January 30, 2010
According to a new report released by MigrantRights.org, Qatar, the rapidly developing Gulf state, “is becoming a death chamber for Nepali workers, with the number of Nepalis dying in Qatar increasing in the last three years.”
Expatriate workers are a crucial part of the fabric of Gulf society and economy, where they make up to 80% of the population in some states. While many work in white-collar jobs or are successful businessmen and highly skilled professionals, the majority of foreigners working in the Gulf are part of the manual labor workforce. They are also employed as domestic servants and drivers. By and large, individual employers are not held accountable for their treatment of Nepalis.
Around 217 Nepalis working in the country lost their lives in 2009, Nepal’s ambassador to Qatar, Dr Surya Nath Mishra, announced recently. “This is a matter of serious concern,” he said, adding that a new mechanism needs to be developed to reduce the risks of workers in Qatar. A total of 175 Nepalis died in Qatar in 2008.
As per data at the Nepali embassy in Doha, 40 Nepalis died of traffic-related accidents, 23 died at the work site, 14 died of drowning, including 12 in a July 2009 boat tragedy. Nine Nepali workers committed suicide.
Of the 162 deaths in 2007, 103 were due to cardiac arrest. Of the 143 workers who died in 2006, myocardial infarction claimed the lives of 72.
In spite of the high risks, Nepalis – particularly non-skilled workers -- scramble to get jobs in Qatar. The remittances they send home are in important source of revenue for their impoverished families in Nepal.
Salaries have increased along with the risks. The Nepali embassy in Doha increased the minimum salary to be paid for Nepali workers in Qatar by at least 200 Riyals (Rs 4000) per month effective January 1, 2010.
The embassy has increased the minimum salary of unskilled workers such as laborers, cleaners, helpers, watchmen, and office boys to 800 Riyals (Rs 16000) per month from the existing 600 Riyals.
Likewise, the embassy has stipulated the minimum salary of semi-skilled workers from 800 (Rs 16000) Riyals to 2500 Riyals and that of skilled workers up to 3500 Riyals, depending on the profession.
The salary of professionals such as engineers, doctors, surgeons, managers and chartered accountants has been stipulated at 3500 Riyals (Rs 70000) to 10000 Riyals (Rs 200000) a month depending on profession and experience.
The embassy has also made it mandatory for employers either to provide food facility or a food allowance of at least 200 Riyals (Rs 4000) per month.
At present, most companies provide the facility of accommodation, transportation and medical treatment, but only a few companies, particularly hotels and restaurants, provide food.
The remittance to Nepal from workers in Qatar will increase by about Rs 1.8 billion per month with the new provisions. According to the Nepali embassy in Doha, there are almost half million Nepalis working in Qatar.
Meanwhile, the embassy has also made it mandatory for employers to bear the cost of roundtrip tickets for Nepali workers. With this rule, the cost for workers going to Qatar will be reduce by about Rs 30000 to 35000.
What have not been adequately addressed are the working conditions that Qatar provides for its completely vulnerable guest-workers, as seen by the new statistics for death and injury. This should not be happening in a place where the economy is so glaringly vibrant.
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