Action against those exploiting Lankan workers
by Omar RAJARATHNAM
 Minister of Foreign Employment and Welfare Dilan Perera dismissed
reports from certain media organisations that Sri Lankan women employed
in a Jordanian factory were being repeatedly raped. The Minister made
the statement at a press briefing held in Colombo.
“I immediately assigned a delegation to visit this factory in Jordan
as soon as I became aware of this news. They launched an investigation.
Based on the report submitted by the delegation, I can confirm that the
factory employs 5,000 workers of which 1,850 are Sri Lankans and no one
acknowledged the alleged incidents”, he said. However, recounting a
different incident, the Minister acknowledged that Sri Lankan domestic
worker Indra Malkanthi had been forced to swallow nine nails by her
employer in Lebanon.
She is now in a stable condition in hospital after undergoing surgery
to remove the nails from her stomach. “Two officials from our embassy in
Lebanon have been deployed to attend to her needs and she will be flown
to Sri Lanka as soon as her doctors declare her fit to travel. The local
agent in charge of her employment has been ordered to cease operations
temporarily”, he said.
Minister Perera also disclosed that he plans to increase the age
floor of Sri Lankans going overseas for domestic employment from 21 to
30 years over the next three years to ensure their safety and security.
He pledged to take action against anyone who exploits Sri Lankan workers
abroad.
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