Request to look into migrant workers’ challenges

The Migrant Voice Network has emphasised the urgent need for immediate intervention to address migrant issues, asserting that the focus should extend beyond merely benefiting from their contributions to the country’s economy.

Ashila Dandeniya, Executive Director of Stand Up Movement Lanka, a member organisation of the Migrant Voice Network, stated that Sri Lankan migrant workers, who play a crucial role in the country’s economic operations through remittances, should receive the highest level of Government attention. She highlighted that from January to September, migrant workers have remitted US$ 4,843 million to Sri Lanka, representing an 11.57 percent increase compared to the previous year. However, she noted that successive Governments have failed to adequately address the concerns of the migrant worker community that bring significant foreign exchange to the country.

Despite sending workers abroad to secure foreign exchange, Dandeniya pointed out that there has been a lack of attention to their safety, especially in crisis zones. She underscored the need for immediate Government focus on situations such as the conflicts in Lebanon and Israel and the detention camps in Myanmar. While other countries have prioritised bringing their citizens home from such crisis areas, Sri Lanka, she noted, has instead chosen to continue deploying workers, even amid these emergencies.

She also recalled that the current President, during his campaign, organised and secured the support of migrant workers, promising to include policies benefiting them. Now, she urged, it is time to act on these promises. She suggested that providing representation for migrant worker associations on decision-making boards concerning their issues would enable these workers to have a voice in resolving their challenges.

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