Human Rights Abuses in the Gulf States – A summary of some recent cases

‘Principal Source’
‘A part of the second (important) reminder notice to the Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs, New Delhi’.

‘Photograph: Union Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi’
‘Ravi calls for prosecution of unscrupulous agents’

The Secretary to Government,
Ministry of External Affairs,
NEW DELHI.

Ref. Your Letter No.4393/JS(GD)/2012 dated May 2, 2013 [Enclosure]

A summary of some recent cases

Migrant workers toiling abroad are facing multiples of difficulties at their work place. They are also inhumanly harassed and even tortured mercilessly by their sponsors. Such stories are mostly hidden but some of them do come out through media. What we read in the newspapers about the miserable plight of migrant NRIs in the GCC countries in particular are only the ‘tip of the iceberg’.

1. The Hindu of Saturday, April 6, 2013 has reported as under: ‘Ravi Calls for prosecution of unscrupulous agents’; ‘State police should launch criminal cases’.

The Minister for Overseas Indians Affairs condemned the unscrupulous agents for sending innocents abroad without proper documents. “For the past four years, my Ministry has been carrying advertisement campaigns in various languages. I am sad such campaigns have not delivered results.” Mr. Ravi said.

He himself has thus expressed his inability to drive things the right way. It is a known fact that the Overseas Indians Affairs Ministry is yet to ensure safety, security and welfare of Indian migrant workers, suffering on various counts, in the Gulf countries. More details are available in the press report, attached hereto as Annexure 1.

2. The sad plight of 7 Keralaites from Malappuram District, now under the shackle of a cruel sponsor in Saudi Arabia – a bakery owner.

Seven migrant workers from Malappuram were recruited from Malappuram District, Kerala, by a person personally known to them. They were offered decent salary for working eight hours a day. Each one of them paid Rs.75,000.00 to 85.000.00 for Visa. On reaching Saudi Arabia, they found they were squarely cheated. They had to work long hours, no salary and were very cruelly treated by the sponsor. They were denied even the freedom TO PRAY. In their case also, no help of any kind was give by the Government of India. The report on the matter that appeared in Malay alaManorama dated 11th May, 2013 is appended hereto as Annexure II.

3. Koyilippuram Abdul Nissar (28), Chelembra, Parayil died at the Deportation Camp in Saudi Arabia on April 27, 2013.

Abdul Nissar arrived Abaha Khameez Mudhsith on July 11, 2011 as a domestic driver. When his son became one year old, Abdul Nissar requested his sponsor for permission to visit home. The permission was denied by his sponsor. Following this incident, he ran away from his sponsor and surrendered at the ‘Deportation Centre’ in Saudi Arabia, where he died on April 27, 2013. A copy of the case report of Abdul Nissar in Malayala Manorama dated 2013 April 7 Sunday is attached hereto as Annexure III.

4. The Hindu dated May 13, 2013 has reported that Saudi may cancel ‘Huroob’ violation cases.

The law was used as a threat by several Arab sponsors to keep their workers in dismal conditions, paying low wages – the report continues. A copy of the said report is attached hereto, as Annexure IV.

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‘Human Rights Abuses in the Gulf States – A summary of some recent cases’.