Lankan housemaid 'forced to eat pet cat's food'

BAHRAIN: A Sri Lankan housemaid who alleged that she was often forced to eat scraps of food thrown to the pet cat as she was hungry, was rescued from her Bahraini sponsor's allegedly abusive family and was set to fly home.

Ekanayaka Gnanawathie, staying in the Migrant Workers Protection Society (MWPS) shelter for domestic workers, claimed she was kicked and dragged by her hair daily by the man's wife and two elder children.

She earlier showed the Gulf Daily News a chipped front tooth that she says happened when she was pushed into a wall at the family home.

The 34-year-old said she often had to go without food and was so hungry that at times was forced to eat food thrown on the floor for the family's pet cat.

The maid's sponsor denied the allegations and said he was surprised by her claims, but admitted his wife might have slapped her if she had done something wrong.

MWPS action committee head Marietta Dias confirmed Gnanawathie would be flown home after the organisation paid BD106 for her ticket. She said the woman's sponsor refused to pay for it, as she had not completed her two-year contract.

The maid, who had worked for the family for 10 months, had run away twice before - only to be brought back by those who she went to for help.

The maid is from Maho and has a 13-year-old daughter. Gulf Daily News