‘Qatar illegally expelled Nepali migrant workers during COVID-19 panic’

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Kathmandu, April 15

Amnesty International mentioned the Qatari authorities had illegally expelled dozens of Nepali migrant employees by trickery on the pretext of their take a look at for COVID-19.

Amnesty International Nepal Section alleged this on the premise of interview with 20 Nepali males who arrived right here on March 12 and 13 after ‘being held for a number of days at detention centres there even with out giving them an opportunity to gather their belongings and forcefully sending them dwelling with out offering their due salaries.’ Most of the lads have been booked on the pretext that they have been going to be examined for COVID-19 and can be returned to their lodging afterwards, in response to a press launch issued by the AI in the present day. It additional mentioned, “Instead, they have been taken to detention centres and held in appalling circumstances for a number of days earlier than being despatched to Nepal.” No one had acquired any reason why they have been handled this fashion.

“Many weren’t even given probability to gather their belongings earlier than they have been placed on planes to Nepal,” mentioned Steve Cockburn, Amnesty International’s deputy director of world points, within the press launch.

Those individuals have been apprehended by police in several elements of Doha, together with the Industrial Area, Barwa City and Labour City, whereas they have been away from their lodging, finishing up errands or searching for groceries.

The AI, quoting one Nepali mentioned, “The jail was full of individuals. We got one piece of bread every day, which was not sufficient.

All the individuals have been fed in a gaggle, with meals mendacity on plastic on the ground. Some weren’t in a position to snatch the meals due to the group.”

The A,I additional quoting different males with out their names and everlasting addresses, mentioned they have been handcuffed and handled like criminals. “I used to be taken to my camp to gather belongings, however how may I gather and pack baggage since my fingers have been chained?” the person mentioned.

Similarly, out of 20 individuals who have been interviewed after they reached the nation, solely two mentioned they have been contacted by the businesses they labored for providing to pay their salaries. The press launch acknowledged that one man was given money by his firm while in detention, however a police officer took it for ‘safekeeping’ and didn’t return it. The different man added that his firm requested him to open a checking account to ship his wages.

The Qatari authorities, in response to AI, mentioned that it had uncovered people engaged in unlawful and illicit actions, whereas inspecting the Industrial Area as a part of the COVID-19 response.

However, 19 of these interviewed by AI mentioned they weren’t conscious of any cost or accusation towards them.

Nirajan Thapaliya, director of AI Nepal, speaking to THT mentioned, “This is a matter of nice concern as no international locations needs to be biased in the direction of international nationals residing or working of their nation at a time of disaster administration.”

A model of this text seems in e-paper on April 16, 2020 of The Himalayan Times.

The put up ‘Qatar illegally expelled Nepali migrant employees throughout COVID-19 panic’ appeared first on The Himalayan Times.

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