Roshan Sedhai
Survey finds a significant number of deaths could have been avoided. Over 1,300 Nepali migrants working abroad have died in the past three-and-a-half years, a study has revealed.
While most of the 1,357 deaths were related to road and work place accidents, suicides and murder, a significant number of the cases could have been avoided, a survey conducted by the Foreign Ministry in coordination with the Foreign Employment Board says.The report prepared for “internal use” has blamed lack of pre-departure orientation classes on workplace safety, road safety or rules, climatic conditions and precautions to be taken in the countries for the unprecedented number of deaths.
Official data show there are around 2,700,000 Nepali migrant workers in different countries across the globe. According to the report, 299 workers died of natural causes, 120 committed suicide, 185 died in road accidents, 102 died in work place accidents, 100 were murdered, 76 died of heart attack, 292 died of respiratory problems and 183 died of “other” causes. A majority of the workers were young ranging from 20 to 50 years of age.
The report shows that 441 died in Malaysia, 350 in Saudi Arabia, 306 in Qatar, 125 in UAE, 21 in Kuwait, nine in South Korea and 64 in other countries. The number does not include bodies flown to Nepal by victims’ families themselves.Director General of the Department of Foreign Employment (DoFE) Purna Chandra Bhattarai said most of the deaths were avoidable.
“The report indicates that most deaths occurred due to lack of awareness. Basic orientation for the migrant workers could have avoided most of the accidents,” Bhattarai said. “Many Nepalis even don’t know how to cross the road.” Nepal does have a counselling body—Migration Resource Centre (MRC)—that is responsible for disseminating information to potential workers. However, workers seldom visit its office.
MRC records show that only 466 people visited the office to acquire information on the destination country.MRC officials say that since there are no strict regulations making the orientation binding, most of the workers do not attend the free orientation.
“Very few prospective migrant workers visit us. Many don’t think it is important,” said Sthaneswor Devkota, the executive director of the Foreign Employment Promotion Board (FEPB), which looks after the MRC.Devkota said workers are exposed to several risks once they find themselves in a completely different situation in the destination countries.
“When they don’t find things as expected, they get frustrated and tend to think suicide. Many others meet untimely deaths as they are not prepared for extreme climate conditions, the heat, etc.” MRC officials say the death rate could be brought down if workers take prior counselling on the laws of the destination countries, the nature of work, the company and the climatic conditions.
Published on: 12 January 2012 | The Kathmandu Post
GET IN TOUCH