Torture of maid: full investigation assured

by Manjula FERNANDO and Ananda KANNANGARA

Saudi authorities have assured a full investigation into the allegations of torture on Sri Lankan maid L.P. Ariyawathie who returned from Riyadh recently with over 23 nails embedded in her body, according to External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris.

About the media reports that Saudi officials have denied claims by the maid that her Saudi employer drove heated nails into her body as punishment, the Minister said the Saudi Ambassador in Colombo has said that there will be a full investigation into the matter taking into account Ariyawathie’s medical reports. “I have met the Ambassador for Saudi Arabia and he has assured that a full investigation will be carried out,” Prof. Peiris told the Sunday Observer. “The medical reports of the surgeons who carried out the surgery are now available for perusal”, he said.

All the evidence can be evaluated thoroughly and the truth ascertained.”

The Minister said there were different points of view, but the matter can be finally clarified only after all the evidence has been taken into account.

“The Saudi authorities are eager to carry out the fullest possible investigation with a view to arriving at the truth, “ he said.

A team of surgeons at Kamburupitiya base hospital extracted 13 discoloured nails, each ranging from 2 to 2 1/2 inches and six pins from Ariyawathie’s hands, legs, and face in a nearly four-hour operation on August 27. She was discharged and taken home late last week.

There were media reports that the suspected Saudi couple has been arrested, but the Sri Lankan Mission in Riyadh could not verify these reports.

It is estimated that around 500,000 Sri Lankans work in the Kingdom, mostly as unskilled labour with the biggest percentage representing domestic aides.

Meanwhile, the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) yesterday urged External Affairs Ministry officials and Saudi authorities to conduct an immediate and impartial inquiry into this controversial issue. SLBFE, Deputy General Manager, Mangala Randeniya told the Sunday Observer that according to Ariyawathie, she had been thoroughly checked by Airport officials in Riyadh and Katunayaka with metal detectors, but they had failed to detect the nails which were embedded in her.

Asked why she had not made any complaint regarding the matter at the Riyadh Airport, Randeniya said Ariyawathie had not revealed the matter to Saudi Airport officials thinking that she would be detained by immigration officials for further investigations.

He said the Bureau officials who were on duty at the airport had also noticed her movements and inquired about it, but she had refused to comment saying that her only intention was to leave the airport as soon as possible.

He said Ariyawathie had also obtained the payment of Rs. 750, given by the Bureau’s Airport branch for Sri Lankan migrant workers returning from abroad as travelling expenses.

“Legal action has already been initiated against the Saudi employer who had allegedly hammered nails into Ariyawathie’s body,” Randeniya said.

He said the Bureau has handed over all documents related to the issue to the Additional Solicitor General.