism to ensure the safety of Sri Lankan housemaids employed abroad. The government has to take some meaningfull action to protect Sri Lankan women working abroad.
Need for an effective mechanism
The frequency of cases of harassment and exploitation of migrant workers, particularly female workers necessitate the setting in motion of a meaningful and effective mechanism to rationalize the recruitment of Sri Lankan workers, and registration and control of employment agencies. Considering the numerous problems encountered by our migrant workers, the need to expeditiously initiate suitable action to tackle these intricate problems cannot be over - emphasized.
While after every case of harassment, torture, deprivation of wages is reported the bureau of foreign employment assures that action is pursued to prevent such recurrence, regrettably no effective action is pursued.
The magnitude of the problem of migrant workers, and the unenviable predicament particularly of workers in Arab lands can only be adequately appreciated and understood by those who have served in the Middle East , and have had an insight into the working conditions of our migrant workers. Serving in a Middle East country for nearly a decade in the capacity of Chief Administrative Officer in a government establishment, and having travelled widely in the Gulf, I am aware how some private sector employers and employment agencies dupe expatriate workers by ingenious subtle and insidious ways. I am also aware of the many instances of physical and sexual harassment, deprivation of wages, and also the nonchalant attitude adopted by employment agencies and our foreign missions when migrant workers are faced with problems.
The governments of Gulf countries including Kuwait , the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia , as well as Lebanon have over, the years, failed to curb abuse against Sri Lankan domestic workers. The New York based Human Rights Watch in a recent report has stated that domestic helpers, typically labour for 16 to 21 hours for extremely low wages of 15 to 30 US cents an hour. “Some domestic workers had told Human Rights Watch how they were subjected to forced confinement, food deprivation, physical and verbal abuse, forced labour, and sexual harassment and rape by their employers,” it said. More than 660,000 Sri Lankan women work abroad as domestic workers, nearly 90 per cent in Kuwait , Saudi Arabia , the UAE and Lebanon , according to HRW. The government in the Gulf exposes Sri Lankan domestic workers to abuse by refusing to guarantee a weekly rest day, limits to the work day, freedom of movement and other rights that most workers take for granted. It is an undisputable fact that too many employers and unscrupulous labour agencies get away with exploitating workers without real punishment.
Considering the magnitude of the problem, it is necessary to expeditiously rationalize recruiting procedures to provide for effective and meaningful control of employment agencies. The following are salient aspects that should to be considered.
(A) The Labour Charter intended to protect the rights of workers has to consider the outcry of Sri Lankan workers in the Middle East . Their rights have to be accurately safeguarded.
(B) The insidious, dubious and ingenious ways, employment agencies circumvent existing laws and dupe those seeking employment abroad. Even some reputed employment agencies seem to continue unabated to discretely flout even basic procedures.
(C) The rather ineffective role of the Sri Lankan Bureau of Foreign Employment which is sopposedly the “Protector of Migrant Workers”.
(D) The nonchalant attitude of foreign missions to the problems of workers abroad. It is regrettable that until now, the pitiful conditions of most of our workers in the Middle East have been of little concern despite remittances to the national coffers exceeding Rs. 40 billion annually.
Precautionary measures
In the pursuance of the efforts to provide for better terms and conditions, an effective recruitment policy in respect of Sri Lankans going abroad for employment hoping for a better tomorrow, the following aspects should also be given careful consideration and should be effectively covered, and deterrent action pursued particularly against dubious labour agencies.
(1) The Bureau of Foreign Employment must be geared to perform a more meaningful and effective role as the “Protector of Migrant Workers”. It should be given the “muscle” to assert itself and be able to prevent or at least minimize the exploitation of our workers.
(2) The activities and modus operandi of employment agencies must be carefully monitored. There should be effective machinery to prevent the duping of applicants for employment abroad and the extraction of prohibitive and unconscionable commissions. All foreign employment agencies without exception should come under the purview of the Bureau of Foreign Employment.
(3) Formulation of a code of conduct/ethics for employment agencies should be given consideration and licensing of these agencies should be on the basis of their credentials, suitability and competence.
(4) The responsibilities of employment agencies should be carefully laid down. It is well-known that most agencies are only concerned about the interests of foreign employers/principals. Invariably the interests of workers are subjugated to the interest of the employer.
(5) The contracts of employment should be carefully scrutinized and the Bureau must guide and advice those seeking employment about the mandatory safeguards and precautions, since:-
(i) Some contracts are “one sided” and there is no employer/employee reciprocal obligations.
(ii) Some are in Arabic and the workers required to sign the contracts either before departure or on arrival to take up the appointment.
(iii) Despite the stipulations in the contracts, provision is invariably made for the “Sharia Law” to override the provisions in the contract of employment.
(iv) There should be adequate safeguards against unilateral repudiation of the contracts of employment. Very often after signing the formal contract of employment or on arrival to take up the appointment, the terms and conditions of employment are altered. Such cases are on the increase and the Bureau has been inundated with such cases of blatant repudiation of the contracts.
(v) Need to re-negotiate worker agreements with explicit employer obligations with the host countries with bad reputation. The countries to which our workers are send respect the Human Rights of workers and the relevant ILO conventions.
(vi) In the event of a breach of the contract, by non payment of wages, withdrawal of facilities and allowances agreed upon, change of status and duties and adverse working conditions, the procedure for redress must be clearly set out.
(vii) A suitable body must be instituted to arbitrate and settle disputes arising from the failure of employers and employment agencies to fulfill the contractual obligations. Regrettably our missions abroad have not been able to be of any meaningful assistance.
(viii) It may be helpful if an in-depth study is made of the numerous cases of our workers who have encountered various problems such as non payment of wages, unilateral change of conditions of employment, and cases of physical and sexual harassment.
A more meaningful and effective control of the recruitment of Sri Lankans for employment in the Middle East is a pressing national and humanitarian necessity.
Unless the role of the Bureau of Foreign Employment as the protector of migrant workers is made more effective and assertive and the activities of employment agencies are closely monitored and regulated and our foreign missions abroad show more concern for the travails and tribulations of our workers, no significant and meaningful change will result.
By Sqn. Ldr. J.T. Rex Fernando
With monotonous regularity there are reports in the newspapers of blatant harassment, exploitation and deprivation of legitimate dues of our migrant workers in the Middle East . The most recent cases of torturing of housemaids with nails have been shocking. The following are some of the recent news paper reports of harassment and torture of our migrant workers.
X “Sri Lankan maids suffer abuse in the Middle East .”
X “Domestic helpers still subject to abuse.”
X “Housemaid thrashed in Reynard.”
X “Housemaid abused by the Employer.”
X “Sri Lankan maids among the most tortured workers in the world.”
X “100 Lankan migrant workers stranded to be brought back from Saudi.”
X “ Ten Sri Lankan forcible detained by employer”
X “Doctor confirms housemaid tortured in Kuwait ”
Dismal record
According to news reports and the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment., the government received 2,000 reports on foreign employers abusing maids in 2003. According to the same report, 123 Sri Lankan women had died in 2003 while working abroad. The government had classified 45 of the cases as ‘Unnatural Deaths’. In other words those deaths are apparently murders. While the latest statistics are not available, this is an alarming rate of violence against Sri Lankan women in some Middle East countries. It is true that those countries help Sri Lanka by providing employment opportunities our men and women but there should be some effective mechanism to ensure the safety of Sri Lankan housemaids employed abroad. The government has to take some meaningfull action to protect Sri Lankan women working abroad.
Need for an effective mechanism
The frequency of cases of harassment and exploitation of migrant workers, particularly female workers necessitate the setting in motion of a meaningful and effective mechanism to rationalize the recruitment of Sri Lankan workers, and registration and control of employment agencies. Considering the numerous problems encountered by our migrant workers, the need to expeditiously initiate suitable action to tackle these intricate problems cannot be over - emphasized.
While after every case of harassment, torture, deprivation of wages is reported the bureau of foreign employment assures that action is pursued to prevent such recurrence, regrettably no effective action is pursued.
The magnitude of the problem of migrant workers, and the unenviable predicament particularly of workers in Arab lands can only be adequately appreciated and understood by those who have served in the Middle East , and have had an insight into the working conditions of our migrant workers. Serving in a Middle East country for nearly a decade in the capacity of Chief Administrative Officer in a government establishment, and having travelled widely in the Gulf, I am aware how some private sector employers and employment agencies dupe expatriate workers by ingenious subtle and insidious ways. I am also aware of the many instances of physical and sexual harassment, deprivation of wages, and also the nonchalant attitude adopted by employment agencies and our foreign missions when migrant workers are faced with problems.
The governments of Gulf countries including Kuwait , the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia , as well as Lebanon have over, the years, failed to curb abuse against Sri Lankan domestic workers. The New York based Human Rights Watch in a recent report has stated that domestic helpers, typically labour for 16 to 21 hours for extremely low wages of 15 to 30 US cents an hour. “Some domestic workers had told Human Rights Watch how they were subjected to forced confinement, food deprivation, physical and verbal abuse, forced labour, and sexual harassment and rape by their employers,” it said. More than 660,000 Sri Lankan women work abroad as domestic workers, nearly 90 per cent in Kuwait , Saudi Arabia , the UAE and Lebanon , according to HRW. The government in the Gulf exposes Sri Lankan domestic workers to abuse by refusing to guarantee a weekly rest day, limits to the work day, freedom of movement and other rights that most workers take for granted. It is an undisputable fact that too many employers and unscrupulous labour agencies get away with exploitating workers without real punishment.
Considering the magnitude of the problem, it is necessary to expeditiously rationalize recruiting procedures to provide for effective and meaningful control of employment agencies. The following are salient aspects that should to be considered.
(A) The Labour Charter intended to protect the rights of workers has to consider the outcry of Sri Lankan workers in the Middle East . Their rights have to be accurately safeguarded.
(B) The insidious, dubious and ingenious ways, employment agencies circumvent existing laws and dupe those seeking employment abroad. Even some reputed employment agencies seem to continue unabated to discretely flout even basic procedures.
(C) The rather ineffective role of the Sri Lankan Bureau of Foreign Employment which is sopposedly the “Protector of Migrant Workers”.
(D) The nonchalant attitude of foreign missions to the problems of workers abroad. It is regrettable that until now, the pitiful conditions of most of our workers in the Middle East have been of little concern despite remittances to the national coffers exceeding Rs. 40 billion annually.
Precautionary measures
In the pursuance of the efforts to provide for better terms and conditions, an effective recruitment policy in respect of Sri Lankans going abroad for employment hoping for a better tomorrow, the following aspects should also be given careful consideration and should be effectively covered, and deterrent action pursued particularly against dubious labour agencies.
(1) The Bureau of Foreign Employment must be geared to perform a more meaningful and effective role as the “Protector of Migrant Workers”. It should be given the “muscle” to assert itself and be able to prevent or at least minimize the exploitation of our workers.
(2) The activities and modus operandi of employment agencies must be carefully monitored. There should be effective machinery to prevent the duping of applicants for employment abroad and the extraction of prohibitive and unconscionable commissions. All foreign employment agencies without exception should come under the purview of the Bureau of Foreign Employment.
(3) Formulation of a code of conduct/ethics for employment agencies should be given consideration and licensing of these agencies should be on the basis of their credentials, suitability and competence.
(4) The responsibilities of employment agencies should be carefully laid down. It is well-known that most agencies are only concerned about the interests of foreign employers/principals. Invariably the interests of workers are subjugated to the interest of the employer.
(5) The contracts of employment should be carefully scrutinized and the Bureau must guide and advice those seeking employment about the mandatory safeguards and precautions, since:-
(i) Some contracts are “one sided” and there is no employer/employee reciprocal obligations.
(ii) Some are in Arabic and the workers required to sign the contracts either before departure or on arrival to take up the appointment.
(iii) Despite the stipulations in the contracts, provision is invariably made for the “Sharia Law” to override the provisions in the contract of employment.
(iv) There should be adequate safeguards against unilateral repudiation of the contracts of employment. Very often after signing the formal contract of employment or on arrival to take up the appointment, the terms and conditions of employment are altered. Such cases are on the increase and the Bureau has been inundated with such cases of blatant repudiation of the contracts.
(v) Need to re-negotiate worker agreements with explicit employer obligations with the host countries with bad reputation. The countries to which our workers are send respect the Human Rights of workers and the relevant ILO conventions.
(vi) In the event of a breach of the contract, by non payment of wages, withdrawal of facilities and allowances agreed upon, change of status and duties and adverse working conditions, the procedure for redress must be clearly set out.
(vii) A suitable body must be instituted to arbitrate and settle disputes arising from the failure of employers and employment agencies to fulfill the contractual obligations. Regrettably our missions abroad have not been able to be of any meaningful assistance.
(viii) It may be helpful if an in-depth study is made of the numerous cases of our workers who have encountered various problems such as non payment of wages, unilateral change of conditions of employment, and cases of physical and sexual harassment.
A more meaningful and effective control of the recruitment of Sri Lankans for employment in the Middle East is a pressing national and humanitarian necessity.
Unless the role of the Bureau of Foreign Employment as the protector of migrant workers is made more effective and assertive and the activities of employment agencies are closely monitored and regulated and our foreign missions abroad show more concern for the travails and tribulations of our workers, no significant and meaningful change will result.
Skinned Alive
Sunday Leader - January 16, 2011
By Ranee Mohamed
She can neither sit, nor stand. She can neither sleep or straighten. As she squirms in pain, more painful is the memory of a torture of a lifetime that Sri Lankan housemaid Ana Ummu Fanoon (39) alleges that she underwent in the house where she was employed for eight months in Saudi Arabia .
Hamdu Thaslim of Ambana, Na-Ula, did not have a steady job. It was his work in the nearby quarry, breaking stones, that helped feed his wife and five children. Though partly disabled, with a hand and a leg giving him constant trouble, he had no alternative but to limp his way to the quarry and hammer the hard stones till they broke into smithereens.
These harsh conditions coupled with the gnawing hunger made his wife Ana Ummu Fanoon (39) seek employment in Saudi Arabia .
“We were concerned about our only daughter. Someday we had to give her in marriage and a dowry had to be found. With hardly any money to eat, finding a dowry was an impossibility,” said Thaslim, speaking to The Sunday Leader. To make the mirage of a handsome dowry come true, Ummu Fanoon took the bold step to leave her five children behind and take wing to Saudi Arabia on March 24, 2010.
“It was a brother of mind who took us to an employment agency in Kurunegala. It broke my heart to see my wife go away. Our youngest son is two years old and he did not stop crying,” recalled Thaslim.
For one month there was silence from Fanoon and a little money was sent. “In the second month there was a telephone call from her. She whispered desperately that they were ill treating her and not paying her. She said that she was not allowed to even touch the telephone. She begged me to get her back. I was desperate and went to the employment agency but the only answer I got was ‘we will see what we can do.’ Each time I got a telephone call I went to the agency. My wife told me that she was forbidden to touch the telephone,” said Thaslim.
In the first week of January, Thaslim had been surprised to find his wife standing near the front of their house. “At first I could not recognise her. Her face seemed distorted and there were blood patches below her eyes. Her eyes were red and I could see that there was blood in them,” said Thaslim who found that his wife could not walk. She had to be carried into the house where she had reportedly collapsed with exhaustion and pain.
Speaking to The Sunday Leader, Fanoon said that her time in Saudi was miserable and unforgettable. “They hardly gave me anything to eat. When the work was done I was locked away in a dark room. I had to eat out of the garbage can. But I had to do all the work in the house and look after the children too. The children were very naughty and uncontrollable. I was looking after the child when the child fell down. I ran out of the house and all the way to the police station in fear. However the police handed me back to the house. I underwent the most traumatic experience in my life back in the house. They asked me to keep my hands on the floor and they hit them with a pole. Then they heated spoons from the electric cooker and put them on my body. They lashed me with a belt. They said they were going to skin me alive and took the skin out of my back with repeated lashings which seemed to last forever. The skin of my whole back up to the hips was taken away. Then they hit me with a chair. This shot on the back made me lose balance and I fell down and knocked my face. Then they pulled my hair out – about three or five strands at a time,” alleged Fanoon, showing bare and knotty patches in her head.
With some of her teeth broken and missing, Fanoon could not bear the agony and could not stop herself from wailing in pain. “They did not like the moaning. The master of the house made a ticket for me and dropped me at the airport and I found my way to Sri Lanka ,” said Fanoon.
Ana Fanoon Umma was admitted to the Na-Ula Hospital on January 8 at 3.30 p.m. At 10 p.m. she was transferred to the Matale Hospital . Fanoon has made an entry at the Na-Ula Police regarding her experience.
Today she sits around her home at Nayakanatte in Ambana. Her children sit around her. “They tell her that they are hungry, but there is nothing she can do for them now,” said Thaslim sadly.
They seemed to have got their mother back, but lost her in the process. In addition to the family not having a steady income, they now have a patient at home.
Fanoon cannot cook, wash and take care of her children any longer. She sits in a corner moaning in pain – waiting for the skin in her back to grow and for the heaviness in her head to get lighter. It will take a long time for her fractures to heal, but for justice to come her way will take longer.
(raneemoham@hotmail.com)
“Cannot Understand”
When The Sunday Leader telephoned the house in which Fanoon worked and asked them their side of the story as regards the allegations made by Fanoon, the master of the house listened to the allegations and said “No speak English.” When the question was repeated the answer remained the same as the line disconnected.
By Ranee Mohamed
She can neither sit, nor stand. She can neither sleep or straighten. As she squirms in pain, more painful is the memory of a torture of a lifetime that Sri Lankan housemaid Ana Ummu Fanoon (39) alleges that she underwent in the house where she was employed for eight months in Saudi Arabia .
Hamdu Thaslim of Ambana, Na-Ula, did not have a steady job. It was his work in the nearby quarry, breaking stones, that helped feed his wife and five children. Though partly disabled, with a hand and a leg giving him constant trouble, he had no alternative but to limp his way to the quarry and hammer the hard stones till they broke into smithereens.
These harsh conditions coupled with the gnawing hunger made his wife Ana Ummu Fanoon (39) seek employment in Saudi Arabia .
“We were concerned about our only daughter. Someday we had to give her in marriage and a dowry had to be found. With hardly any money to eat, finding a dowry was an impossibility,” said Thaslim, speaking to The Sunday Leader. To make the mirage of a handsome dowry come true, Ummu Fanoon took the bold step to leave her five children behind and take wing to Saudi Arabia on March 24, 2010.
“It was a brother of mind who took us to an employment agency in Kurunegala. It broke my heart to see my wife go away. Our youngest son is two years old and he did not stop crying,” recalled Thaslim.
For one month there was silence from Fanoon and a little money was sent. “In the second month there was a telephone call from her. She whispered desperately that they were ill treating her and not paying her. She said that she was not allowed to even touch the telephone. She begged me to get her back. I was desperate and went to the employment agency but the only answer I got was ‘we will see what we can do.’ Each time I got a telephone call I went to the agency. My wife told me that she was forbidden to touch the telephone,” said Thaslim.
In the first week of January, Thaslim had been surprised to find his wife standing near the front of their house. “At first I could not recognise her. Her face seemed distorted and there were blood patches below her eyes. Her eyes were red and I could see that there was blood in them,” said Thaslim who found that his wife could not walk. She had to be carried into the house where she had reportedly collapsed with exhaustion and pain.
Speaking to The Sunday Leader, Fanoon said that her time in Saudi was miserable and unforgettable. “They hardly gave me anything to eat. When the work was done I was locked away in a dark room. I had to eat out of the garbage can. But I had to do all the work in the house and look after the children too. The children were very naughty and uncontrollable. I was looking after the child when the child fell down. I ran out of the house and all the way to the police station in fear. However the police handed me back to the house. I underwent the most traumatic experience in my life back in the house. They asked me to keep my hands on the floor and they hit them with a pole. Then they heated spoons from the electric cooker and put them on my body. They lashed me with a belt. They said they were going to skin me alive and took the skin out of my back with repeated lashings which seemed to last forever. The skin of my whole back up to the hips was taken away. Then they hit me with a chair. This shot on the back made me lose balance and I fell down and knocked my face. Then they pulled my hair out – about three or five strands at a time,” alleged Fanoon, showing bare and knotty patches in her head.
With some of her teeth broken and missing, Fanoon could not bear the agony and could not stop herself from wailing in pain. “They did not like the moaning. The master of the house made a ticket for me and dropped me at the airport and I found my way to Sri Lanka ,” said Fanoon.
Ana Fanoon Umma was admitted to the Na-Ula Hospital on January 8 at 3.30 p.m. At 10 p.m. she was transferred to the Matale Hospital . Fanoon has made an entry at the Na-Ula Police regarding her experience.
Today she sits around her home at Nayakanatte in Ambana. Her children sit around her. “They tell her that they are hungry, but there is nothing she can do for them now,” said Thaslim sadly.
They seemed to have got their mother back, but lost her in the process. In addition to the family not having a steady income, they now have a patient at home.
Fanoon cannot cook, wash and take care of her children any longer. She sits in a corner moaning in pain – waiting for the skin in her back to grow and for the heaviness in her head to get lighter. It will take a long time for her fractures to heal, but for justice to come her way will take longer.
(raneemoham@hotmail.com)
“Cannot Understand”
When The Sunday Leader telephoned the house in which Fanoon worked and asked them their side of the story as regards the allegations made by Fanoon, the master of the house listened to the allegations and said “No speak English.” When the question was repeated the answer remained the same as the line disconnected.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Lankan maid rape accused acquitted
Sunday, 02 January 2011 11:40
The Kuwait Criminal Court acquitted a resident accused of sexually assaulting his Sri Lankan housemaid. The case file indicates the maid was hired from a domestic recruitment agency, and the suspect had gone with his wife to buy clothing and asked the maid to wear them.
The housemaid claimed she refused to put the clothes on, and she went into her room but the man followed her into the room, tore her clothes and raped her. Later, the suspect reportedly sent her back to the recruitment agency to terminate her service.
The maid said she couldn’t report the case to the secretary at the recruitment agency because she was afraid, and she reported it to the Sri Lankan embassy. The lawyer of the suspect Faisal Al-Otaibi argued there were lots of unsolved puzzles in the maid’s account, which points to the fact that the case was fabricated.
He stressed the suspect’s wife had requested the maid should be sent back to the agency because she couldn’t communicate with her. (Arab Times)
The Kuwait Criminal Court acquitted a resident accused of sexually assaulting his Sri Lankan housemaid. The case file indicates the maid was hired from a domestic recruitment agency, and the suspect had gone with his wife to buy clothing and asked the maid to wear them.
The housemaid claimed she refused to put the clothes on, and she went into her room but the man followed her into the room, tore her clothes and raped her. Later, the suspect reportedly sent her back to the recruitment agency to terminate her service.
The maid said she couldn’t report the case to the secretary at the recruitment agency because she was afraid, and she reported it to the Sri Lankan embassy. The lawyer of the suspect Faisal Al-Otaibi argued there were lots of unsolved puzzles in the maid’s account, which points to the fact that the case was fabricated.
He stressed the suspect’s wife had requested the maid should be sent back to the agency because she couldn’t communicate with her. (Arab Times)
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Maid shows wounds to judge in Saudi Arabia
RIYADH: An Indonesian house maid who has accused her female Saudi employer of stabbing, beating and burning her appeared in court for the first time yesterday and showed her wounds, an Indonesian official said.
Sumiati Binti Salan Mustapa, 23, “showed the judge her injuries, especially her head,” said Diddi Wahyudi, an Indonesian consular official in Jeddah.
The Saudi woman was arrested after allegedly beating Sumiati so severely as to break bones and cause internal bleeding, putting a hot iron to her head and stabbing and slashing her with scissors.
During the hearing, the woman “denied everything, saying that the maid has beaten herself,” Wahyudi said by telephone.
AFP
• The Peninsula Newspaper
Sumiati Binti Salan Mustapa, 23, “showed the judge her injuries, especially her head,” said Diddi Wahyudi, an Indonesian consular official in Jeddah.
The Saudi woman was arrested after allegedly beating Sumiati so severely as to break bones and cause internal bleeding, putting a hot iron to her head and stabbing and slashing her with scissors.
During the hearing, the woman “denied everything, saying that the maid has beaten herself,” Wahyudi said by telephone.
AFP
• The Peninsula Newspaper
43 migrants drown off Yemen coast
ADEN: At least 43 African migrants trying to reach Yemen by boat have drowned in heavy seas off the coast, and a second boat with up to 40 Ethiopians aboard is missing, Yemen’s Interior Ministry
said yesterday.
The ministry website said three Somalis were rescued after a vessel carrying 46 people, mostly from Ethiopia, capsized, and a second boat carrying Ethiopians was missing.
• The Peninsula Newspaper
said yesterday.
The ministry website said three Somalis were rescued after a vessel carrying 46 people, mostly from Ethiopia, capsized, and a second boat carrying Ethiopians was missing.
• The Peninsula Newspaper
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