JEDDAH, 29 October 2004 — Most of the cases of runaway maids have been successfully dealt with by the Sri Lankan Consulate General, it was disclosed here yesterday.
“We now have fewer than a dozen cases of maids stranded at the consulate as against up to 200 in the recent past,” Consul General A.M.J. Sadiq told Arab News on the sidelines of an iftar party hosted by the Sri Lankan Expatriates’ Society at the community’s international school.
In a majority of cases, consular officials have succeeded in establishing contacts with the sponsors of maids and settling their problems to the satisfaction of both, the consul general said, adding that the stranded maids are deported only when they wish to return home after settling the dues from their sponsors.
Maids have been running away from their sponsors because of mistreatment, nonpayment of salaries, physical harassment, overwork and a host of other reasons.
There are also some sponsors who have been leaving their maids at the consulate, as they are not satisfied with them.
Runaway maids say that while some of the reasons are common, they are mainly made to suffer due to the lack of knowledge of the Arabic language, and Arab lifestyle, customs and culture.
Over the years, Sri Lanka has been making efforts to develop a system by which all potential maids seeking employment in the Gulf are given orientation in basic Arabic and Arab lifestyle.
Sri Lankan expatriates’ Society (SLES), which is involved in community welfare activities since its inception in 1997, has been helping and assisting stranded maids, especially in enabling them to meet their daily financial needs, society President Rohan Burah said.
“We’ve been providing them the sahoor meals and clothes, especially during the holy month,” said Zuhiri Zeinudeen, the society’s general secretary.
More than 200 members of the society took part in the iftar with their families. The society has earned a name for itself in the community for its role in helping and assisting Haj pilgrims as well.
