COLOMBO : In view of the war situation in the Middle East, the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment, in collaboration with the Labour Welfare Sections in the Sri Lankan embassies, has already prepared a programme for the safety and well-being of Sri Lankans working in the region as instructed by the Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism Ministry, SLBFE Chairman Koshala Wickramasinghe said.
Wickramasinghe stated this while briefing the media on the steps taken by the Bureau for Sri Lankan workers in the midst of the crisis in the Middle East.
He said, “It has been almost two weeks since the war in the Middle East began. No Sri Lankan has been reported to have suffered serious injuries or loss of lives so far.
Sri Lankans go abroad for work after making great sacrifices and spending a lot of money. Therefore, if we bring them back to Sri Lanka, it is a decision that needs to be considered carefully.
If there is an insecurity situation, it is better to come to Sri Lanka. We believe that this war situation will not increase to the point where Sri Lankans have to be brought back. We are monitoring the situation closely and will take further action when necessary.
We would like to inform the relatives of the migrant workers that we hope that this situation will calm down in a short-time. Bringing them back to Sri Lanka is a huge undertaking. If such a situation arises internationally, we, as the SLBFE and the Ministry with the Government will take necessary measures immediately.
Under this war situation, any worker who is displaced from his or her workplace can call hotline 1989. Call our WhatsApp number 071 9802822. We will discuss with the relevant parties and, if there is any problem, we will intervene as the Foreign Employment Bureau to restore the job or resolve the issue.
The labour welfare officers in embassies are working 24 hours a day to coordinate relevant information. We consider it our responsibility to protect the lives of workers. We bow our heads to the workers who bring foreign exchange to the country. We have already taken all possible measures for the safety of the workers”.
