Government has helped bring 103 dead bodies from Saudi Arabia to Nepal in the last one year. The bodies were sent from different hospitals, said Nepali ambassador to Saudi Arabia Udaya Raj Pandey, in an interaction with outsourcing agencies today.

Non-Resident Nepalis, living in the destination, and local social organisations helped the diplomatic mission in bringing the dead bodies to Nepal. “The cooperation for the welfare of Nepalis will continue in the coming days,” he said, adding that outsourcing agencies also need to support the drive.

According to Pandey, the Riyadh-based diplomatic mission has been fighting for the rights of Nepali migrant workers. “In the last one year, we succeeded in helping 400 Nepali workers, who had been cheated regarding salary and met with accidents, receive compensation,” he said, adding that the compensation was worth around Rs 70 million.

He said that illegal migration — reaching the job destination through India — has been increasing. “People from Terai, southern plains, and western parts of Nepal have been using the route,” he said. About 300,000 Nepalis are working in the destination and are earning around Riyal 1,000 (Rs 23,450) a month. However, migrant workers from other countries have been earning Riyal 1,200 (Rs 27,900).

The Nepali embassy in Riyadh has also rescued about 8,000 Nepalis from various jails in the last one and a half years. The embassy also rescued 450 housemaids during the period. Most of the housemaids were working there illegally, he added.

Saudi Arabia has a sponsorship system known as Kafala for hiring housemaids. Under the system, housemaids cannot leave their jobs without the consent of their employers. If any housemaid violates the rule, she becomes illegal. About 63,000 Nepali women are believed to be working there as domestic helpers.

Published on: 12 November 2012 | The Himalayan Times