Yadav Raj Joshi

Nepal receives three dead bodies of migrant workers daily from overseas, said a government official today. Over 90 per cent of Nepali workers’ deaths happen in Gulf countries — Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia.

At least 1,000 Nepali migrant workers die in a year, said Sthaneshwor Devekota, executive director of Foreign Employment Promotion Board (FEPB). “This is our estimate as per analysis of the trend,” he said. The government does not have any record of Nepali’s death in overseas. This is a serious lacking, he added. The government only records migrant workers going abroad. According to the Department of Foreign Employment (DoFE), around 1.3 million Nepalis are working overseas legally. An equal number of Nepalis is believed to working illegally in over four dozen countries. “All together, 2.6 million Nepalis are working abroad as migrant workers,” he said.

Half of the Nepalis working in Gulf countries reached there illegally. Of 2.6 million, 1.2 million Nepali migrants working in Gulf countries have used illegal route via India. Using airports of other countries is illegal under Nepali foreign employment laws and regulations.

Major problems in Gulf countries are seen among illegal migrant workers. “Most of the dead bodies coming back from abroad are those of illegal workers,” said Devekota. Therefore, such few Nepalis’ kin claim compensation from the board which provides Rs 1,00,000 compensation each to the families of migrant workers who died abroad.

FEPB has provided compensation to the families of 150 migrant workers since February 2008 — 20 compensations per month on an average. The board has prepared files of 53 Nepalis who died abroad, for compensation recently. “The board meeting will decide on it,” he said adding the files lack sufficient proof like labour contract and death certificate.

As the death toll of Nepalis is rising abroad, the board has intensified awareness campaigns in recent months. “We are using 62 FM stations along with local and national newspapers to stop illegal migration,” he said. FEPB has Rs 220 million in Foreign Employment Welfare Fund (FEWF) and it spent Rs 21.1 million last year.

Published on: 23 September 2009 | The Himalayan Times