Woman presumed dead returns home after 13 years

Brings Rs. 1.6 million:

Kapila Somaratne, Panadura group correspondent

N.G. Mallika, a middle aged woman who was presumed dead by her family returned home after 13 years with Rs. 1.6 million.

She had been working in the Middle East as a house maid facing various difficulties for 13 years.

She said she was 37 years when she left the country to work as a housemaid in Saudi Arabia. "Now I am 51 years. I had to undergo many difficulties and could not correspondent with the family as all my documents including the passport was destroyed by one of the landowners". I was in house arrest for several years. I escaped from that house having worked here for several years without payment and complained to the embassy. They summoned the land owner and held an inquiry.

The officials forced her to pay all the dues. She paid Rs. 1.6 million to me. I returned home in Weragama Watte, Wadduwa.

Anton Nishantha Mendis her eldest son in Weragama said he was only 11 years when his mother left the country.

Mallika thanked the Foreign Employment Bureau for helping her return home after 13 years.