Dear Friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission has received information regarding Mrs. Munisamy Mariannan Gauri. A resident of Mutwal, she migrated to Kuwait as a domestic helper on 8 April 2017. At 6 a.m. on 9 June 2017, the wife of Gauri’s employer in Kuwait telephoned. She told Gauri’s mother, Mrs. Dhanalechchami that her daughter had passed away in Kuwait. The question is HOW, WHEN, WHERE? She demanded that Officers of The Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Bureau (SLBFE) set up an impartial, independent, professional investigation into the death of her daughter. IN ADDITION, SHE SEEKS JUSTICE.
CASE DETAILS:
The Asian Human Rights Commission has received information regarding Mrs. Munisamy Mariannan Gauri (38), of No: 60/422, Wadula Watte, Kelanipura, Mutwal in Colombo District. Gauri was married to Mr. E K Rajeshwaran and they have two sons and a daughter, Rajeshwaran Priya (16), Rajeshwaran Siyon (11) and Rajeshwaran Niron (10). Gauri and her husband struggled to raise their three children amid enormous financial difficulties. Finally, she decided to migrate to Kuwait as a domestic helper to alleviate their money problems. Due to their socio-economic status, they could not afford to build their own home. Her main target in migrating was to assist her husband in building their own house. She left Sri Lanka on 8 April 2017.
Two months later, on 9 June at 6 a.m. Gauri’s mother, Mrs. Dhanalechchami, received a telephone call from the wife of Gauri’s employer in Kuwait. The caller informed her that her daughter Gauri suddenly passed away in Kuwait. HOW, WHEN and WHERE. Mrs. Dhanalechchami could not believe what she was hearing. Her daughter Gauri was in good health with no ailments or sickness and was never terminally ill. After Gauri left for Kuwait, she called her mother every day and shared her life there. It could be said that Gauri was of sound mind and in excellent health.
On 9 June, SLBEF officers informed Mrs. Dhanalechchami that her daughter’s body would be sent to Katunayaka International Airport. She and her family went to the airport to receive her body. Following the directions of airport officials and the SLBFE, the family went to the Negombo Base Hospital for the Death Inquest. It was conducted by the coroner, Mr. Siri Jayantha Wickramaratne, and included a Post Mortem Examination (PME) by the Judicial Medical Officer (JMO) of the hospital. At the Death Inquest, the coroner informed the family that some body parts were missing, including Gauri’s heart and parts of her thigh. As a result, he could not definitively give the cause of death. No verdict could be given either at the Death Inquest. All the family members were in shock upon hearing this development.
Mrs. Dhanalechchami states that she does not believe and refutes the explanation given by the employer’s wife for her daughter’s sudden and unexpected death. Her daughter never mentioned that she was going to donate any of her internal organs to science. She never had any accident or any sudden illness. Mrs. Dhanalechchami and her family believe that the employer’s family members are responsible for the murder of her daughter for financial gain from her body parts, especially the heart. They are hiding the truth about her daughter’s demise. Mrs. Dhanalechchami and family want JUSTICE.
After Gauri died, the family members immediately lodged a formal complaint with the Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Bureau (SLBFE). They requested an independent, impartial and professional investigation into Gauri’s death. Up until now, SLBEF officers have not taken any action to investigate the case.
Mrs. Dhanalechchami suggested that this could be done by initiating an official, professional, independent, impartial and efficient INVESTIGATION into her daughter’s death. She is demanding an extensive Death Inquest, including a post-mortem by Sri Lankan and Kuwait authorities. The alleged, guilty family members must be located, held responsible before the Law and punished for the murder and their questionable illegal financial gain. In all of this, three children have lost their mother and compassion dictates adequate compensation be given by the employer to assure their future.
Suggested Action:
Please send letters to the authorities listed below expressing your concern about this case. Request an immediate inquiry into allegations of non-investigation of a complaint by SLBFE officers. All officers involved must be examined by an internal investigation for Criminal Negligence and breach of the Duty of Care. Finally, please appeal to the SLBFE to set up a special investigation into the death of this migrant worker.
To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear ________,
SRI LANKA:Female migrant-worker’s dead body returned from Kuwait missing body parts
Name of Victims: Mrs. Munisamy Mariannan Gauri (38), of No: 60/422, Wadula Watte, Kelanipura, Mutwal in Colombo District
2) Three children of the victim Munisamy Mariannan Gauri
3) E K Rajeshwaran, husband of Munisamy Mariannan Gauri
4) Mrs. Dhanalechchami, the mother of the victim.
Alleged Perpetrators: Officers of the Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Bureau
Date of incident: 09 June 2017
Place of incident: Kuwait
According to information I have received, Mrs. Munisamy Mariannan Gauri (38), of No: 60/422, Wadula Watte, Kelanipura, Mutwal in Colombo District. Gauri was married to Mr. E K Rajeshwaran and they have two sons and a daughter, Rajeshwaran Priya (16), Rajeshwaran Siyon (11) and Rajeshwaran Niron (10). Gauri and her husband struggled to raise their three children amid enormous financial difficulties. Finally, she decided to migrate to Kuwait as a domestic helper to alleviate their money problems. Due to their socio-economic status, they could not afford to build their own home. Her main target in migrating was to assist her husband in building their own house. She left Sri Lanka on 8 April 2017.
Two months later, on 9 June at 6 a.m. Gauri’s mother, Mrs. Dhanalechchami, received a telephone call from the wife of Gauri’s employer in Kuwait. The caller informed her that her daughter Gauri suddenly passed away in Kuwait. HOW, WHEN and WHERE. Mrs. Dhanalechchami could not believe what she was hearing. Her daughter Gauri was in good health with no ailments or sickness and was never terminally ill. After Gauri left for Kuwait, she called her mother every day and shared her life there. It could be said that Gauri was of sound mind and in excellent health.
On 9 June, SLBEF officers informed Mrs. Dhanalechchami that her daughter’s body would be sent to Katunayaka International Airport. She and her family went to the airport to receive her body. Following the directions of airport officials and the SLBFE, the family went to the Negombo Base Hospital for the Death Inquest. It was conducted by the coroner, Mr. Siri Jayantha Wickramaratne, and included a Post Mortem Examination (PME) by the Judicial Medical Officer (JMO) of the hospital. At the Death Inquest, the coroner informed the family that some body parts were missing, including Gauri’s heart and parts of her thigh. As a result, he could not definitively give the cause of death. No verdict could be given either at the Death Inquest. All the family members were in shock upon hearing this development.
Mrs. Dhanalechchami states that she does not believe and refutes the explanation given by the employer’s wife for her daughter’s sudden and unexpected death. Her daughter never mentioned that she was going to donate any of her internal organs to science. She never had any accident or any sudden illness. Mrs. Dhanalechchami and her family believe that the employer’s family members are responsible for the murder of her daughter for financial gain from her body parts, especially the heart. They are hiding the truth about her daughter’s demise. Mrs. Dhanalechchami and family want JUSTICE.
After Gauri died, the family members immediately lodged a formal complaint with the Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Bureau (SLBFE). They requested an independent, impartial and professional investigation into Gauri’s death. Up until now, SLBEF officers have not taken any action to investigate the case.
Mrs. Dhanalechchami suggested that this could be done by initiating an official, professional, independent, impartial and efficient INVESTIGATION into her daughter’s death. She is demanding an extensive Death Inquest, including a post-mortem by Sri Lankan and Kuwait authorities. The alleged, guilty family members must be located, held responsible before the Law and punished for the murder and their questionable illegal financial gain. In all of this, three children have lost their mother and compassion dictates adequate compensation be given by the employer to assure their future.
Suggested Action:
Please send letters to the authorities listed below expressing your concern about this case. Request an immediate inquiry into allegations of non-investigation of a complaint by SLBFE officers. All officers involved must be examined by an internal investigation for Criminal Negligence and breach of the Duty of Care. Finally, please appeal to the SLBFE to set up a special investigation into the death of this migrant worker.
I request the intervention of your good offices. Ensure that the authorities listed below open an immediate investigation into the murder, monetary gain and allegations of violations of the rights of the victim. All Officers of the Sri Lankan Foreign Employment Bureau (SLBFE) involved should be subject to an internal investigation.
Yours sincerely,
———————
PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:
1. Mr. Pujith Jayasundara
Inspector General of Police
New Secretariat
Colombo 1
SRI LANKA
Fax: +94 11 2 440440 / 327877
E-mail: igp@police.lk
2. Mr. Jayantha Jayasooriya PC
Attorney General
Attorney General’s Department
Colombo 12
SRI LANKA
Fax: +94 11 2 436421
E-mail: ag@attorneygeneral.gov.lk
3. Secretary
Human Rights Commission
No. 36, Kynsey Road
Colombo 8
SRI LANKA
Tel: +94 11 2 694 925 / 673 806
Fax: +94 11 2 694 924 / 696 470
E-mail: sechrc@sltnet.lk
4. Mr. R. K. Obeyesekere
Chairman
Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment
No: 234
Denzil Kobbekaduwa Mawatha
Koswatta, Battaramulla
Email: info@slbfe.lk
Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ua@ahrc.asia)
