The government of Lebanon has provided legal clearance to 80 Nepali migrants who lack necessary documents, but 41 of them are still stranded there due to sheer negligence and lack of initiative from the Honorary Consul of Nepal in Lebanon.

“Out of the 80 Nepalis that were granted clearance, only 39 (37 women and two men) landed here yesterday and even for that, Joe Issa El Khoury, the honorary consul of Nepal in Lebanon, did not provide any support,” claimed Dilli Poudel, representative of Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA)-Lebanon.

Alleging that Khoury is not interested in working in favour of Nepalis, Poudel further said that the association has taken it upon itself to search for the remaining 41 Nepalis who lack documentation. According to Poudel, 22 people have so far submitted their proof of identity so that the process of sending them back to Nepal can be started. “However, even in this regard, Khoury has not shown any interest — either in searching for the stranded Nepalis or to advocate in their favour.”

Reportedly it was only with the help of Acting Ambassador of Nepal in Egypt Koushal Kishore Ray, who strongly negotiated with the government of Lebanon to clear the passage for 80 undocumented Nepalis, that the 39 of them were able to arrive in Kathmandu yesterday. Besides Ray, Poudel himself, a social activist Georges Abou Zeid from Lebanon, International Office of Migration and Caritas played important roles regarding this matter.

A representative of Fenasol-Lebanon Castro Abdullah, who had visited Nepal last month to attend a programme of General Federation of Nepalese Trade Unions, had told The Himalayan Times that Nepal should shut down its Honorary Consul in Lebanon because it is ineffective and rather establish an embassy in its place.

Nara Devi Pun from Myagdi was one of the returnee migrants who landed in the Capital after spending six years in the alien land, where she claims she toiled day and night but was never given a proper salary. Similarly, Shanti Lama from Kavrepalanchowk reported that she had given up hope of ever returning as her pleas to Khoury had fallen on deaf ears. “Being back in Nepal is almost surreal ... I feel like I am dreaming.”

According to the law of Lebanon, migrant workers who lack proper documents are penalised $200 (Rs 20,000) for every year, including few months of imprisonment.

As per data by NRNA-Lebanon, there are 8,000 Nepalis working in Lebanon, of whom 700 — 267 males and 433 females — are undocumented and are living in dire conditions.

As per the decision of the Nepal government in 2010, Nepalis are not allowed to go to Lebanon for employment, yet reportedly every day five to six Nepalis have landed there illegally in the past eight months. 

“Local agents who have connection with Lebanese recruiting agencies collect all the required papers from them, prepare fake documents and send Nepalis to Lebanon via India,” informed Poudel. He also said that the Nepal government is well aware about this, but it has simply chosen to ignore it, due to which all the illegal activities are happening under its nose.

Normally, Lebanese employers pay around $150 (Rs 15,000) per month to undocumented Nepali women, hired mostly as housemaids. Undocumented Nepali men receive around $350 to $500 (Rs 35,000 to Rs 50,000) a month depending on their experience.

 Published on: 16 April 2014 | The Himalayan Times