Agony Of Nepali Workers In The Gulf

Kesh B Malla
The Rising Nepal,11/04/09

The vast majority of Nepali migrant workers, who have been the backbone of the Nepali economy for long, are having to go through a lot of pressure in the host countries due to several seen and unseen reasons. Left with few options in their home country, ravaged by a decade-long Maoist insurgency, they are willing to go abroad for whatever opportunities that are available.

In the hope of making some money, some of them choose to become migrant workers in the Gulf countries, after paying hefty sums of money to the manpower agents. Upon reaching the host country, they are already under pressure to pay back the loan.

Poor living conditions

The pressure is further compounded by the poor living conditions in the company’s accommodation, which is a big shock for them. Furthermore, many of them do not get the jobs promised in Kathmandu by the agents, which may compel some of them to leave the company and work as illegal workers, khallibali in the local term. People working as illegal migrants must face a lot of challenges and hardships, which are quite obvious.

But there are problems even for those who choose to work in the very company they are sent to. Adjustment problems due to adverse working and poor living conditions, a difficult lifestyle, loans to pay back, expectations from family members and shattered dreams cause frustration, anxiety and depression among many migrant workers. This leads to poor physical and mental health conditions. As a result, they are prone to becoming alcoholics. In severe cases, the depressed workers could resort to suicide.

This has been proved by the rising number of suicide cases among the workers in the Gulf. But in times of difficulty, these poor workers have nowhere to go or noone to lean on to share their problems. Some companies which have welfare departments provide counseling facilities. But such practices are rare, in general.

Besides, most Gulf countries follow strict and labour-unfriendly policies that aggravate the problem. If something goes wrong, the people are immediately deported. Nepali embassies in the region may be working in their own ways, but they cannot reach out to the people easily for many reasons. At times of difficulty, some Nepali societies act as the only source of help. But again, these societies cannot fight a legal battle due to their unofficial and informal status.

For many more years to come, it is likely that Nepal will have to depend on remittances. So, it cannot simply ignore the problems of Nepali migrant workers. The issue has to be dealt with at two levels: one in Nepal and the other in the host country.

To begin with, awareness among the masses is a must in Nepal. A message should reach out to the people that there are many companies that do not charge large sums of money. Many countries give out free visas. So whatever money they are paying is really going into the hands of manpower agents.

Also, the Nepal government should play a strict role, especially in curbing the activities of the manpower agencies. The government should be strong enough to make the foreign employment procedure simple. In the present system, even the educated can be easily cheated by the agents, forget about the village people who are first timers in Kathmandu.

Opening a separate foreign employment department under the Ministry of Labour is a welcome act of the government. But that alone will not work. Its effectiveness will depend largely on the activity of the department.

With regard to the manpower agencies, the government can develop a mechanism through which the manpower agencies can be rated according to the services they provide, because there are several manpower agencies with good service records.

Labour contracts

At the host country level, signing labour contracts with those countries that have large Nepali populations, setting minimum wage standards and introducing a counselor or a welfare officer at the embassy to deal with the emotional aspects of the migrant workers and a legal officer to deal with legal cases can contribute positively in the long run. The Nepal government’s recent decision to open labour attaches in four countries with large Nepali populations is an appreciative act.