Saudi throws Kenyan maid out of top floor window
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Fatuma Athuman talks of slavery in Saudi Arabia. Photo/GIDEON MAUNDU

By KIBIWOTT KOROSS and ANTHONY KITIMO Posted Monday, January 11 2010 at 22:30


A Kenyan woman is accusing her Saudi employer of throwing her out of a third floor window, breaking her legs and hands. Another maid, just rescued by relatives, said she had to live on dog food because her employers neither fed her nor allowed her out of the house.

Ms Fatma Athman, of Kisauni, Mombasa, returned to the country last week with broken limbs and stories of near-slavery in Saudi Arabia where she was employed as a maid last May. She was lucky, she said, she landed in a swimming pool and not on the pavement. Now she is dependent on others to help her even with the simplest of chores.

“I and one of my friends were asked by Saudis who visited Kenya eight months ago to go with them. We organised everything through the Kenyan embassy — our agent — and we got documents to travel to the Middle East on May 2 last year,” she said. On arrival, she said, she was discriminated against and required to work 22 hours a day.

She also says she would be subjected to a torrent of abuse for the slightest mistake. “I used to sleep for only two hours and I ate left-overs. That was really slavery,” she said in tears. Susan Wanjiku, 29, has a story of similar mistreatment. The mother of two was promised a salary of Sh16,000 to work as a maid in Jeddah. “I thought I would make money and come back home when I had enough to sustain me and my children,” she said during an interview at Nation Centre at the weekend.

On arrival in Jeddah, she was taken to her new place of work and instructed to immediately start work. “I was shown 16 rooms to clean,” she said. Known as Shakala (a house help in Arabic), her work started at 3am and ended at 11pm. This was her daily routine for the three months she was in Jeddah.

“I was to be joined by my husband who had been promised a driver’s job, but I kept praying that he changes his mind,” she said. “Luckily he did. He did not have money and this helped, We could have both suffered.” Ms Alice Wakio, a school dropout from Gatanga in Kenya's Central Province, said that she lived on dog food because her employer neither fed her nor let her out of the house.

“There is no food there. They tell us to wait for them to eat first then they give us the leftovers,” said Alice. On days when there were no leftovers, she would turn to dog food. “Their children insult us. We were never let out of the house and for the three months I was there (in Jeddah), I did not see the sun. I only saw it when I landed in Nairobi. I fainted on alighting,” she said.

Both Susan and Alice were recruited by an agent they identified as Margaret, whom they said is based at the Saudi embassy in Nairobi. They were charged Sh15,000 placement fees. When the Nation called the agent, she said she had a few vacancies. “You can come now with the money,” she said. “We have few vacancies left.”

She hang up

She hang up when we asked whether she was aware that some of the maids she got jobs were stranded in Saudi Arabia. The maids said there are as many as 100 young Kenyan women living in the streets of Jeddah after being thrown out.

On Monday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that “a number of Kenyans” were stranded in Saudi Arabia. Susan and Alice said they were rescued by relatives back home who raised their air fare. Their dreams of a well-paying job, they said, was just a mirage. “It’s bad there. Don’t be cheated,” they said of the extravagant promises of good jobs in Middle East.

Fatma claimed the children of her employer also sexually exploited her. She said she worked for five months, but was paid for only one. She was given no explanation. On the day her employer pushed her out the window, she said she was hanging clothes on the line. “I heard my employer saying ‘you are better off dead, you are better dead’”.

She plunged into the pool three floors down and was rescued by the police. After a week in hospital, she was deported. “I left Saudi Arabia without luggage, not even my clothes. What I took is the few drugs I was given at the hospital.”

Her father, Mr Athman Ali, is demanding that the Foreign Affairs ministry and the Kenyan Embassy in Saudi Arabia seek justice for his daughter. The stories of mistreatment come just days after two families revealed that their daughters were being held in Saudi deportation centres after they differed with their employers. The two, Ms Esha Noor and Fatuma Shabira, have been at the centre for seven weeks after the Kenyan embassy failed to process their documents to travel back home.

Ministry officials said about 3,000 women from Kenya are currently in Saudi Arabia. They said both the embassy in Saudi Arabia and the ministry had received complaints from Kenyan maids. “I can confirm to you that we have received such claims. We are receiving claims of unpaid wages, mistreatment and so far we have helped bring back a few,” said an officers by telephone.


http://www.nation.co.ke/News/-/1056/840238/-/vp9oc4/-/index.htm

Honestly, there is need for awareness of modern day slavery. Not only are Nigerians and Africans in general being freight all over the globe for slavery, but even in Nigeria/Africa we subject our people to the same cruelty. It is a common place in every rich man house to find house girl. A minor who is suppose to be in school but turned into a slave and sex-slave by her master or master's children.

Why would sumbody want to go to Saudi Arabia, those places and the people there are just so creepy!! Idon't really trust men who wear dresses and the woman wear black clothes that cover their faces!

Dog food? Dog as a pet is not allowed in the Kingdom. Or is she using a figure of speech? Having said that, there have been several reports in similar tone. I just hope some sort of expose or investigative journalism is done on this issue.

Tsiya:

Honestly, there is need for awareness of modern day slavery. Not only are Nigerians and Africans in general being freight all over the globe for slavery, but even in Nigeria/Africa we subject our people to the same cruelty. It is a common place in every rich man house to find house girl. A minor who is suppose to be in school but turned into a slave and sex-slave by her master or master's children.

Speaking of slavery, If Arabs in the time of Muhammed have black as slaves, It makes sense that the modern day Arab still have these traits - Sudan anyone?

ElRazur:

Speaking of slavery, If Arabs in the time of Muhammed have black as slaves, It makes sense that the modern day Arab still have these traits - Sudan anyone?

yes sudan. what do you expect from an arab? they treat black people as animals. they are supposed to be religious

It is not always true. If you have your papers then you won't pushed about. However, they are known to employ double standards. They offer holders of British passport and American passport more money than say someone holding a Nigerian or Ghanian passport.

Also it is a general misconception to assume they are religious simply because they are Arabs. They are human too and can be just like any other human - i.e act in crazy ways.

Arabs are aniamls .

Arab racism toward blacks is rampant and it is time to solve this problem. Yet Africans continue to practice the religion of their Arab opressors and allow the Arab extermination of Blacks in Sudan and Mauritania, Arab racism and apartheid racism in Zanzibar and parts of East Africa, and Arab mischief in some of the wars in West Africa. The time has long past for Black Africans to realise that the Arabs will never respect Black Africans and will continue to use their henchmen in Sudan and elsewhere to continue the extermination of Black Africans so they can depopulate the continent of Blacks and occupy it, as they have done in Northern Africa. The Arabs  imposed enslavement and their religion and culture on blacks. Africans should avoid to go in Arabs countries.

^^you've said it all,I think the reason we as African continue to be lagging behind is because of this religions,all the people who have introduced us to their religion will forever be our masters.I mean we pray their Gods,we practise their culture,what is right for them is right for us.not the other way round.We speak like them,dress like them,eat their food,define intelligence according to their standard.
And because they know that they've bought our soul,they now have powers to control us using this religions.We are slaves and we don't even know it.We lost our souls,our spirits.My Grandgrand father use to tell me that they used to pray to God through their ancester for a rain and it rained,there where no deseases that could not be cured.People where pure then,they where one with God,our God.And they knew how to communicate with him.

Today people say our ways where evil,even our so called people.Now the only God is of Abraham,can somebody tell me who the fucck is Abraham to me as a black person,and where was Abraham when my our Ancester where one with God.

Until we find ourself,a black races will continue to be exterminated in the face of this planet.Already we are a minority race in this planet.

RSA:




Arabs are aniamls .

Blacks are animals as well.

muhsin:

Blacks are animals as well.

What do you expect when we have no soul? our masters stole our soul.

I blame George Bush for ignoring the real threat and fooling himself with Iraq.

A Nigerian attempts to blow up a plane and we're immediately put on a "terror list".

Saudi-Arabia, barbarism central, had 15 of her nationals successfully take down multiple skyscrapers, four planes and thousands of lives; what happens? Iraq is invaded.

RichyBlacK:

I blame George Bush for ignoring the real threat and fooling himself with Iraq.

A Nigerian attempts to blow up a plane and we're immediately put on a "terror list".

Saudi-Arabia, barbarism central, had 15 of her nationals successfully take down multiple skyscrapers, four planes and thousands of lives; what happens? Iraq is invaded.

Do you want him to lunch an attack on SA? Don't be that silly, Richy.

muhsin:

Do you want him to lunch an attack on SA? Don't be that silly, Richy.

Why not? Saudi-Arabia is the nerve center of Wahhabism.

And don't even use such words with me next time. I'll let that slide for old times sake.

Hmm. . . I mean no insult, Richy. I don't believe in anything like abuse especially on discussion fora like this one. And if you felt it, as it seems, forgive me. Thanks

That aside, I know, as everybody does know, that SA is a centre of Wahhabism, but what that sect got to so with terrorism? More-over, don't be that unfair to the SA government for they fight religious extremism in their country to the best of their ability. Maybe you don't know but a plethora of Muslims severely criticizes them for that. YET you come here saying they should be attacked!

And for your info: no American or any other country president will dare attacking SA, and not because of their military might, if they have any, but for the country's being a sacred place for Muslims. If anybody dares it means an end of the world.

muhsin:

Hmm. . . I mean no insult, Richy. I don't believe in anything like abuse especially on discussion fora like this one. And if you felt it, as it seems, forgive me. Thanks

That aside, I know, as everybody does know, that SA is a centre of Wahhabism, but what that sect got to so with terrorism? More-over, don't be that unfair to the SA government for they fight religious extremism in their country to the best of their ability. Maybe you don't know but a plethora of Muslims severely criticizes them for that. YET you come here saying they should be attacked!

And for your info: no American or any other country president will dare attacking SA, and not because of their military might, if they have any, but for the country's being a sacred place for Muslims. If anybody dares it means an end of the world.

Occupying SA does not mean desecrating holy sites but removing the tyrannical monarchy in Riyadh and dealing with the source of extremist teachings.

Also, do not forget so quickly that Saddam Hussein was ready to roll his tanks straight through Kuwait and then to downtown Riyadh, if not for US intervention. If the US (or Russia) had not intervened on SA's behalf, no country in the middle-east could have stopped Saddam's tanks. Iran would have done nothing because they're not really in good terms with the House of Saud.

And in case you're not aware, parts of present-day SA (including Mecca and Medina) were at one time under Ottoman (present-day Turkey) control, so don't make it seem as if SA has not been occupied before.

In summary, I'm not advocating for the occupation of SA, however, I think George Bush had more reasons to invade Saudi-Arabia (15 of the 19 9-11 hijackers were Saudis, none was Iraqi; Wahhabism is the main source of extremist teachings in Islam and its nerve center is SA; the tyranny and double standards of the House of Saud has fueled extremism within SA; these extremist ideas have been exported to other countries creating sinister organizations like al-Qaeda and al-Shabab; Osama bin Laden is a Saudi; etc.)

RichyBlacK:

Occupying SA does not mean desecrating holy sites but removing the tyrannical monarchy in Riyadh and dealing with the source of extremist teachings.

It means more than that, at least to me. Look at the present day Iraq and Afghanistan; where is left unturned? Of course nowhere is saved. Thus it is not possible that Riyadh is the only site to be affected/attacked. Other sanctified places will certainly be demolished--an action which Muslims worldwide will not stand seeing without responding.

Also, do not forget so quickly that Saddam Hussein was ready to roll his tanks straight through Kuwait and then to downtown Riyadh, if not for US intervention. If the US (or Russia) had not intervened on SA's behalf, no country in the middle-east could have stopped Saddam's tanks. Iran would have done nothing because they're not really in good terms with the House of Saud.

That was a pure bluff; am sure he would not dare. Had he lest succeded he would not near totching those sacred sites. . .at least because of his being a Muslim, even a Sunni. He would do as much as he could not to let a thing happen to those cites.

But could that be the case if its America? 

And in case you're not aware, parts of present-day SA (including Mecca and Medina) were at one time under Ottoman (present-day Turkey) control, so don't make it seem as if SA has not been occupied before.

Was Ottoman Emphire not Islamic? Was America Islamic?

In summary, I'm not advocating for the occupation of SA, however, I think George Bush had more reasons to invade Saudi-Arabia (15 of the 19 9-11 hijackers were Saudis, none was Iraqi; Wahhabism is the main source of extremist teachings in Islam and its nerve center is SA; the tyranny and double standards of the House of Saud has fueled extremism within SA; these extremist ideas have been exported to other countries creating sinister organizations like al-Qaeda and al-Shabab; Osama bin Laden is a Saudi; etc.)

Thats what has been said on the Western media, and other non-Islamic (or Shiites) sources. But that is far from fact but pure fiction.

I am, for example, a Sunni (whom you referred to as Wahhabi). I can, in some ways, say I follow Wahhabism order. YET I denounce any act of "terrorism" carried out by kinds of al-Qaeda and al-Shabab, others. Go through my postings on NL and see. Many of their actions and inactions are entirely not Islamic.

More-over, following poor Farouk's saga I sent an e-mail to my brother studying in SA about tha boy. He categorically explained to me that Shura of SA's scholars condemned the boy's intended action. We can again understand that knowing well that Osama, his being a SA citizen, is also on SA wanted list. Again, have you forgotten many instances when SA forces had combats with alleged al-Qaida militias? Haba Richy?