Officiating Foreign Secretary Ambika Devi Luintel on Tuesday took up the plight of Nepali migrant workers with Qatari Ambassador to Nepal Ahmed Jaseem Mohammed Ali al-Hamer.

The meeting follows revelation by the London-based newspaper, The Guardian, that Nepali migrant workers in the Gulf country died at the rate of almost one a day between June 4 and August 8 this year. The newspaper attributed the 44 Nepalis’ deaths to hazardous work conditions and cramped and squalid living quarters for the workers in the Gulf country.

In Tuesday’s meeting, Luintel underscored the need for companies recruiting Nepalis to comply with provisions stated in the Employment Contracts.

In the meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Qatari ambassador said authorities in his country have taken the matter seriously, while he assured Luintel that the emirate will not leave any stone unturned to address the concerns of the Nepali migrants, a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry here on Wednesday said.

Likewise, the Charge’ d’ Affaires at the Nepal Embassy in Doha, Ganesh Prasad Dhakal, took up the matter with officials of Qatar’s Foreign Ministry. The officials assured Dhakal that they would take up immediate measures to address the problems.

The government is planning to send a high-level delegation to Gulf countries to take stock of the working conditions for Nepali citizens. The team would meet their counterparts and discuss issues related to the migrant workers, the Foreign Ministry statement said.

Government Chairman Khil Raj Remgi also held a meeting in this office on Wednesday with government officials concerned and discussed the situation of the Nepali migrants in the Gulf.

Regmi expressed concern over the report in The Guardian and directed the government officials to immediately take up the matter with the country concerned.

The Guardian’s report brought to light appaling scenes of exploitation and abuse of Nepali migrant workers that it said amount to ‘modern-day slavery.’

Published on: 3 October 2013 | The Kathmandu Post