New Deal for Migrant Labourers
November 25, 2022
During the last 12 years, when Qatar was preparing for the Soccer World Cup 2023, migrant laborers worked hard for every one of the 365 day, under tough conditions of scorching sun of hot summers or sand-laden winds in other months. The medical and other facilities for migrant laborers were non-existent. The eight stadia and world-class infrastructure were built in the desert at the cost of 40,000 laborers, who died while working under inhuman conditions.
When it was found in November 2022 that the number of hotel rooms, available in Doha was insufficient for the 1.2 million visitors, expected to visit Qatar for the World Cup, migrant families were thrown out of apartments, in which they were staying and the apartments were prepared for the visitors for World Cup.
After the magnificent inauguration of the 28-day World Cup at Al Bayt stadium on 20th November 2022, for which teams from 32 countries are competing, the visitors started protesting against restrictions, imposed on visitors due to radical Islam proclivities of the ruling establishment. Many of the team members started voicing their own protests. Thus, the Iranian team stood in silence during their anthem before their opening match in Qatar on Monday, 21st November 2022. The protest was in support of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish woman, who died a suspicious death, while in detention for not wearing Hijab in September.
22 November 2022: When the reputation of Qatar started crumbling in spite of imposing buildings and beautiful infrastructure, the Foreign Minister of Qatar Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani decided to re-furbish the face of Qatar Government by signing a letter of co-operation with U. S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken
- for combating the crime of human trafficking and
- for implementing fair labor practices.
Blinken said,” Qatar has made meaningful strides in recent years to improve its labor laws, to expand worker rights. The United States has been and will continue to be a consistent partner in those efforts.
These efforts align with President Biden’s commitment to making human rights a pillar of our foreign policy and core to our values and our interests.”
Let us hope the rich government of Qatar starts treating the poor migrant laborers in a humanitarian way.
Note: On Friday, 25th November 2022, at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium, the Iranian players stepped back and sang their anthem. The Iranian supporters greeted the team with thundering cheers.