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Malawian seeks compensation from an Asian |
BY Anthony Kasunda
07:07:58 - 09 March 2006
Civil Liberties Committee (Cilic) is handling a case in which a Malawian woman
is claiming compensation from an Asian who sent her to the UK to work as a maid
at her parents’ house.
Shamim Karim allegedly enticed Ellen (opted to be identified by first name only)
to travel to Britain to work as a housemaid for £20 a fortnight.
The aggrieved woman said she knew Karim through a friend while working for
Admarc and accepted the offer to travel to the UK.
“When I was leaving on 12 August 2004, I was told that I would be paid £20 per
two weeks but honesty, I didn’t know anything about British money,” she said.
But after arriving in the UK, Ellen said in an exclusive interview, discovered
that the money was on the lower side for working from 7 am to 11 pm and asked
her master to increase the wages.
She said her efforts to plead for a pay rise proved futile until a month later
when London Immigration authorities forced her to come back.
Ellen said she complained to Cilic after seeing that Karim was not willing to
compensate her for loss of employment, time and ill treatment while in the UK.
The mother of three children reported to police before taking the matter to
Cilic where she complained of unfair treatment resulting to loss of employment.
In a letter from Cilic Lawyers Chapter member addressed to Karim which The Daily
Times sourced, Karim was being asked to compensate Ellen with K250,000.
“Because of your conduct, our client has been subjected to a lot of trouble,
economical inconvenience and loss of employment,” said the letter.
According to the letter, Ellen worked for Admarc for about 10 years before she
was enticed to travel to Britain.
“Should we not hear from you within the stipulated period [14 days], we shall
have no option but to seek court’s redress,” it reads.
Salim Karim, a husband who is handling the issue yesterday described Ellen’s
claim as unfair because the UK employers paid her enough.
Karim, who admitted that Ellen worked in his wife’s parents’ home in the UK,
said he did not receive a letter from Cilic lawyer and his family had nothing to
do with the whole arrangement.
“She came here looking for a job and all I know is that my wife had a discussion
with her. I don’t even know who bought her an air ticket,” he said.
He said his wife refunded all the expenses she incurred while in transit. He
claimed that Cilic promised to discuss with Ellen on the way forward.
However, Cilic Executive Director Emmie Chanika said Karim should not block his
wife from meeting Ellen to resolve the matter because the employment agreement
was between the two.
“Although we are trying to resolve the matter, we advise that the wife should
meet the aggrieved person even in our presence to come up with a common
solution,” she said.
Chinika said her organisation would always strive to stand by aggrieved people
regardless of their status.
After being told that Cilic would like his wife to handle the matter, Karim
said, “I have no problem because I want this issue to be resolved now and
forever”.
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