Muscat: An increasing number of housemaids are absconding from their original employers in Oman, according to a senior labour official.

"We have seen a rise in absconding or runaway housemaids in the first nine months of this year," Salim Bin Syed Al Badi, Director-General of Labour Affairs in the Manpower Ministry, told Gulf News on Sunday.

He said that this year up to the end of October the department received 1,000 complaints about housemaids running away from their original employers.

"There were 700 complaints during the same period in 2009," he said, pointing out the increase in such cases.

Interestingly, more housemaids have run away at a time when the authorities have provided an opportunity for expatriate workers to regulate their employment status or leave the country without paying fines.

Al Badi agreed that sometimes housemaids are exploited, which includes not paying them salaries on time.

"This eventually results in their running away and working illegally for others," he said.

Awareness drive

"Besides, there are sponsors who do not respect the workers and force them to work for long hours."

The labour officer has asked sponsoring families to develop human relationships with the housemaids and understand their problems.

"Families should also be in contact with the Ministry of Manpower and especially with the Directorate-General of Labour Affairs in case any problems occur with housemaids," he said.

Al Badi said that the ministry was doing its best to help both employers and expatriate employees, including printing awareness brochures in 12 languages to educate the expatriate labour force about their rights and penalties if they abscond.

Complications

Meanwhile, housemaid-related crimes have decreased slightly.

"The number of crimes committed by housemaids in Oman since the beginning of this year until the end of October has touched 234," said Lieutenant Colonel Mohammad Bin Khalfan Al Dughaishi, Head of Anti-Crime Administration at the Directorate of Inquiries and Criminal Investigations, in a statement issued by the Royal Oman Police.

During the same period last year, around 298 crimes were committed, including thefts, violations of the labour law and violations of the residence of foreigners law, he added.

He also pointed out that allowing a housemaid to work outside the house leads to other complications such as "immoral activity".