The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) has the Embassy of Nepal in Kuwait to look into the matter of Nepali migrant workers stranded in the Gulf nation.

 

The Kathmandu Post ran a story on November 28 on the plight of nearly 150 Nepali migrant workers who have been without money and job in the oil-rich country for months. MoFA said the Nepali mission in Kuwait has already been alerted about the stranded Nepalis and that it has started initiatives to resolve the crisis. 

 

“We have taken up the matter with utmost sincerity. We were already aware about the situation. The embassy also was following the issue. However, we have again directed the embassy to act immediately to help the stranded countrymen,” said a MoFA official. 

 

Nepalis stranded in Kuwait had told the Post that the company, Kharafi National, has not paid salary for months. They said that their visa too has expired, due to which they have been confined to the company premises. 

 

According to MoFA sources, the embassy has been in touch with the company management and consulted the recruiting agency, which had supplied workers for Kharafi National, a leading construction company in Kuwait. “The ongoing difficulty is faced by all the workers including Nepalis. They have not been given salary or work. Our embassy has taken initiatives to resolve the crisis. If needed, we will also hold discussion about legal remedy,” said the official. Suresh Kunwar, one of the stranded Nepalis in Kuwait, said he and his friends have visited the embassy several times but to no avail.