Roshan Subedi

Many Nepalis who left the country in search of jobs in the Gulf have ended up in prisons, while several others are awaiting deportation in detention centres. According to records at the Nepali missions in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE, as many as 284 migrant workers are in police custody on criminal charges. In addition, an estimated 900 migrant workers are languishing in detention centres in these countries, where around 1.5 million Nepalis currently work. The records sent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) by the three Nepali missions show that 212 migrant workers have been jailed in Saudi Arabia, 45 in the UAE and 27 in Qatar. The number, however, fluctuates every day. They also show that around 700 workers are currently awaiting deportation in Saudi Arabia. An estimated 40 to 80 workers are sent to detention centres in the three other countries every day. An embassy official said the Nepalis in the centres and prisons are not treated well. The official spoke on condition of anonymity. Harsh treatment, poor food, vastly different culture and extreme climatic conditions leave the detainees mentally traumatised and physically weak, the official said. 

While many of them are languishing in prisons, several of them are in detention centres and are awaiting deportation

Published on: 6 July 2012 | The Kathmandu Post