The Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) recorded 330 deaths of Sri Lankan maids in the Middle East in 2009.
The figure was revealed at the same time as the bureau called for a full inquiry into the death of a 26-year-old maid at the hands of her Saudi sponsor, in the latest abuse case to be reported in the kingdom.
The full facts of the case are not yet known, but a source told Arab News the maid’s body was covered in burns and that her sponsor was in custody. The woman had previously written to her parents complaining of abuse, the paper said.
Of the 330 deaths the majority are not considered to be murder, the paper reported.
However, abuse of domestic helpers, including beatings and denial of pay, is widespread across the Middle East.
In September last year, Indonesia indefinitely suspended the traffic of domestic helpers to Kuwait due to concern over widespread abuse and exploitation by their employers.
The Sri Lankan Embassy in Riyadh told the paper the country’s mission in Saudi Arabia receives about 10 runaway maids a day.
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