Lanka bans maids to Saudi Arabia

The Sri Lankan government has suspended sending domestic maids to Saudi Arabia, the Association of Licensed Foreign Employment Agencies (ALFEA) said. ALFEA Chairman W.M.P Aponso, quoted by The Sunday Leader, said that the government had decided to suspend sending domestic maids to Saudi Arabia until the maids are provided with an insurance cover by the Saudi authorities. He said that ALFEA will discuss the issue with Foreign Employment Minister Dilan Perera once he returns from overseas. The move to suspend sending domestic maids to Saudi Arabia followed the execution of Sri Lankan maid Rizana Nafeek. Some 500,000 Sri Lankans are employed in Saudi Arabia, most of them as maids. When The Sunday Leader contacted the Chairman of the Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Bureau Amal Senalankadhikara, he confirmed that Sri Lankan domestic maids were not being sent to Saudi Arabia. He said the decision was taken over some pending issues, which will be discussed with the minister on his return from Lebanon. From Arabnews