Dilan’s no confidence motion defeated

By Ashwin Hemmathagama

Our Lobby Correspondent

The vote of no confidence on Minister of Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare Dilan Perera highlighting his role in the execution of housemaid Rizana Nafeek was defeated by 104 votes in Parliament, with 32 votes in favour and 136 against.

In the vote of no confidence, the Opposition stated that it was a fact known by all by now that under-aged Sri Lankan housemaid Rizana Nafeek was executed in Saudi Arabia following a summary proceeding for a crime for which she was not responsible in any manner; and whereas it is also a known fact that the Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Bureau, which comes under the purview of the Minister of Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare Dilan Perera, Member of Parliament, totally failed to extend meaningful support of any manner to Rizana Nafeek and as a result she had to die an untimely and tragic death; and whereas it is obvious that the Minister, while totally mismanaging these issues is engaged in a futile attempt to shift the blame squarely on the Government of Saudi Arabia at a time that he should be directly shouldering the responsibility for this faux pas confining himself only to issuing of statements; that this Parliament therefore resolves that it no longer has faith in the ability of the Minister of Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare, Dilan Perera, Member of Parliament, to serve as the Minister of Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare.

Opposition legislators Ajith P. Perera, M. Joseph Michael Perera, Ranjan Ramanayake, Ravi Karunanayake, Lakshman Kiriella, Niroshan Perera, Buddhika Pathirana, Akila Viraj Kariyawasam, Thalatha Atukorale, D.M. Swaminathan, A.D. Champika Premadasa, Anoma Gamage, Dr. Jayalath Jayawardana and Gamini Jayawickrama Perera have signed this motion.

Moving the vote of no confidence, UNP MP Ajith P. Perera said: “She was under-aged and was sent to Saudi Arabia by using fraudulent documents. She arrived in Saudi Arabia on 4 May 2005 but faced this unfortunate situation on 22 May 2005. She was entrusted with a serious task of looking after an infant. But if she has murdered the infant it should have been proved by a post-mortem. There was no fundamental evidence against Rizana Nafeek. Post-mortems are held even in Saudi Arabia and where is this report? She didn’t know Arabic and only knew Tamil. If she had the opportunity to have access to a translator the court would have found that she is under-aged.”

“If a Sri Lankan was arrested, our embassy or the Foreign Employment Bureau should have helped her, which didn’t take place. Unfortunately she was in prison for seven years but the Minister did little to save her. This was proven with what the Minister said on 9 January 2013 in this House that she would be saved but by that she was beheaded. This shows how irresponsible the Minister is and the little concern Government has for our migrant employees. In 2011 we have received 9,637 complaints about our migrant workers out of which 4,635 are about Saudi Arabia. The Asian Human Rights Commission sought help from Sri Lanka but the response was delayed. However, the necessary monies were given later. There are prior examples that an Indonesian housemaid who killed an infant was released after court proceedings even after she confessed to killing the infant by poisoning. However, the first delegation was sent after two years to Saudi Arabia to seek information on Rizana Nafeek. Since then several delegations were sent there for the same. What were the results obtained from all these delegations? You should be able to table them in this House. Why we are bringing in this motion is that the two million migrant work force of ours should not face such fate in future,” said MP Perera.

The motion was then seconded by MP Ranjan Ramanayake.

In response, Minister of External Affairs Prof. G.L. Peiris said: “There are certain facts incorrect in what MP Ajith P. Perera said. There is a two-hour time difference between Sri Lanka and Saudi Arabia. By the time Minister Dilan Perera was addressing this House, Miss. Rizana Nafeek was alive. We need to understand that the law in Saudi Arabia is different from Sri Lanka. Our Government did all that was possible for her release and the President wrote several letters. I even met the Crown Prince and discussed this matter in detail. Sharia law is different and amnesty can only be given by the parents of the deceased. Saudi royalty also donated Riyal 9,000 to the deceased infant’s family. We are still not giving up this matter. Our Government also came up to pay more and eight delegations were sent there for the same matter.”