No incidental payment for Lebanon returnees

by Ananda Kannangara

A group of Sri Lankan female workers who returned from Lebanon last week were disappointed as they did not receive the Rs. 5,000 incidental payment.

It is reported that this payment of Rs. 5,000 was paid only to the first batch of 286 workers who arrived in the island from Lebanon late last month.

In an interview with returnees at the BIA, thirty-one-year old Kanthi Weerasekara from Kirindiwela told the Sunday Observer she regretted the discrimination to a section of the workers.

"Most of us came without our belongings. We have not even received our salaries for some months.

Therefore even this small payment would be a big relief to all workers," she said.

"We went to Lebanon with the official registration obtained from the SLBFE and it is their duty to pay the Rs. 5,000 to us," another worker from Kalutara said.

A senior official at the SLBEF said due to heavy expenses, currently born by the IOM to bring Lankan workers here they were unable to continue with this payment.

SLBFE, Foreign Relations Manager L. K. Ruhunage said that about 2,500 workers have been already airlifted from Lebanon and another 1,000 are awaiting in Damascus to return home.

He said about 83,000 Sri Lankans are at present in Lebanon and only a few of them are returning home due to the war.

"The war has not affected the Northern part where a majority of Lankans are living," he said.

However, when contacted Labour Relations and Foreign Employment Minister Athauda Seneviratne said that steps would be taken to pay compensation for the victims in the future.