Migrant workers stranded
Hom Karki
Hundreds of illegal Nepali migrant workers, who were granted amnesty by the Saudi Arabian government recently, have been left high and dry due to a ‘slow process of Saudi Arabian authorities’ in making arrangements for their return.
The migrant workers, who came from various places of Saudi Arabia to be part of the amnesty scheme, line up for hours in the scorching sun at the Nepali Embassy in Saudi Arabia to go through the official process for their return and spend nights in various places there, some migrant workers said.
Likewise, some of them are reportedly forced to stay in crammed rooms.
“The process for my return has not been finished though it started one-and-a-half months ago. Hundreds of my friends are spending nights under a bridge in Jeddah,” said Ramesh Dhungana from Syangja.
“We left our employers to go back home under the amnesty scheme. Now we are facing a tough time managing two square meals a day for want of money,” he said.
Nepali Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Udayaraj Pandey said illegal Nepali migrant workers, who are undergoing a process to return home under the amnesty scheme, are facing difficulties due to a ‘slow process of Saudi Arabian authorities’ in making necessary arrangements.
He said his office is finding it hard to handle the increasing number of illegal migrant workers, including women.
Published on: 19 June 2013 | The Kathmandu Post
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