Bikram Subedi, Milan Godar, Manoj Kumar Tamang, Raju KC, Bal Kumar Chhetri, Ramesh Giri, Lekh Narayan Shrestha, Surya Ale Magar, Mahesh Chaudhary, Arjun KC Suraj Giri, Bikash Tiwari, Sherva Raj Ahmed, Amar Paudel, Harilal Sarki, Raj Kumar Barma, Indra Prasad Paudel and Nagendra Upreti have jointly filed a case against Sam International in the Department of Foreign Employment demanding compensation and money they paid as processing fee and visa charge.

 

The workers were recruited for Ac Al Baddad Capital, Dubai, as drivers, storekeepers, procurement officials, security guards, HR assistants and dock fitter. But they were made to do other jobs and the salary was half the promised amount.

 

“Forget salary, they did not give us food and kept 25 people in a room,” said Surya Ale Magar of Makawanpur. “There were four toilets for 300 people. The workplace was 100 km away from where we stayed.”

 

The company has agreed to pay between 800 and 2,500 dirham depending on the nature of work.

“We were often threatened jail. They even locked up one of our colleagues Nagendra Upreti for seven days,” said Lekh Narayan Shrestha. According to the workers, they were forced to do works not mentioned in the agreement. “I was appointed as a dock fitter but was asked to work as a labourer. My friend was recruited for driver but ended up doing another job. All of us were cheated,” said Hari Lal Shakya.

 

The victims say they were cheated by the manpower company. According to victims, the company sent additional workers despite knowledge about the fate of earlier workers.

 

The workers were rescued with help from the Nepal Embassy in Dubai. According to them, the company hit back when they boycotted the work accusing the company of deceiving them.

 

“We were cheated. We want justice. The manpower [company] should compensate us,” said Ale. He added they paid from Rs 85,000 to 115,000 to the agency for arrangements before their departure. They returned to Nepal after working for a month and without receiving pay. The company, however, has shown readiness to pay Rs 15,000 per person as compensation.

 

 

Body of Bakhat Bahadur Thapa, a Nepali migrant worker who was killed in a road accident in Saudi Arabia one year ago, is yet to arrive.

 

A permanent resident of Jaganath VDC in Dailekh district, Thapa left home for a labourer’s job by paying Rs 135,000 three years ago.

 

“I have lost hope to see the body of my husband,” said Kala Kumari, who came to Dailekh district headquarters to register the death. Thapa’s relative Dhan Bahadur Khadka said they frequented Kathmandu in an effort to bring the body back but in vain. He said it was uncertain whether the bereaved family would be compensated.

 

With the death of the sole breadwinner, the four-member family finds it hard to eke out a living. “He had assured us that he would return after three years,” said Kala Kumari.“But he is gone forever leaving me the responsibility of looking after our children and paying back the money borrowed to send him abroad.”

 

The Thapas have a daughter and two sons. The family is yet to perform the last rites of the deceased. Nepali Embassy in Saudi Arabia said the body has been kept at the Jijan-based Bhed Hospital. Jaganath VDC secretary Bed Bahadur Jisi said his office has sent a letter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs about the matter. Following the correspondence, the Foreign Employment Development Board has urged the embassy to initiate works to bring the body home.