SL domestic helpers demand for freedom

25 January 2011 02:48 am Views - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}} 8 Bookmark

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Dozens of Sri Lankan domestic helpers protested at their embassy in Amman, Jordan on Monday, demanding that the government allow them to leave the country.

Some of the 96 workers have called the embassy home for over a year, others a few weeks. All have fled their employers due to unpaid salaries or abuse, according to the embassy.

Sri Lankan Ambassador Andrayas Mohottala said the embassy has been working with the government to secure workers’ rights and allow them to leave the Kingdom. Facing fees due to expired residency permits, the women cannot afford to leave the country, he said.

“We succeeded in some cases, but in many others we are still waiting for a waiver from local authorities to exempt them from the residency fees so they can be sent back to Sri Lanka,” Mohottala told The Jordan Times on the sidelines of the demonstration yesterday.

A committee formed by the government to look into the workers' cases interviewed 73 of the domestic helpers and recommended that 22 be sent home after all financial obligations are met, he added.

Comments - 8

Anver Tuesday, 25 January 2011 04:07 AM

There are hundreds (perhaps thousands) of S/L housemaids in Jordan who are unable to free themselves as they need sufficient money to pay for their overstayed Jordan Visas at Amman airport. The govt must pay the money or work out an arrangement with Amman to bring them home.

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Dilan Tuesday, 25 January 2011 04:31 AM

Who's paying a attention to this ladies ! no one.

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Kan Tuesday, 25 January 2011 04:57 AM

Home Sweet Home. Please come soon, lot of jobs available here.

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asoka abeywardena Tuesday, 25 January 2011 05:01 AM

these are the proud ladies who feed sri lankan politicians...and its people....

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mohamed asfar Tuesday, 25 January 2011 05:37 AM

lot of housemaids abandon their workplace and working illegally outside to make more money than the salary paid by the sponsors. ill treatment is just an excuse. if they were ill treated they can go to police, our embassy for justice. they work outside for years and when they want to come back to sri lanka they surrender themselves to our embassy saying they runway due to ill treatment. how they survived years outside is a mystery. no news about these lawbreaking maids . always bad news about the sponsors. i am not against any maids. but, this is the real story. you break the law, pay before you come back.

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Loren Tuesday, 25 January 2011 09:31 AM

They are one no 1 income providers but see how they treated.........??????

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Farmer Tuesday, 25 January 2011 09:33 AM

Wheres Ranjan?

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Ruwan Friday, 28 January 2011 10:46 AM

Tell you what pl do not go to Srilankna it is like escaping from frypan into fire

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