From WorldNetDaily
Thousands of foreign maids in Saudi Arabia are fleeing the homes of their sponsors, some citing sexual abuse and enslavement charges. There are 80 runaway maids in one villa near the Sri Lankan Consulate alone, according to a report in Arab News. Another 100 are reported in Riyadh. The Sri Lankan press has been filled with sensational stories about the "sale" of runaway maids and accusations against Saudis for mistreating their domestic help. Sri Lankan Ambassador Ibrahim Sahib Ansar is in Saudi Arabia now to investigate the charges. Arab News talked to some of the runaways and found their stories range from ill-treatment from sponsors or family members, non-payment of salaries, physical harassment, long working hours without off-days and denial of medical help. One runaway maid told Arab News she was in her teens when she was sent by an agent in Colombo to work with a Saudi family. The maid, who has taken refuge in the consulate, said she received no remuneration during her 18 years of service.
There are some 350,000 Sri Lankans working in the kingdom. Nearly 20,000 cases of maids fleeing their sponsors were reported last year – particularly Indonesians, Filipinos and Sri Lankans. "In 2002 alone, a total of 3,610 maids who accused their employers of harassment were sent back to Indonesia after they ran away and took shelter at the embassy," said Tumpal Martua Hutasuhat, head of the consular affairs at the Indonesian embassy. Tumpal said many migrant workers, especially maids, suffer harassment, violence and sexual abuse. However, some 60 percent of the cases involve unpaid salaries, while 5 percent are related to sexual abuse from the employers. Ansar agrees non-payment of salary seems to be a major complaint among the runaway maids. The Sri Lankan government has stipulated that a female maid should be paid a minimum of $125 a month and a male domestic helper $200. |