Amnesty: Unpaid migrant workers go hungry
According to Amnesty Internatiaonl, workers contracted to do fit outs on Al Bidda Tower in Doha’s West Bay financial district have not been paid in a year and cannot afford to feed themselves.
This sort of criticism is not new to Qatar, who has been under intense scrutiny regarding its human rights against migrant workers and controversial sponsoship system. These allegations come after a recent report released by Amnesty Internatioanl back in November. The report investigates the living conditions of these workers in Qatar and refers to their abuse as a "crisis".
Amnesty urged Qatari authorities to address the plight of 80 migrant workers, mostly from Nepal, who are working for the Lee Trading and Contracting (LTC) company, saying they are “working in conditions that may amount to forced labor.”
“They have not been paid for nearly a year and can’t even buy food to sustain themselves on a day-to-day basis. They also can’t afford to send money back home to their families or to pay off debts,” said Salil Shetty, secretary general of Amnesty International.
The group includes around 60 Nepalese workers as well as others from Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Nigeria, China and Bangladesh.
According to Amnesty, locally based Lee Trading and Contracting (LTC) has not paid the men their monthly wages in nearly a year, and are collectively owed QR1.5 million ($411,000).
The rights group said the workers had filed cases against LTC in Doha’s Labor Court but were asked to pay fees of 600 riyals ($165) each for their cases to proceed.
The workers told Amnesty the court rejected their petitions for the fees to be waived, and Amnesty said under Qatari law they should have been exempted from the start.
Amnesty said the workers are facing severe food shortages after the company stopped giving them a 250-riyal ($69) monthly food allowance in October, and that last month several of the men complained of hunger.
Because of Qatar’s restrictive sponsorship system, the workers are unable to seek employment at another company.
Thoughts?
Source: Al Arabiya | Doha News
Photo Credit: QL Flickr Group
what to do...we are all slaves and slaves cannot argue with the masters. Pray, pray, and pray. Prayers can move mountain of problems...
@farashtak . Do you Egyptian Administration officer ?
You people don't know that even if you chek thier balance sheets they are very HARAMIES they fill up the salaries and the HARAMI admin dept. signs the recieving part and that balance sheets accurately are submitted to Labor dept. The most tensable act is of Labor dept. that they recieve a gift and recieve these balance sheets.
The total system is currpt n every one knows these facts
I know a certain company that are recklessly and continuously violating the Qatar Labor Laws and the worst is when this so called “Surprise Inspection” (by the representative of Ministry of Labor) was about to happen to this “Reputable” Company in Salwa Road… the Company was already aware and expecting a visit from this government agency… and much to the dismay of its employees they haven’t been asked or interviewed about anything… not a single word, contrary to what they believed. Added to that, this “representative” goes directly to the office of the General Manager we’re they have a chit chat and so after that, the “representative” has left and nothing happened… The company has not remitted the salaries of all its employees for nearly 4 months. They want to file a case against this abusive company but where can they find the courage to do this when they think that their company knows someone inside this gov. agency. The employees are slowly by slowly frustrated and feeling depressed because almost all of them are with families who are very much dependent on their incomes, the reason why they had to look for jobs outside their home countries, jobs that can offer them stable salaries. And if there is someone from the Ministry of Labor who are reading this… I am calling your attention…. so please help them.. please show some concern… kindly conduct a thorough investigation to this company – “ PROTEC” located at Salwa Road, Building No. 5, near Wholesale Runabout, Al Waab City, Commercial District
Wow,,And to think that this all is happening in a "MUSLIM COUNTRY".Ironic isn't it..We should be helping these poor people.Yet we are more interested in taking their blood and sweat to build our monuments...Bravo..
this is so sad and this is happening in most of the companies in Qatar.
Todays Qatar all big companyies step on small firms .whats the use of running company like this
At least the small change we can see that they are openly mentioning the name of company , Previously it was "one reputed company " and we have to guess , Still Gulf times follows this policy .
Well the fact is every one knows this is being carried out for so many years in almost all companies but no one is bothered , I don't know why all the ministries employees get paid so heavily for not doing their jobs proper and on time.The so called sponsorship amendments which we here often ( for a decade almost) no action just talk. The FIFE should be cancelled unless all the companies start to pay salaries to their employees on time and better living conditions. The ministry of labour should make surprise checks on each company in Qatar so that the problems should be solved immediately.well in short Qatari people are nice, these tricks have been shown to them by our men only who are in the management or have influence on the management, these peaople for thir ouwn gains show the management the tricks how to cheat a poor employee.(Indian, Nepalis, sri lankans etc .anyways God help these poor people that's the last hope.Humanity have died people have become robots ( no feelings for others).Just minting money sucking on humen blood.
Imagine running 4 months having not paid! This is outrageous! We are hoping one of this days representatives from Ministry of Labor will come back to our office and directly interview the workers not our superiors so that the truth will prevail.
Because of the KAFALA system! this abuse and slavery happens!
Were reaching the aid of Ministry of Labor, one of our colleague had already complain to your office, but what happen i when one of your representative come to the office the superiors of our company has blackmailed us and inform your representative that we are paid, that in reality were not paid for almost 4 months up to now, were really in bad shape specially this coming Christmas season! We are hoping that if ever the if the Ministry of Labor will come back to our office they directly interview the workers in our office will not make an advance call so that our superiors will be surprise will be caught off guard. Were really helpless, if we will resign the administrations of our company give us difficult time to go and receive our settlements , even our exit permits and they will not give also NOC. At least here we voice out our grievances, in order to abolish that SPONSORSHIP system.
my colleague want to leave tomorrow , he submitted resignation letter 3 months before , but they delayed so many times . Everything was okay and the last moment they are asking him to renew his visa which is already expired . The company wants to do this so that they can Ban him for 3 years instead of 2 years .
@Britexpat , can you give me a practical solution to sort out this ??
@britexpat
Abandon slavery , come to the point we are all humans
When the crime had already happened, you have to go to the court on no choice basis, fine, but when the crime is wide spread, all open with NO CHECK at all, then courts would not be able to give complete solution to help stop this at the gross root level which is when a company starts delaying the payment after 1st 30 days. This timeline can be checked by a central computer data at Ministry of Trade.
This is horrible... I NEVER got paid on time in Qatar. Always late with payments but I did get paid eventually (Takes them anywhere from 1-3 weeks to finally pay me). But a year with no pay and they're forced to work IS slavery. Such a shame.
The problem is not just the non-payment of salaries. The owners of such companies of which there are many, do not give the End of Service benefits to the poor workers using several of their dirty tricks. One needs to be in such companies to really understand the dirty games they play. The authorities can set up a system through which the sufferers or insiders can report the activities of such companies in total confidentiality and then the authorities can pounce on them. This would bring justice to the workers and send a clear message to companies with such "management" that they cannot go very far now without facing the music. Currently, they go about their jobs of exploitation with impunity and little fear. Qatar is a good country that has sadly become the home of some people with no morals,no human feelings, let alone the fear of God. These people are bringing a bad name to a lovely country.
Correct,
A simple solution is, just pick up the balance sheets of top 500 companies from different sectors, see their payable list beyond 60 days, and you would be surprised to note that these companies are virtually financing 70% their business by holding and using the funds of workers and suppliers. Why they do so religiously because, it is easy, interest free, and No one is asking them why are you delaying the payments, there is no Market Credit Control System in Qatar. A small office in the Ministry of Trade can easily sort out this matter in few months.
Take note this is not the only company delaying the salary of workers there are more workers and staff suffering for delay salary from their employer/sponsor. if there's a chance for labour dept. or involve ministry to do a public survey for this issue for sure almost 40-50% of the company is delayed in salary schedule.
From there they will really find out that a lot of people/workers are suffering and starving for daily leaving and unable to send money back home since they don't have any chance or choice they are forced to work without getting salary on-time. this is the worsts effect of this sponsorship system here.
they dont even have a website
this is Haram......
The owners should be held accountable. Jail them till all the dues are cleared. What I find even more worrying is the fact that the Labour court has asked them each to pay a fee of 600 riyals ($165) for an expert report to be commissioned into their case. Unless this is paid, the cases cannot progress.
While the sponsorship system is reportedly under review, the Credit Regulatory System is urgently needed that should sort out such issues on pro-active basis.
close this company