58 Abandoned people (from the Mitery Kunja Safe House) have been detained last night

Thanks, Qman.

For all the other folk; I hope we don't all lose sight of the bigger picture here.

Concentrating on one situation is not going to help the larger community of abandoned folks. There is a Kunja Safe House, yes... but that is only a small section of what needs to be done here. If you want to make sure the Snake is dead... you have to go for the head, otherwise it will still bite! The real areas of concentration should be towards each government supplying these labourers. We need to make sure the workers don't have to deal with corrupt agents, or even corrupt Government officials in their respective countries. Qatar Government cannot be held responsible for what is happening in these countries.

Qatar is responsible however for the sponsors who abandon their workers, and the only real problem we have here is the time it takes for the legalities to be dealt with. Sponsors are being charged, and the courts are working within the legal structure that is at present in place. However, if that could be speeded up, together with a form of amnesty for these workers to be able to seek alternative employment once it is established that the worker was not at fault, then this would make for a dramatic change in the living and working conditions here.

Petitioning for workers rights from the root will get us much further along the path, rather than rhetoric regarding one man's mission whether mixed up, or otherwise.

Angelwings

If the grass is greener on the other side, its sure the water bill is higher !

Well put angelwings, that the way to go. Does any one know how is Gokul? I could not get him on his mobile.

A few folks have mentioned the work 'absconding'. There has only been one man to date who was an 'absconder'. And he was handed over to the police immediately, as per the agreement with the Qatari Law. So no-one is there who has 'absconded'. All are abandoned. Neither has it been for nepalese only: other nationalities were taken in too. And long before Mitery Safe House existed, many nationalities benefited from the help they recieved by Gokul. I personally met these people on the streets of the industrial area, and they told me how no-one had cared to help them, except this man 'Gokul'. Before anyone ever gave a bag of rice, Gokul had already spent much time and money helping these people.

I first met Gokul a couple of years ago, when we (myself and a group of children) sought to find what help we could offer to the abandoned labourers via the Nepalese Embassy. Prior to that there was absolutely no-one donating a thing, and it was myself and my own contacts, namely Nathalie and Nanci who worked to bring this into the public sector where he could recieve support. So if you folks with a tic in your bitter hearts want to take someone on, take me !! I've been around long enough to know that he is a genuine philanthropist, and has not pocketed anything for himself. Whatever funds wer donated, they are all accounted for, and have been recycled back into paying for food, accomodation, paperwork. The rent alone on this place is 21,000... imagine what the food bills are. There are also books to show where every penny donated has gone - available for all to see. Anyone taken into Mitery has to play his part in seeing that the work continues to reach not only Mitery people, but others who can't fit into the house.

Those folks with the biggest grudges can now take over the job and see how 'nice' it is to run a place like this; otherwise shut up and let Gokul and the rest of us get on with giving a decent bit of help to the helpless in society at large.

Just to repeat what is known to date. The Human Rights and the Human Trafficking Department along with the Nepalese Embassy have been kept appraised of all goings on in Mitery, and have visited the house to document the situation regarding each of the abandoned labourers.

Why the house was 'raided'... ? Who knows.

Lets hope that the Qatari Government will lead the way in the Gulf to close the loopholes in the law allowing sponsors and agents to get away with this form of trafficking.

Angelwings.

if what you are saying is true why didnt you at least report the matter to the Nepalese embassy. At least they would have tried to find a solution for this.

Some things just doesnt look right over here.

is it???

1) I am not sure, but is it not true that Sponsors are supposed to deposit cash equivalent of one return ticket for each employee with the Ministry when they bring in people (hired-help / labour).

2) People on QL why pounce on Richmand/PremPrakash, he was doing a favour for the people by giving then a roof and food while their sponsor abandoned them.

3) It is true, that there are a few sponsors here that bring in labourers just to make a quick buck, have any of you seen people (mostly from India, Nepal, Srilanka) sitting and waiting at the airport arrivals lounge. They do not know their sponsor, neither have a contact number or name of company employing them. ( Human Trafficing)

4) You will find a few people (from Asia) abandoned by their sponsor for various reasons, and do you think the government will do anything to the sponsor. The govt./police/CEID, would rather label the unfortunate / uneducated labour as absconding or illegal and keep them behind bars......... Rather the sponsor and the agent back home should be black listed and sent to jail. The easiest way out, blame the labourer.

If the issued at Mitery Kunja is well know by the Ministry of Labour and NHCR why did they not help or is it just hype that these people care for the welfare of all.

5) These are poor country embassies and they do not have enough funds to sponsor the air ticket back to their homeland. Also, consider that most of the people would not have valid visas as they are abandoned by their sponsors, the cost to legalise them would be high.

These are a few of my thought.

I really feel the govt must change here. All data is computerised, so would it not be easy for the Ministry to enter the absconders name and get the sponsors name from the system. Most big companies will not commit this type of crime, it is only Qataris who want to make a quick buck by giving their name to sponsor or sell visa to uneducated people desperate to get out of their homeland.

it is a matter of shame that one runs a organization saying its a volunter work ,he has helped several innocents? no i feel its a business run by junja house, having run a construction company . i appeal for all the expatriotes that it is a serious matter and should not turn off our ear.again i repeat that all 58 detainees should be freed as soon as posible.

thanx for ur salutation, at least u have realized that 58 nepalese r in trouble. i don want to take over the project on my hand i only wanna urge that these detained nepalese should be revived as soon as possible and i request qatar govt. to take immidiate action over the Kunja Organization Committe.

thanks for your comments , i will hand over this all project to you now i am ready to go , so pls call me u are the breave man i ofcourse have to salute u

Its hard to see this news here and leave some comment.If i am wrong plz correct me.WHy this type of case is always happened with nepali workers?

Arent we able to work here in this country standerd?if not why the compaly brings lots of nepalis here?One thing must be remember,all nepali paid a lots of money to the ajent,even this money is divided to companys staff.i got a lots of cases.If labours can not do the works company must catch that ajent who sell human.He must be punished.

As my knowledge,we are not the law maker of this country.we have to walk in this country rule.We all knew about the rule of the Qatar before we entered this country.So no problem about this rule.58 nepali's are in jail today.Who is the main cause of the incident.Obiously who called safe house for the illigle House.Where did they work?Whit founders company or in diffrent company ? Putting illigle people and sending them to next company is also illigle. I littlebit support with Iwael comment.As my knowledge.This people are doing work in the same founders construction company.Who gives salary 600 and deduct 100 QR per month.While he got this people why dint he try to return back? why dint he request to send them back and try to punished the relative ajent who send them here.This nepali must be returned back from the founder who takes them in their works.Where is the social work in ur kunja?

I APPEAL TO QATARI GOVERNMENT TO SEND THEM BACK WITHOUT ANY TROUBLE.

Yes, this email is from Gokul, who was running the safehouse.

I posted an article here on Qatar Living about my visit to the safehouse: Visiting stranded workers in Doha.

The people who lived at the safehouse (most, but not all, of whom are Nepali) came to Qatar legally, in order to work, and were then mistreated and abandoned by their sponsors. Because we foreign laborers in Qatar need our sponsors' permission to leave the country, change jobs, or do anything else, these men were NOT free to leave the country, nor could they afford to do so. Qatar simply does not provide a legal course of action for people in this situation: they cannot work, and they cannot leave. Gokul helped these workers get their paperwork in order to go home, and in the meantime they lived in the safehouse.

Canarybird, please do tell your neighbor. It's likely he knows Gokul already.

There is also a group of people meeting this evening to figure out what, if anything, we can do to help.

I am sorry too However, I will ask my neighbour if he knows of the subject see if he can help.

Have a good weekend

Well if they are brought here as labourers there are many of then unable to read ans write unfortunately and who should inform them of their rights?

These people are so poor and come here thinking they will earn money and are then abandoned.

I am still in the dark if these immigrants are Nepalese can someone help??

gypsy, you are correct. The group is the same one and the founder is Gokul Kunwar. I received an e-mail this morning about it from him and don't know if he has been taken in as well. It so sad such a thing should take place after much work has been put in by Gokul and his team.

I am puzzled with such an involvement from Human rights ,Labour departments , Human trafficking , Ministry of civil service housing departments , even in Prim minister office of Qatar and Foreign ministry of Nepal yet they have been taken in by the so call Law.

I can only sympathize for Gokul, will try calling him.

can any brave man make them legal ? are they illegal because of them ? all of they wants to be legalised it was also under the process of legalised the paper is running in , Human rights ,Labour departments , Human trafficking , Ministry of civil service housing departments , even in Prim minister office of Qatar and Foreign ministry of Nepal its clearly sais that they people are now under the Human right committee , no one wants to be illegal. for your kind information no one is collecting any money from our side , of course they are poor but they are not begging with you. They are begging for their human right , lot of them wants to go home to meet their family and children , but you know how long time it takes for process go home and to be legalised ? you can’t imagine , its easy to say but very hard to do , to implementation these process ,

Do you call this "safe house", I call it a place where illegally labor live. common guys, there is only one way to live and work in Qatar "THE LEGAL WAY" I sympathy none spends money and bother by staying illegally in any other country.

They are poor back home, either look for a decent job or look for the proper channels to work somewhere else. Everyday, we read about illegal immigrants to Europe, States, and even to the lost paradise (so called Israel). Those poor people will never find better life as long as they chosen the wrong way.

And in this article, I can see that there is a call for collecting money, which is still illegal.

Be careful

I don't know who is the source of this posting, and if it is anything related to Nepalese. If it is, then I will inform that person of his telephone number and he can verify himself what happened I can only verify I read and answered the post.

One other thing, is he may be informed already, the Nepalese keep each other very well informed of goings on in Doha.

You should inform him of this POSTING and verify, If these people are the ones I'm talking about. Don't wait for us to tell you.

Your are right there are Nepalese people taking care of the Nepaleses workers and they are also running and collecting for charity for some of the poorest.

My neighbour if the International Representative for all Nepalese workers living and working abroad. He is running his own company and treats his own employees with the utmost respect. So if you know or hear of anything please don't hestitate to inform me I will inform him immediately.

Its the same one you are taking about, I remember some of the male QL members visited this place some time back. I think the person you are talking about is the founder, this message should be from him conveyed through someone else.

I think there are lots of people in the jail like this, without doing any offense. They are taken into custody because they are illegal residents, in most of the cases it's not their fault. Once the project is over they are abandoned by their sponsors, because they don't want to bear their Air Tickets. Is there no law in this Country to punish such sponsors?

Last year a Qatari employer left 100 plus Nepalese workers stranded in Qatar without a job, Lost all there passports and left them abandon in the streets.

Their situation was well published in the News and the community gave them donations, food, clothing and some money to survive. They did expect deportation and harassment to happen. A local healthy Nepalese CEO was helping them with whatever he could. Myself donated some food, clothing and shoes. They were living in the Industrial area. Including in QATAR-LIVING there is some old treads with Pictures.

Their accommodations was lease by the Nepalese CEO and semi-declared publicly a safe house. Human rights agencies step in to help them but this is crazy what they are doing in my opinion unless I'm talking about a different group.

I don't think it is that easy to get them leagalised in Qatar is not at that stage yet.

You will have probably have seen what is happening in Europe with illegal immigrants from Africa, not to mention the Americas people coming from Cuba.

I feel sorry about this too as many people are just looking for a better life.

missin him he is fun coz then i get rest of the QLers pickin on me and arguing with me for my cheap and dirty words which i use for Premparkash for that topic if u remember.

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Really sad to hear this...you were doing a good job by sheltering theses abandoned people, I wonder why Qatar is not declaring Amnesty period for these illegal people, am sure there are thousands of people like this... they should be given a chance to go home. There will be lots of people/organizations to help them with the Air tickets. It is really sad that they are taken to police custody…. God know for how long they need to stay there. Did you contact the human rights office? I am sure they can do something in deporting them to Nepal than detaining them for indefinite period.

How can we help them? If you looking for some Financial help...am sure many of us will be willing to help you.

Please,what is it?Never heard about it,can you explain what kind of house it is?

*Create your own destiny,fighting against your dark sides,raise your

spirituality.Every day is a new day.A new life.

Keep the faith!*

missing him? coz i do..:P

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wasnot he responsible for this?? he should be the one taking care!!

LOL and where are those who were sympathizing.. well i knew this is ILLEGAL here in Qatar. you guys were suppose to get a court approval for this Kunja house. which i very well know you guys didnot bother to get that cleared in the first place which was must.

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According to your information and you mentioned that this was a safe house, and I may be worong but I think perhaps you were protecting absconded workers and others.

Please excuse me if I am wrong.

As I have gone to the jail before to get a worker out, I know that they will not be treated badly. However, my suggestion is get in touch with the Embassies immediately.

It's really sad....but why on earth were these guys detained....dint they have their papers in order???