Lankan worker in Romania assaulted

Puttalam Group Corr

A Sri Lankan expatriate worker employed in Romania, who has been subjected to an alleged assault at his workplace is receiving treatment at the Chilaw hospital after being transferred from Anamaduwa hospital.

Samantha Srimal Ratnayake, 38, of Anamaduwa who had been employed as a building supervisor in a construction firm in the city called "Yas" claims that he was severely beaten up by his employers over a salary issue and deported to Sri Lanka. He had been employed in Cyprus and later proceeded to Romania to better his prospects after paying Rs 560,000 to an employment agency. A group of 102 Sri Lankans had proceeded to Romania with him.

Samantha claimed that according to the service agreement his employers send his salary directly to his family in Sri Lanka through the agency and he only got a salary statement at the end of each month. Although the statement given to him stated that 970 dollars were remitted to Sri Lanka but his family had received only 600 US Dollars per month. According to the service agreement he signed, the employers had promised a monthly remuneration of 1,200 US Dollars.

When he argued with the employers against this injustice on December 8, he was assaulted and tortured by a group of about 20 officers attached to the firm and brought to city of Bukari and deported to Sri Lanka on December 10.