Hospital fears for abused maid’s life
By MUHAMMAD AL-SULAMI | ARAB NEWS
Published: Feb 27, 2010 11:39 PM Updated: Feb 27, 2010 11:39 PM
JEDDAH: Erfan & Bagedo Hospital in Jeddah has rejected the request of Safa police to hand over an Indonesian maid, who has been receiving treatment at the hospital, to her sponsor.
The maid was admitted to hospital on Dec. 20, 2009 after she fell from the third floor of her sponsor’s apartment building.
The maid, Sariti Haiti, told hospital authorities that she had been tortured by her sponsor. She was brought to hospital by Red Crescent officials with injuries and bruises on different parts of her body. Initial reports said the maid’s backbone and neck were broken after falling from the building.
Doctors at the hospital observed that the maid had been beaten up and tortured and they found signs of torture on her back in the form of burns and signs of lashes. They also detected internal bleeding and an injury to her head. The treatment bill reached SR120,000.
Dr. Ahmed Erfan, deputy general manager of the hospital, said the maid was working for a Saudi woman. “We contacted her sponsor to pay the bill. A man responded from the other side and acknowledged the maid worked for them but refused to pay the bill,” he said.
The hospital then contacted the Indonesian Consulate, which refused to accept the hospital’s letter by hand. It had to send the letter then by fax. After a week a consulate representative came to inspect the condition of the maid but he did not come back again. “After two months we wrote a letter to Jeddah Gov. Prince Mishaal bin Majed, who promised he would follow up the matter,” he said.
Last week the hospital received a letter from the Safa police director asking them to hand over the maid to her sponsor. “Fearing for the maid’s life, we placed her in the psychiatric section, which is guarded round the clock. We also informed the National Society for Human Rights which told us not to hand the woman over,” he said.
Dr. Erfan expressed surprise that the consulate was not cooperating with the hospital. He said the hospital would follow the instructions of the governor. “We are not bothered about the bill but we are very concerned about the maid’s health,” he added. The Human Rights Commission said it would discuss the matter with the relevant authorities. The maid came to Saudi Arabia in August 2009.
“After a month her woman sponsor started mistreating her,” the maid said. The maid said the sponsor used to throw her food in the bin when there was any delay in completing her work. The sponsor also allegedly cut part of her hair in the front in order to prevent her from going out and threatened her that she would cut off all her hair.
The maid said the sponsor accused her of stealing her gold. “She took me in front of her sons and removed all my clothes to check my body in order to find out whether I had kept that gold under the clothing,” she said. The maid added her sponsor had also asked her to leave the house after giving her the passport but she did not leave, fearing the woman would tell police that she had run away.
“After some time, the sponsor said the taste of tea I was preparing had changed as she accused me of urinating in the tea. I told her that it is haram and I would never do it. She also forced me to drink the urine of her children in front of them,” she said. The maid said the sponsor had beaten her head with a frying pan on Dec. 19, 2009, causing a deep injury on her head. “My sponsor asked me to cover my head and remove the blood from the ground. She threatened me that she would cut my body into pieces if I did not follow her orders,” she said.
“I was afraid that she would kill me one day,” the maid said, adding that she jumped from the apartment to escape from the sponsor. She did not remember anything except the guard told her not to jump from the building.
© 2010 Arab News
Comments :
Feb 28, 2010 1:38 PM
Report abuse And so....we find some humanity in the "Kingdom of Humanity". Bravo to the hospital! They are the only ones in this situation who seem to have done the right thing in the interest of this living, breathing, human being.
Feb 28, 2010 1:39 PM
Report abuse Wallahi, may Allah punish the people who claim to be Muslims but treat other human beings worse than animals!
Feb 28, 2010 1:41 PM
Report abuse Is it even permissible for you to display the awrah of a woman in public? A medical report would have sufficed. The media has an agenda to degrade society under the false pretense of spreading information. May Allah guide you all. The same could have been achieved without stepping outside the boundaries of Allah.
Feb 28, 2010 1:41 PM
Report abuse it is really shameful, the sponsor should be punished as per law & pay the bill. The maid should be sent back to her country.
Feb 28, 2010 1:43 PM
Report abuse All maids need to work for an agency which delivers them for work and picks them up after an appointed amount of time. They can be comfortably housed on a nice compound with proper facilities and have actual time off for themselves. Are they not human beings as well (or does that only apply to Saudis?)
Feb 28, 2010 1:43 PM
Report abuse This is another one of such cases which must be acted upon by the authorities as soon as possible and the perpetrators brought to justice. It shames Muslims around the world that such a thing happens in Saudi Arabia the holy land. What is worst is that the Indonesian embassy did nothing to help their nationals. Now wonder people leave the Gulf countries to work in non-Muslim countries where they get treated better.
Feb 28, 2010 1:45 PM
Report abuse PROMOTION OF VIRTUE where are you good people we need you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Feb 28, 2010 1:47 PM
Report abuse what shame for Muslims, I don't understand these kind of criminal act why they doing to innocent maids who came to work in Saudi Arabia. Shame to Arabs.
Feb 28, 2010 3:14 PM
Report abuse It is very sad to see a helpless Muslim lady being treated like this. As an employer, they have committed haram.
"Fear God regarding women. Verily you have married them with the trust of God, and made their bodies lawful with the word of God. You have got (rights) over them, and they have got (rights) over you in respect of their food and clothing according to your means."
"Fear God regarding women. Verily you have married them with the trust of God, and made their bodies lawful with the word of God. You have got (rights) over them, and they have got (rights) over you in respect of their food and clothing according to your means."
Feb 28, 2010 3:20 PM
Report abuse not only in Saudi, it also happen with the maid in Kuwait & Malaysia !!!
Feb 28, 2010 3:21 PM
Report abuse I respect the decision made by Hospital. I really solute the stand taken for the Human Being, this really a wonderful. Hope other will learn from example.
I agree, some people are really not even Muslims by words.
I agree, some people are really not even Muslims by words.
Feb 28, 2010 3:40 PM
Report abuse Is there a way that we can help this sister?
Kindly let us know about a person / place to contact.
Kindly let us know about a person / place to contact.
Feb 28, 2010 3:50 PM
Report abuse We should feel shame to be a Muslim for this kind of act with one poor women, as Mohammad (PEACE BE UPON HIM) very kind to his slaves.Being a Muslim, we should follow Mohammad (PEACE BE UPON HIM) to how to treat with slaves.
Feb 28, 2010 4:01 PM
Report abuse I was surprised to read this story. Why we Muslim treat maid so badly. we are not good Muslim and we have to answer to ALLAH one day what we have done good or bad. I request to all sponsor who brought maid from outside KSA for their services to treat them good and do not be so cruel. please afraid from ALLAH.
The Saudi Government should take strict action those who involved into this crime.
The Saudi Government should take strict action those who involved into this crime.
Feb 28, 2010 4:20 PM
Report abuse The sponsor shall realize that he or she will be punished very soon.Either in this life itself or hereafter and the punishment in the hereafter is even more severe than those inflicted on the maid. WOE TO SUCH PEOPLE
Feb 28, 2010 4:21 PM
Report abuse I am very sad of this situations. This is totally inhuman attitude. Oh God! Why you gave wealth to such merciless people. They really do not have fear of you€�. But it is for sure they will face the consequences one day.
Feb 28, 2010 4:26 PM
Report abuse There are thousands of people who are suffering from such issue. I request the cops to act accounting to such problem and take action.
Its great job by Arab news and Dr Erfan Hospital. Keep up the good work.
Its shame to embassy staff. And to they country.
Its great job by Arab news and Dr Erfan Hospital. Keep up the good work.
Its shame to embassy staff. And to they country.
Feb 28, 2010 4:35 PM
Report abuse Islam does not teach us such a behavior with human beings, I cant write more .........
Feb 28, 2010 4:37 PM
Report abuse Are we really human for such an act ? Where are we in this world treating human being cases like animals. I believe there should be strict rules in the government in bringing maids from all over the world. How many cases we heard, read and saw for such behaviors in the middle east. Pls we need to change our attitude thru maids its life that makes them to come and work here. They are human like any other person in the world.
Feb 28, 2010 4:39 PM
Report abuse That is one of the most inappropriate pictures Arab News has shown.
Feb 28, 2010 4:40 PM
Report abuse How can ignorance be removed from Saudi society.
Feb 28, 2010 4:43 PM
Report abuse Is there any way that we can help, such as a support fund for this maid.
If there has not, I would be more than happy to help (I can provide contact details here or contact someone who knows about this, please leave contact details here).
Allah will give each of us what we earned. May Allah reward this sister for what she has unjustly endured.
If there has not, I would be more than happy to help (I can provide contact details here or contact someone who knows about this, please leave contact details here).
Allah will give each of us what we earned. May Allah reward this sister for what she has unjustly endured.
Feb 28, 2010 4:44 PM
Report abuse What an unbelievable story! There truly is evil in the world. We are all children of the same God and we all deserve respect, regardless of the humble station we may have in life.
Feb 28, 2010 4:47 PM
Report abuse Watching this picture, one can not believe, this is happening in the kingdom. Where do they have left the humanity and they do not fear Allah Subhanahu Wata'ala. Where is the law of equality and humanity? I pray for the maid let Almighty solve her problems and punish the culprits
Feb 28, 2010 4:47 PM
Report abuse Govt have to take serious action against such cases. Its happening all over here and increasing day by day.
Feb 28, 2010 4:52 PM
Report abuse Just can't understand why a vast majority of people are unable to take care of themselves while more than 85% of the world does so. Easy money or money acquired at the cost of expatriate labourers makes the already dumb mind more dumber. And it speaks volume about their lethargic attitude. I just pray to Allah to guide such souls right and make them understand the goods and bads, pains and sufferings of under-privileged souls.
Feb 28, 2010 4:52 PM
Report abuse so sad indeed what she had to endure... yet knowing that her story made headline is a bit of a relief
good for Erfan hospital for taking a stand
good for Erfan hospital for taking a stand
Feb 28, 2010 4:55 PM
Report abuse I pity for the maid. This is not done by a normal person. I might assume that sponsors like this had been raised to a violent family and live through the cycle of violence regarded it as normal condition. Perhaps too, they might have been battered or violently abused that had been suppressed for a longer time. Violence is a psychological illness that Saudi Government must alter. To alter doesn't mean penalizing them in jail or having them paid the consequences perpetrated to the maid. Psychological assessment towards the concerned family should be imposed and interventions should be in action once found victims of violence. Violence begets violence, that is, so we have to look at a wider perspective that the maid and the lady sponsors both are victims of violence.
I am not into the general perspective that SAUDIS are violent and dominant in nature. There are good and educated Saudis as there are bad and good housemaids.
I am not into the general perspective that SAUDIS are violent and dominant in nature. There are good and educated Saudis as there are bad and good housemaids.
Feb 28, 2010 5:42 PM
Report abuse Every one should think that the death is sure all people, Rich or Poor, Strong or Weak. if some one does not like the work of the House Maids then they have sent them back to their countries. Instead of doing such in human act.
Feb 28, 2010 5:53 PM
Report abuse Where are the so called authorities when the week and most vulnerable need them.
Feb 28, 2010 5:53 PM
Report abuse I am really not surprised by the treatment of maids in Saudi Arabia. Looking at the maids life in Saudi soil and the human rights record it clearly shows the authority are also involved in this harsh treatment and the law is used against these maids as they do not have any rights. For Indonesia as a government this should be taken to higher level by putting restrictions for Saudis to sponsor these young maids who are abused, raped and sometimes killed in this country. Its a shameful for this to happen in a Islamic country and also shameful for this government for not protecting the weak and most vulnerable.
Feb 28, 2010 6:24 PM
Report abuse Here we go again....human rights abuses by Saudi sponsors....Allah does not like oppression
Feb 28, 2010 6:42 PM
Report abuse I request that Saudi govt take due action to pass a law for the protection of house Maids, due care has to be taken and consideration be given as these incidents can bring international defame to the Kingdoms name.
4 comments:
In all societies we have to take action cause these people whom are abused are usually Muslims as well. Of course,trying to generalize these cases to one nation or one race is a bit unfair. In the end,the authorities must take action,kerana jika dibiarkan bukan sahaja nama negara ditimpa malu,malah nama agama juga mungkin dalam cakupan. Orang indonesia di Indonesia juga sekarang sudah mula menilai negara-negara yang bagus untuk mencari peluang pekerjaan.
The reason why these maid abusers do so is because their respective countries do not punish or penalize them accordingly as what the true Islamic Syariah laws prescribe!
See what happens when the respective nation's whip the torturers exactly as what they abused their maids?
Most of the abusers are the female bosses of the maids. The male bosses rape and molest them.
See what happens when we whack the living daylights out of those sadistic employers and put to death by stoning the male employers who rape their maids?
it is Taqdir" the saudi ambassador fo Indonesia said sometime ago in jakarta.
Well wongbulu, let's see what the Saudi ambassador to Indonesia says if we whack the living daylights out of him and see if he stills says the same?
It is irresponsible leaders like these who give Islam a bad name!
Islamic justice seeks retribution for the sins committed. An eye for an eye @ Qisas.
The sadistic Saudi employer must be punished exactly as what she inflicted upon the poor Indonesian maid.
The Indonesian government must take up this case and demand for justice from its Saudi counterpart!
That is if President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono really cares for his people?
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