Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh raises concerns about serious Human Rights violations of migrant workers in Qatar

New Delhi, June 15: Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) raised serious concerns over the human rights violations of the Indian migrant workers in Qatar. In a letter, it stated that it was deeply concerned with gross human rights violation of migrant workers, especially that of Indians, which is ongoing in Qatar.

 

This came after Qatar won the bid to host the upcoming edition of FIFA World Cup. "The Kafala system has caused severe trauma for workers from India as well as other South Asian countries in Qatar. Seizure of passports, overtime work, denial of permission to even leave the place of stay for a while, small accommodations, sexual abuse, forced work outside the field of expertise, have been sources of great mental agony for workers", BMS said in the statement.

 

Several human rights watchdogs have reported slave-like conditions of workers in Qatar recently, since it won the bid to host the upcoming edition of FIFA World cup, it said. It also added that it is imperative to note that 1,611 Indian migrants have died in the country since 2014.

 

 

BMS has also lodged a protest with the Ambassador of the State of Qatar to India, the Indian Labour Ministry, and the External Affairs Ministry to draw attention to severe issues related to the migrant workers in Qatar. It demanded that all Indian workers be accorded with good and healthy working conditions and that their human rights are respected.

 

 

Further, it also said that in case of worker's death, the mortal remains should be transported back to India immediately and its cost is borne by the Qatar government or the manpower supply agency with suitable compensations to effected family.

 

The BMS also warned that if the Qatar government doesn't take positive action on these fronts, it will be forced to raise the issue at national and international forums at earliest.

 

It is pertinent to mention that the Kafala system is a sponsorship system that binds migrant workers to one employer (a sponsor) in many countries of West Asia.