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22 stranded workers fly back to Colombo

The girls continued to live in the factory premises in misery for over four months without money, water, electricity, and depleting food provision in the hope that the local authorities in Sharjah would take strict action against the factory owner, and help ease their sufferings and facilitate their quick repatriation to Colombo.

P.D. Fernando, Sri Lankan Consul-General in Dubai, said that a Sri Lankan agent had arranged for tickets of Air Arabia for the girls. “They have left without being paid any amount. The consulate took them to the immigration which put their cases to the court because many of them did not have valid visas as their sponsorship was also bogus,” he said. The consul-general said that the whole process at the immigration took 3-4 days to clear.

For four months the workers were forced to stay in dire conditions without food and water and were also forced to sleep in the open.

Speaking to Khaleej Times, Dayani said that though she was excited that she was going home finally, she was sad that the case had not been solved amicably and she was leaving the country without money. The agreed amount of Dh1, 000 by the factory owner as final settlement did not come through as the owner stopped visiting the factory premises for a long time now and was also reportedly absconding. The Sri Lankan consulate has been extending all assistance to us. But, now we just want them to help send us home soon with our dues, the workers said, vowing never to return to the UAE and work for a garment factory.

The Moon Garments factory in Sharjah closed down in May 2004, leaving hundreds of its workers stranded. While many left the country or decided to work elsewhere, a group of 21 workers continued to stay on the factory accommodation in the hope of receiving their dues from the owner, or the local sponsor, and return home soon.

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