Exit Permit also affect Pro- Atheltes
Plight of two pro athletes in Qatar puts kafala back in spotlight
At a time when Qatar is fending off criticism from all sides about its human rights record, two international football players have gone public with reports of poor treatment, contract disputes and delayed payment from their local clubs.
The tales of the two athletes, one of whom is banned from leaving Qatar and is threatening to go on a hunger strike, were reported by CNN yesterday.
The Qatar Football Association and the Qatar Stars League did not respond to media requests for comment, save to say: “All parties are analyzing in depth the matter and action for defamation is being taken.”
French-Algerian player Zahir Belounis, who said he has not been paid for almost two years by Al Jaish SC, told Jeune Afrique:
“This is a crazy story… I cannot move around freely, I cannot work anymore, I’m 33 years old … Who wants a player who has not played for months? Frankly, my career takes a hit.”
He added to CNN that he is considering a hunger strike:
“It’s going to start next week. They treat me like a dog but I will fight. I will die here in Qatar.”
Meanwhile, French-born Moroccan Abdessalam Ouadoo, who left Qatar last November after playing for Lekhwiya, said the club owes him five months worth of salary. Following complaints of ill treatment and being traded unwillingly to another club, Ouadoo told CNN he wanted to break his contract and leave the country.
“When I asked for my exit visa from my first club, my sponsor at Lekhwiya, he [a club official] told me: ‘We will not give you an exit visa until you take out your complaint. Qatar has many interests in FIFA and it is not good’.”
The men’s experiences have brought the debate over Qatar’s kafala system, which gives sponsors the right to prohibit their employees from leaving the country, among other things, back into the spotlight.
Ouadoo said:
“When you work in Qatar you belong to someone. You are not free. You are a slave. Of course it is not the same situation as the [construction] workers in Qatar, but there is a parallel. It is the same methodology. They can throw you away like old socks.”
Officials in Qatar have acknowledged kafala’s flaws for years, but progress on changing the system has been slow, in large part due to popular support among the local population.
According to a recent report from Qatar University’s Social and Economic Survey Research Institute, some 9 out of 10 Qataris interviewed did not want to see kafala weakened.
Meanwhile, pressure on Qatar to improve its treatment of expat workers continues to grow in the run-up to the 2022 World Cup.
Thoughts?
Read more: http://dohanews.co/#ixzz2S2NaNtPl
3 days or 3 hours make no differences if they dont give exit permit
well that was a nice and informative article
Thousands of Indian workers were given the day off by their employers and given free tickets to watch India play football at the tournament, even though most were ardent cricket fans
http://edition.cnn.com/2013/04/30/sport/football/football-qatar-world-cup-2022-worker-rights/
This guys must have just learnt it the hard way. Everybody knows the situation but some only realize it when it actually happens to them or someone close to them
Glad to hear that we are not alone when it comes to the exit permit
fubar - "Didn't someone famous say “Pay the worker his wage before his sweat dries.”
Doesn't seem to apply so much in this country."
It does apply to this country. They see to it that the sweat never dries.
Well if you go by what someone famous says. I think it's neo-slavery myself.
Good point Miss Mimi. I guess that makes it okay then?
Sweat never dries here, so no need to pay.
Didn't someone famous say “Pay the worker his wage before his sweat dries.”
Doesn't seem to apply so much in this country.
where did he said that ? three days late ?