SRI LANKA: Female migrant-worker expresses harassment in Saudi Arabia

SRI LANKA: Female migrant-worker expresses harassment in Saudi Arabia

Name of Victims: Mrs. K A Nilanthi Karunarathna, of Pederu Colony, Halpatota, Baddegama in Galle District
2) Two children of the victim, K A Nilanthi Karunarathna and her son
3) M W Nihal, husband of K A Nilanthi Karunarathna

Alleged Perpetrators: Officers of the Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Bureau
Employment Agency


Date of incident: 19 January 2015
Place of incident: Saudi Arabia


It has been  received information regarding the case of Mrs. K A Nilanthi Karunarathna, of No: 13, Pederu Colony, Halpatota, Baddegama in Galle District. Nilanthi was married to Mr. M W Nihal. They have a daughter, M W Roshani Madumali (17) and a son. She and her husband struggled to raise their two children amid enormous financial difficulties. Finally, she decided to migrate to Saudi Arabia as a domestic helper to alleviate their money problems. Due to their socio-economic status, they could not afford to educate their children and build a house at the same time. Her main target in migrating was to assist her husband in building their own house and to assist both children with higher studies. She left Sri Lanka on 19 January 2015.


Several months after Nilanthi’s departure, her husband Nihal received 8 telephone calls from his wife. She was facing enormous difficulties at her employer’s home. She pleaded with him and her two children to get her back to Sri Lanka at any cost.


Nilanthi said that her both hands were highly irritated from the washing detergent. But the employer did not provide any medical treatment for her injuries. She was stopped from using the telephone to prevent her from complaining to her family about her situation. In addition, the employer confiscated her mobile phone which she brought from Sri Lanka. Showing no compassion, the family, when they left the house, locked her in the washroom to prevent her from running away. One of the employer’s relatives was kind towards Nilanthi. If she visited the house, she allowed her to use her phone to contact her family in Sri Lanka and inform them of her current circumstances.


Immediately Nihal registered a complaint with the employment agency in Sri Lanka, which sent Nilathi to Saudi Arabia. He pleaded with them to bring her back to Sri Lanka. The Employment Agency insisted Nihal that had to stay in Saudi Arabia for one year. This is what she consented to and signed a contract for. However, they did confirm that her salary had not been paid for 2 ½ years. After another year went by, Nihal again requested the Employment Agency to honor their promise and bring his wife back as two years had passed. Later they promised to bring her back after the Ramasan Festival. Not surprisingly, they did not implement their promises.


Meanwhile, Nihal made an official complaint with the Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Bureau. His complaint was recorded with reference CD-192-1502 on 9 February 2015. Still no positive action has been taken regarding the case. In early August, Nihal was requested to participate in the court case in Kaduwela Courts in Colombo for the case which SLFEB had filed against the Employment Agency. At this point, the Agency insisted Nihal sign a letter giving consent for his wife to stay in Saudi Arabia. In return, the Employment Agency promised to give him a monetary return. Nihal states that the Employment Agency is violating his rights.


Nihal made three observations: neither the Agency nor the SLFEB took any action to investigate his wife’s harassment in Saudi Arabia: no actions were taken to bring her back to Sri Lanka: no steps were taken to protect her life. He and his children want an independent, efficient investigation into his complaint. Nilanthi’s life must be protected by returning her to Sri Lanka to her family.


I request the intervention of your good offices. Ensure that the Authorities listed below open an immediate investigation into the following allegations: not investigating a complaint: not taking appropriate actions to protect and provide legal safeguards for the victim’s life in Saudi Arabia. All Officers of the Sri Lankan Foreign Employment Bureau (SLBFE) involved should be subject to an internal investigation.