Extension of amnesty by Saudi Government:

SLBFE hopeful of positive response

By Lakshme PARASURAMAN

Employment Promotion and Welfare Minister Dilan Perera has urged the Saudi Government to extend the general amnesty granted for illegal Sri Lankan workers, which expires on July 3.

The media spokesperson for the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE), Mangala Randeniya said this request has been transmitted to the Saudi Foreign Ministry through the Sri Lankan Embassy in Riyadh. The Bureau is looking forward to a positive response.

There are nearly 450,000 Sri Lankan expatriate workers in Saudi Arabia at present.

Among them, 14,000 who have overstayed their visas or changed their status or sponsors or umrah while some Haj pilgrims who have opted to stay back and work have been treated as illicit immigrants.

Early this year, the Saudi Government said that those who continue to stay in the country without valid visa would be dealt with according to the Shariah Law.

Following discussions with the Sri Lankan Foreign Employment Bureau, the Saudi Government has agreed to grant an amnesty for the Sri Lankans who have overstayed their visas.

The grace period will expire on July 3, 2013. Since the overstaying Sri Lankan workers might have earned enough money, the Saudi Amnesty is a blessing in disguise for them to return to the island without running the risk of being called upon to pay a penalty.

Their relatives in Sri Lanka should persuade them to do so, Randeniya said.

The Saudi Government is stringently enforcing the Shariah Law as borne out by Rizana’s life sentence.

Failing to comply with the Saudi Amnesty will result in a penalty of Riyal 2 lakhs equivalent to Rs. 32 – 34 lakhs or two years imprisonment or both.

Already 12,000 Sri Lankans who have registered there are likely to return to the country.

One thousand Sri Lankans have already returned, he said. According to Saudi law, Immigration police (Javasad) have to check each migrant’s period of stay and whether he had been involved in any crime.

Such persons will be issued an exit permit to return home. Many Sri Lankans in Saudi who have changed their workplace without notifying the authorities are said to have lost their visa number and sought help from the agencies which sent them to Saudi Arabia.

The SLFEB is ready to render any help to them to return to the country provided their relatives contact the Bureau.

There are nearly 40,000 illegal migrant workers in Saudi Arabia from Pakistan, India and Philippines hence there is delay in issuing exit permits and we are optimistic that the Saudi Government would extend the amnesty period for Sri Lankans.

The Saudi Government has told those who were overstaying their visas that if their employers are willing to keep them for a longer period they should obtain a recommendation letter from them,” so that they will be issued a work permit.Since the Saudi Government has refused to provide air tickets the SLFEB has agreed to do so for those who cannot afford it. The amnesty applies only to overstaying Sri Lankans. Sri Lanka’s embassy in Riyadh and the Consular in Jeddah taking steps to help them return home early.