GDN:Hospital rescues maid after threats

Hospital rescues maid after threats
By MANDEEP SINGH
Published: 1st September 2006

HOSPITAL staff intervened to prevent an injured housemaid being forcibly discharged yesterday after she was allegedly beaten so badly by her sponsor that she was vomiting blood. Lateefa Beewi Maheen, from Trivandrum, India, was said to be in critical, but stable condition at Salmaniya Medical Complex (SMC).

The 30-year-old claims she has been abused by her Bahraini employers since first arriving in the country less than two months ago.

She says she collapsed at her sponsor’s home on Wednesday as a result of repeated beatings.

Hospital rescues maid after threats
By MANDEEP SINGH
Published: 1st September 2006

The 30-year-old claims she has been abused by her Bahraini employers since first arriving in the country less than two months ago.

She says she collapsed at her sponsor’s home on Wednesday as a result of repeated beatings.

Her employers are said to have panicked and sent her with a driver to SMC, where she was first admitted to the Accident and Emergency Department and kept under observation before being transferred to a ward later in the evening.

Doctors yesterday said she suffered severe internal injuries, which caused her to vomit blood several times a day. They also said she is suffering from pain in the abdomen and her wrists.

“She has some injury marks on her body and we feel she has been physically abused,” they told the GDN.

However, they added that an X-ray revealed that she suffered no broken bones.

“I was pushed around and kicked by the sponsor and his wife, as well as their children,” Ms Maheen told the GDN just hours after an official from the manpower agency that brought her to Bahrain tried to get her discharged.

An Indian doctor at the hospital, Dr P V Cheriyan, was immediately informed and he in turn alerted hospital authorities, who have now pledged to not send her away unless Indian Embassy officials are informed.

Speaking from her hospital bed, Ms Maheen said that since coming to Bahrain she had no time to herself and all members of the family she worked for ordered her around as long as they were awake.

“If I tried to take some rest, I was beaten and pushed,” she said.

“In some cases, my head was also hit against the wall.”

Ms Maheen claimed an “Arab man” visited the hospital yesterday morning and threatened to “hang” her if she accused her sponsor of any wrongdoing.

“I do not want to get into trouble,” she said.

“All I want is to go home at the earliest.”

Ms Maheen said she came to Bahrain to boost her family’s income because her young son needed expensive medical treatment.

“We are facing a lot of financial problems,” she said.

“My husband is a tea-seller and earns next to nothing. I have a seven-year-old daughter and a five-year-old son who has severe orthopaedic problems.

“I need a lot of money for his treatment – my husband cannot hope to make that much.”

She said she paid Rs20,000 (BD166) to an agent to come to Bahrain to work.

“I was promised a salary of BD40 a month and a few days ago I was paid two months’ wages,” added Ms Maheen.

“That money has been taken away by the agent as his fee.”

Ms Maheen said she also had a major language problem because she is not able to speak Hindi, English or Arabic.

“I had no idea I would be treated in such a way and I always hoped I would pick up Arabic in a few weeks,” she said.

Ms Maheen said she was badly spoken to ever since she arrived, but the physical abuse started three weeks ago.

Surya Charitable and Cultural Association volunteer K R Nair visited Ms Maheen at the SMC and promised to provide assistance.

Indian Embassy officials are aware of her case and are co-ordinating with the manpower agency and hospital authorities.

A formal complaint is now expected to be lodged with the police.

“This is a matter of great concern,” said Indian Ambassador Balkrishna Shetty.

“We will take immediate action and ensure all possible help is given to the housemaid.”

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