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Doctors remove nails allegedly hammered into maid by employers
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| FunkyCrew |
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Colombo, Sri Lanka (CNN) -- Doctors at a Sri Lankan hospital operated for three hours Friday to remove 18 nails and metal particles allegedly hammered into the arms, legs and forehead of a maid by her Saudi employer.
Dr. Kamal Weeratunga said the surgical team in the southern town of Kamburupitiya pulled nails ranging from about one to three inches from Lahadapurage Daneris Ariyawathie's body. He said doctors have not yet removed four small metal particles embedded in her muscles.
"She is under heavy antibiotics but in a stable condition," Weeratunga said.
Sri Lankan officials, meanwhile, met with Saudi diplomats in Colombo to urge an investigation into the incident.
"It was cruel treatment which should be roundly condemned," said L.K. Ruhunuge of the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment.
He said the Sri Lanka government has forwarded to Saudi authorities a detailed report on the incident including statements from Ariyawathie.
Ariyawathie left Sri Lanka on March 25 to work as a housemaid in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia after the bureau registered her as a person obtaining a job from an officially recognized job agency.
She was held down by her employer's wife while the employer hammered the heated nails, Ruhunuge told CNN. She apparently had complained to the couple that she was being overworked, Ruhunuge said.
The nails were hammered into her arms and legs while one was on her forehead, he said.
"Most of the wounds are superficial but five to 10 are somewhat deep," said Dr. Prabath Gajadeera of the Base Hospital. "Luckily, none of the organs is affected. Only nerves and blood vessels are affected."
Ariyawathie, 49, is a mother of two children who were opposed to their mother's journey to Saudi Arabia for work.
Several countries across the Middle East and Asia host significant numbers of migrant domestic workers, ranging from 196,000 in Singapore to about 1.5 million in Saudi Arabia, according to a report published earlier this year by Human Rights Watch.
Many of the domestic workers are poor Asian women from Sri Lanka, Indonesia, India, Bangladesh, the Philippines and Nepal. Widespread abuse has been documented by global human rights groups.
Common complaints include unpaid wages, long working hours with no time for rest, and heavy debt burdens from exorbitant recruitment fees, said the Human Rights Watch report.
Isolation and forced confinement contribute to psychological and physical abuse, sexual violence, forced labor, and trafficking, the report said. The abuse often goes unchecked because of a lack of government regulation and protective laws.
Ruhunuge said the registration of the local job agency that placed Ariyawathie has been cancelled.
"We have also asked [them] to pay compensation to the victim," he added. "We want to bring those responsible for justice. We are doing our best in this regard," he said.
He said his office was ready to accompany Ariyawathie to Saudi Arabia to testify if a case is brought against her former employers.
Ariyawathie's dream was to one day return to Sri Lanka and build a house with the money she saved.
"We are looking at the possibility of helping her to do this," Ruhunuge said.
Karu Jayasuriya, deputy leader of the main opposition United National Party, visited Ariyawathie in the hospital and said he was appalled.
"We want the government to raise this issue at the highest levels with the Saudi government. We cannot imagine that such crude and uncivilized things are happening to our workers," he said.
Saudi officials were not immediately available for comment. |
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wow, poor lady :( |
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| *~LiSa-LoO~* |
Poor lady indeed. I wish her a speedy recovery.
It really disgusts me the way that some employers treat their employees like slaves. It's sickens me to think that these people think it's okay to treat others like that. |
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| nacarter |
| What do you expect? It's Saudi, she's a woman - means she less than a slave. |
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| jester |
| Got to love the Saudi mentality. |
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| Intangible |
| I read this in the news a few days ago.... so ed. I hope she will be okay. |
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| T_ALI |
| HOLY !!! That's ed up... :( |
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| Magnetonium |
The concept of human rights is still non-existent in Saudi Arabia. Anything contrary to that statement is purely cosmetic and artificial - its the nature of the state. People are often treated like cattle, with impunity. So much anger, so much hatred, so much violence. Why would people want to go to Saudi Arabia, that always puzzles me. Bizarre things happen in Saudi Arabia ... just imagine living in a country where such simple and innocent things like celebrating birthdays is discouraged, punished and often banned.
They dont have any real fun, no true happiness in freedom, so many turn out to be psychotic, violent and extremely religious. |
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| T_ALI |
| This is absolutely horrible and the employers should recieve the harshest treatment but please don't generalize and be so ignorant because not everyone in Saudi is like that, and this behaviour is nowhere close to the mentality of the Saudis. |
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| TranceGrooves |
| quote: | Originally posted by Magnetonium
The concept of human rights is still non-existent in Saudi Arabia. Anything contrary to that statement is purely cosmetic and artificial - its the nature of the state. People are often treated like cattle, with impunity. So much anger, so much hatred, so much violence. Why would people want to go to Saudi Arabia, that always puzzles me. Bizarre things happen in Saudi Arabia ... just imagine living in a country where such simple and innocent things like celebrating birthdays is discouraged, punished and often banned.
They dont have any real fun, no true happiness in freedom, so many turn out to be psychotic, violent and extremely religious. |
when did you visit there last and how long you stayed ? |
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| Magnetonium |
| quote: | Originally posted by TranceGrooves
when did you visit there last and how long you stayed ? |
I see where you are going with this. No, I do not label all Saudis as savage and dark people, the machinery of the state is. Extreme sensorship and control.
I havent been to Saudi Arabia, and I know of only one person who has been there, a Canadian businessman who works for the petroleum industry. He has said good things about his experience there, but it is because he was a foreigner (thats exactly what he told me, that Westerners are treated well), but he says he has spoken to a couple Saudis who said they knew people who have been abused by the police, including torture, beatings and intimidation. People complaining of sensorship and lack of freedom. Many people are afraid to talk about these issues. Westerners dont see these things there, how could they? Even my friend couldn't travel outside of Riyadh.
It is well known that in Saudi Arabia there is a strong Anti-American underground movement fighting Saudi royals and western influences. Clerics regularly publish materials (rules) and talks on the threat of Westernization to their conservative lifestyle, and issue religious verdicts on everything.
There are many examples of controls and punishment - recently a Saudi man has been publicly lashed and then imprisoned just for bragging about how good he is with women, on Lebanese television (while he was outside of the country).
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| TranceGrooves |
| quote: | Originally posted by Magnetonium
I see where you are going with this. No, I do not label all Saudis as savage and dark people, the machinery of the state is. Extreme sensorship and control. |
hahaha Exterme sensorship and control says the guy .... hahahaha coming from a person living in Ontario who soon enough will not even have decent meal on a patio with his GF/Wife or both ...... hahahahaha yea hats of to the Western freedom.
| quote: | Originally posted by Magnetonium
I havent been to Saudi Arabia, and I know of only one person who has been there, a Canadian businessman who works for the petroleum industry. He has said good things about his experience there, but it is because he was a foreigner (thats exactly what he told me, that Westerners are treated well), but he says he has spoken to a couple Saudis who said they knew people who have been abused by the police, including torture, beatings and intimidation. People complaining of sensorship and lack of freedom. Many people are afraid to talk about these issues. Westerners dont see these things there, how could they? Even my friend couldn't travel outside of Riyadh. |
ummm your friend knows some people who knew some people who were abused by the police??? buddy c'mon like that happens every where. your friend could not travel outside of Riyadh for most likely two reasons. His visa did not allow him to do so and/or he probably wanted to travel to holy cities of Makkah or Madina where no non muslim is allowed.
| quote: | Originally posted by Magnetonium
It is well known that in Saudi Arabia there is a strong Anti-American underground movement fighting Saudi royals and western influences. Clerics regularly publish materials (rules) and talks on the threat of Westernization to their conservative lifestyle, and issue religious verdicts on everything.
There are many examples of controls and punishment - recently a Saudi man has been publicly lashed and then imprisoned just for bragging about how good he is with women, on Lebanese television (while he was outside of the country).
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LOLz even America itself has a Anti American movement and it is not underground. The controls and punishments that you are reffering to are actual laws through which they abide by on daily basis and if you go against those laws you shall be punished accordingly. It is because of the same "controls" that a jewlery store owner can leave his shop unattended at time of prayers with no fear of getting robbed. A female can sit in the park at night with no fear of getting struck on head and being sexually abused.
The point i am trying to make is that just like any other country, Saudi Arabia has its own set of problems as well. No denying there. But your opinion of the Saudis in general comes across as very negative. It is not as bad as you think it is or what you have been told. Thats all i have to say about that. |
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| ~C~ |
wow. Incidents like this one, make me sick to my stomach. It disgusts me that there are people out there capable of that level of cruelty to another human being. Pure evil. I also hope she's alright.
I feel really lucky to be living here in Canada. REALLY lucky. |
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