“It is a great relief that we were able to send such a large number with the assistance of the Saudi government,” said Athambawa Uthumalebbe, Sri Lankan consul general.

Uthumalebbe told Arab News these housemaids had been staying in the consulate’s safe house awaiting departure to Colombo until their problems with their sponsors were resolved.

“We were able to process their paperwork with the help of authorities from the Saudi Tarheel (Detention Camp) because of the ready cooperation extended by government officials,” he said.

He said 63 maids bought their own air tickets for their travel home, while 37 maids’ airfare were borne by the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE), which looks after the needs of the country’s overseas workers.

It is a statutory requirement in Sri Lanka that all its foreign workers be registered with the SLBFE prior to their departure to their overseas workplaces.

The consul general explained that currently there are only eight stranded housemaids in the mission’s safe house. “We get an average of two runaway housemaids who seek refuge at the mission on a daily basis,” he said, adding the mission provides not only shelter for these maids but also food, clothing and other necessities.

“All these expenses for the welfare of the housemaids are borne by the SLBFE,” he said.