Kathmandu denies repatriation to 300,000 Nepalese abused in Malaysia

About one million Nepalese migrants work in Malaysia. A third of them have asked to return home because of problems related to the currency crisis, insecurity and because they suffer torture. Nepal, however, still "suffers from the earthquake and the Indian embargo" and Kathmandu does not know how to re-employ migrants. Kuala Lumpur will not issue regular contracts, while calling for more women workers "who end up in the sex trade."

 

Kathmandu (AsiaNews) - About 300 thousand Nepalese immigrants who work in Malaysia have asked the authorities in Kathmandu to be repatriated due to continuous torture, personal insecurity and economic crisis. But the motherland has denied the return of their citizens, fearing repercussions on the national economy.

The government says it is unable to re-employ the workers and would lose the huge sums come from their remittances.

Ministry of Finance official, Baburam Marasini, said: "The simultaneous return of such a large number of people would have a serious impact and would plunge Nepal into an alarming situation".

According to data Apex Development Bank, the maximum financial institution of the country, about 4.1 million Nepalese work abroad and earn 1.8 billion rupees a day [about 15 million euro - ed.] A third of this amount comes from Malaysia, with nearly one million Nepalese.

Kedar Bogati, director general of the Division for foreign labor, says: "Migrant workers are facing unusual problems in Malaysia recently. There is great insecurity, the collapse of the currency and episodes of torture in the workplace”.

The administrator also reports that the country of Southeast Asia represses their cultural traditions and religious practices. Social activist, Rajan Karki, confirms: "Malaysia pays the migrants half the agreed fees. There is also a deep cultural problem, since most Nepalese are Hindu but forced to practice Islam and to follow the dictates of the Islamic faith. "

Bogati then adds that Nepal "faces different problems and social instability due to the earthquake of last April and the Indian embargo on goods exports ', in force since the Constitution was adopted. These are the main reasons "why Kathmandu has denied the return, which would create even more confusion."

Finally, the director points out a certain inconsistency in the attitude of the Malaysian government. On one side it is reluctant to sign regular contracts with migrants, on the other it recently called for more women workers. This is because, report news sources, thousands of Nepalese women and girls are employed as domestic servants, but then are forced into prostitution. If they resist, they are raped and forced to have unwanted pregnancies.