http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/Story.asp?Article=153419&Sn=BNEW&IssueID=29156
‘Abused’ maid still waiting for justice
By BEGENA GEORGE
Published: 23 August 2006
THE fate of an Indian housemaid who filed a case against her Bahraini sponsor for alleged assault, breach of contract and unpaid salary, is still uncertain.
Sajitha Beevi, 30, who has been under the custody of the Indian Embassy since July 25, is waiting for a summons from the Public Prosecution for legal proceedings to begin.
She is demanding back BD15 that was allegedly cut from her BD50 monthly salary every month since she arrived here last October.
http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/Story.asp?Article=153419&Sn=BNEW&IssueID=29156
‘Abused’ maid still waiting for justice
By BEGENA GEORGE
Published: 23 August 2006
THE fate of an Indian housemaid who filed a case against her Bahraini sponsor for alleged assault, breach of contract and unpaid salary, is still uncertain.
Sajitha Beevi, 30, who has been under the custody of the Indian Embassy since July 25, is waiting for a summons from the Public Prosecution for legal proceedings to begin.
She is demanding back BD15 that was allegedly cut from her BD50 monthly salary every month since she arrived here last October.
Her sponsor apparently told her the money was deducted to pay for her plane ticket.
Ms Beevi also claimed she was not paid her salary for the last four months.
The woman has been provided with a temporary accommodation by the Migrant Workers’ Protection Society (MWPS).
“Ms Beevi is being sheltered by the society for over two weeks on the request of the embassy and we will continue to do so until she is summoned by the Public Prosecution,” said society action committee head Marietta Dias.
An embassy spokeswoman confirmed that the woman’s case would not be closed until an agreement is reached with the sponsor.
Ms Beevi also claims after arriving in Bahrain, her sponsor and his family had constantly mistreated her.
When she couldn’t take the conditions any longer, she packed her bags to go to the embassy for help.
However, she was caught by her sponsor’s wife and physically assaulted before she managed to run away.
Ms Beevi said that her sponsor’s wife had cut off her long hair on the day she joined work after being told that in Bahrain all women have short hair.
She said she was being insulted and abused by the sponsor’s six children.
In June, she had informed her mother about the way she was being treated.
Her mother contacted officials in India, who notified the embassy.
However, following repeated calls to the sponsor’s house by embassy officials, the houseboy who answered the phone said that everything was fine.
Ms Beevi said that since he was equally mistreated, the houseboy was afraid to tell the truth and be punished.
She finally managed to run away and report to the embassy.
Indian Vijay Kumar, who helped Ms Beevi get a work visa, said she had informed him about the manner she was being treated to ask the sponsor to stop mistreating her.
“She did tell me about the way she was being physically and mentally assaulted by the family and I tried many times to appease the sponsor and asked him to treat her more humanely, but he refused to listen,” said Mr Kumar.
“Later, when I went to their house to have a personal conversation, I was not allowed inside and all my calls went unanswered.
“But I didn’t realise that the condition was so bad and she didn’t call me before she intended to report to the embassy.”
The sponsor was not available for comment.
© Gulf Daily News