Hotuf authorities are investigating the death of Filipina domestic worker, Liza Tagud Bayubay, 44, who was initially admitted at the King Faisal Hospital on 17 July in a state of coma. Bayubay, who died a week later, allegedly had multiple scars and wounds, burns all over her limbs, back and abdomen, and evidence of septic shock from low blood pressure. The Philippine Embassy in Riyadh has asked the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs for a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death.
Filipino consulate officials in Jeddah helped stranded Filipina shepherdess, Leonora Somera, 65, to open a bank account at the Telemoney branch in Balad on 31 August. Several Filipinos who heard of Somera's plight promised to raise money for her return fare. All donations for her can be deposited at any Telemoney branch in the kingdom. Somera had worked in the Al-Baha area for 18 years without getting any regular salary from her employer. The shepherdess, who received only SR7,000 from her employer, said she was willing to forego her back wages totaling P784,000 for the chance to return to the Philippines to reunite with her daughter.
The Philippine Consulate General in Jeddah issued a press statement on 12 September seeking the public's help in locating 16 Filipino workers in the Western region who had been reported missing by their families. In another incident, the consulate's Assistance to Nationals Section is seeking the help of the Philippine community for any information leading to the identity of a Filipino man, in his 50s, who died shortly after being admitted to the Hai Al-Jamaea Hospital on 6 July. The man, who died from cardiopulmonary arrest due to high blood pressure, was unconscious when brought in by a Filipina who gave her name only as Iluminada.
Saudi authorities pleaded for more time to complete their investigation on the brutal attacks on four Indonesian domestic workers in Aflaj on 3 August before they could send the two survivors and the remains of the other two domestic workers back to Indonesia. The vicious attack resulted in the death of Siti Tarwiyah Slamet, 32, and Susmiyati Abdul Fulan, 28.The two survivors, Ruminih Surtim, 25, and Tari Tarsim, 27, were taken into police custody for further questioning after receiving treatment for severe injuries at the Riyadh Medical Complex. The Indonesian Embassy has complained that it has been denied access to its two nationals. Meanwhile, seven Saudi males from the family that employed the four domestic workers have been arrested and are under investigation.
The Saudi police assisted officials from the Sri Lankan Embassy in rescuing 40-year old domestic worker, Anista Marie, on 5 September from a villa in the Khansalallilah district, some 12 kms away from Riyadh, where she had been kept as a virtual slave for more than a decade. She allegedly worked for a household consisting of three unemployed women with four teenaged daughters who assaulted her whenever she asked for her salary. According to Marie, she was confined indoors during the daytime and allowed to come out only at night. Hence she had no idea of her exact location. It was unclear whether her sponsor would face criminal charges for illegal imprisonment and violation of labor laws. However, the Sri Lankan mission said it would negotiate for payment of Marie's back wages, holiday pay and other allowances.
Recent data from the Interior Ministry indicated that more and more Saudi women are opting to marry foreigners. Over the past five years, some 20,000 marriages have been registered between Saudi women and foreign men. Although the marriage of Saudi women to foreigners is generally discouraged, social experts say that in recent years the idea of cross-national marriages has become more acceptable and less a source of social disgrace.
Sources: Mohammed Rasooldeen, "Kingdom wants more time to resolve case of maltreated maids," Arab News, 1 September 2007; Rasheed Abou-Alsamh, "Community, consulate open bank account for stranded Filipino shepherdess," Arab News, 2 September 2007; "Funds pooled for Pinay worker stuck in Saudi," GMANews.TV, 2 September 2007; "Maid dies of alleged torture," Bahrain Tribune, 3 September 2007; Rasheed Abou-Alsamh, "Cases of abuse rise for Saudi foreign help," The Christian Science Monitor, 6 September 2007; Mohammed Rasooldeen, "Maid rescued after 8 years of forced labor," Arab News, 6 September 2007; Mohammed Rasooldeen, "Sri Lankan maid rescued after 10 years of house arrest in Saudi," Daily News, 6 September 2007; "Maid's death under probe," Bahrain Tribune, 12 September 2007; "16 OFWs in Saudi reported missing," Malaya, 13 September 2007; Najah Alosaimi, "Saudi women marrying foreigners on the rise," Arab News, 14 September 2007