100 Lankan workers under 'house arrest' in Saudi

Discussions on to seek settlement:

Rasika Somarathna

COLOMBO: The Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Bureau (SLFEB) yesterday said they had taken measures to assist over 100 beleaguered migrant workers in Saudi Arabia, who claim that they are under virtual house arrest and held against their will, since their contract of employment lapsed six months ago.

Assuring solace to the distressed relatives in Sri Lanka, SLFEB Chairman Kingsley Ranawaka said the Bureau had informed the Foreign and Health Ministries of Saudi Arabia through the embassy and was confident that a settlement could be reached within a month.

Over 100 workers employed as minor staff at King Fahd Hospital in the Kingdom, are being held against their will, their employment contract extended for a further period against their consent.

After their requests to send them back home failed, it is said one distraught female worker had even consumed poison.

SLFEB sources said the female worker was out of danger and the embassy officials had taken immediate steps to assist the victim. However, workers had a different version with regard to the conduct of the embassy.

They claim that their repeated appeals to assist them had fallen on deaf ears, aggravating the problem, and Saudi authorities had woken up since the female worker had consumed poison.

The workers are being paid a Rs. 10,500 salary, lower than the stipulated wage envisaged in the contract.

However SLFEB sources said both the employees and the recruitment agency were at fault in this conflict.

According to them the employees have to inform the authorities three months ahead of the lapse of the original contract period whether they wish either to leave or renew the contract.

In the case of employees failing to inform their wish vis-a-vis the contract it is automatically renewed for one more year.

The SLFEB Chairman said negotiations were on and were confident regarding an amicable settlement.

According to the Chairman, discussions were continuing to protect the workers' rights, with the employees who want to return being granted permission to do so and the ones who want to continue, given a renewed contract with higher wages.