Documents the pain of migrant labour

Documents the pain of migrant labour

Panos South Asia (PSA), headquartered in Kathmandu, is part of Panos Institutes worldwide that encourages and facilitates public discourse and debate on a wide range of issues.

Sandeep SinghUpdated: Saturday, June 15, 2019, 11:15 AM IST
article-image

Book: Uncertain Journeys

Author: Editor A S Panneerselvan

Publisher: Speaking Tiger

Pages: 187; Price: Rs 399

Panos South Asia (PSA), headquartered in Kathmandu, is part of Panos Institutes worldwide that encourages and facilitates public discourse and debate on a wide range of issues. In 2015, PSA in partnership with the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation launched a two-year Regional Project on South Asian Migrant Labour with the aim of building the capacity of media in South Asia to advocate and influence regional cooperation for migrant labour. PSA selected fifteen senior journalists from across South Asia for a fellowship that enabled them to carry out in-depth research on aspects of labour migration from the region. The fellowship produced more than 200 articles and broadcast stories, across thirty-four media outlets, and in seven languages — English, Urdu, Nepali, Bangla, Arabic, French and Malayalam. One wonders why Hindi was left out. Maximum migrant in India come from Hindi speaking areas. The essays in the volume are split into three categories: People, Places and Policies.

The countries researched from point of view of labour as a preferred destination from the South Asian countries are Malaysia, Singapore, Kuwait, UAE, Oman and Qatar. While the treatment of migrant labour is equally bad in all the countries, in case of GCC it is inhuman. It is both by policy design and by way of treatment by the employer. The condition of Emirati national interest outweighs the rights, dignity and safety of individual employees, from top management to a contractual sweeper. Women are treated as ‘live in maids’ as per Kafala systems. Escaping abuse makes the worker illegal.

Rape, non-payment of dues, physical abuse are accepted as a given even by the migrant worker. But cutting of limbs, burning different parts of the body as punishment are also accepted as normal by GCC countries. Rejimon Kuttapan while tracing the difficulties faced by migrant workers in GCC countries, wonders if he is documenting modern day slavery. In reality he is absolutely correct.

Saudi government rarely informs foreign embassies when a citizen is on death row, as required by the Vienna Convention on Consular relations. Sabrina Toppa in her essay ‘Pakistan’s Forgotten Workers on Death Row’ writes about the positive impact of Indian government sighting an example from 2017, while for Pakistan she writes: “Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs contends that it does not have bargaining power with Saudi Arabia to negotiate the release of its citizens. She further writes with disappointment that Pakistan’s third largest city, Faisalabad, is named in the honour of the late Saudi King Faisal and Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman says, “We consider Pakistan our second home,” still Pakistan does not or cannot do anything for its citizens.

The politicians who run the government in South Asia, except India see the migrant worker as foreign exchange remitting machine. Their economy depends on these remittances and hence they do not want to upset the GCC countries. Porimol Palma is correct when she say human being has been reduced to commodity.

It is an important work and documents the pain of migrant labour from South Asia and reminds everyone that much needs to be done for migrant workers.

RECENT STORIES

Masala Chai For The Soul Book Review: Laugh Your Way Through Troubles

Masala Chai For The Soul Book Review: Laugh Your Way Through Troubles

3 Tips By Meera Gandhi On How To Rise Above A Current Situation

3 Tips By Meera Gandhi On How To Rise Above A Current Situation

Book Review: Roshmila Bhattacharya's Spooked! Is A Captivating Read About Film Personalities' Tryst...

Book Review: Roshmila Bhattacharya's Spooked! Is A Captivating Read About Film Personalities' Tryst...

Author Sandeep Singh Releases Two Books on Indian Temples

Author Sandeep Singh Releases Two Books on Indian Temples

Author Sonal Ved Demystifies Veganism In Her New Book

Author Sonal Ved Demystifies Veganism In Her New Book