Nepal, migrants' money sustains the economy . At the cost of slavery and violence
Kathmandu (
AsiaNews) - The Nepalese migrant workers are a great resource for Nepal. Through
their remittances they help the nation cope with the economic crisis. Approximately
24% of state revenues is the result of remittances which in 2012 alone amounted
to approximately € 3.2 billion . The
money sent home contributes to the development of families and the country, but
is the result of working conditions on the verge of slavery and many young
migrants often lose their lives in their host countries.
According
to Kathmandu government sources there are about 3 million workers living abroad,
but the figure reaches 5 million if irregular immigrants are included. A
report by the Foreign Employment
Promotion Board ( Fepb ) and the International Tribhuwan airport authority published for World Day of Migrants, December 18 , shows the tragic living
conditions of the Nepalese abroad. Every
day at least 3 bodies of migrants who died in mysterious circumstances arrive
home, while there are hundreds of workers injured on the job who choose to
return to Nepal.
In
20 years, bout 7,400 Nepalis have died during their stay abroad for work. Since
2000 there has been an increase in deaths at work in Muslim countries: 3500 in
Sauudi Arabia and 2,000 in Malaysia. In
five years, the Gulf countries and Asian countries in the developing world have
become one of the main destinations for Nepalese migrants, willing to work in
conditions of semi - slavery. For
the Fepb about 2,630 people emigrated in the Gulf and South- East Asia have
died since 2004: 736 in Saudi Arabia, 915 in Malaysia, 614 in Qatar , 215 in
the UAE, 72 in Kuwait, 47 in Bahrain and 31 in Korea
. There
are thousands of cases of torture and abuse recorded in Muslim countries because
of the migrants faith. Brad
Adams of Human Rights Watch emphasizes
that "the Gulf countries should recognize the crucial role of foreign
workers in their economies and take appropriate measures to protect their
rights and their safety." The
head of Human Rights Watch in Asia also
called on the countries of South Asia to "kick start labor reforms to put
an end to abuses against migrants ."
For
the International Domestic Workers
Network ( Idwn ) , an organization that brings together workers engaged as
domestic servants, HRW and the International Trade Union Conferederation
, at least 40% of migrants employed as domestic workers and carers experience
violence , including beatings, detention in slave-like conditions and sexual abuse. Most
are women from India, Nepal , Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Cambodia. In
some countries it is the state that promotes restrictive laws against human
rights. An
example is the system of " Kafala " in force in Qatar and other Arab
countries , which requires the new employee to hand over his or her passport to
the employer , who often uses this power to blackmail the employee . Sali
Shelly Human Rights Watch representative
in Qatar highlights that "it is absurd to think that in the richest countries
of the world there are people who are hungry. Qatari authorities should take
immediate action". So
far, only 25 countries have acceded to international conventions for the
protection of migrant workers. South
America has made great strides in the defense of foreign workers, while in
Asia, only the Philippines has signed such agreements, which regard above all
to domestic workers and carers.
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