Nepali migrant workers 

Nepalis are banned from travelling to Iraq, much less working in the dangerous Middle Eastern hotbed of Islamic terrorism. Indian nationals too require special immigration clearance to travel to Iraq, a provision which has been suspended following the abduction of 40 Indians in Mosul, the second largest city in Iraq after Baghdad. In comparison, Bangladeshi officials have traditionally looked upon the Muslim-majority Iraq as a more promising labor destination. Only last year it signed an MOU with Iraq to send 30,000 new workers. Officially 15,000 Bangladeshis work there, but unofficial estimates are at least double that number. But even Bangladesh has had to suspend sending its workers in the wake of the recent escalation of violence in Iraq. Indeed, all three countries are having a hard time dealing with their citizens in Iraq, many of whom are now in need of urgent rescue. Surely, considering the costs involved, it makes sense for the three to work together to control the illegal outflow of their workers to Iraq. 

Most workers reach Iraq through safer connecting points like the UAE and Jordan. South Asia’s poor, who are struggling for decent jobs back home, can hardly be faulted for exploiting a small loophole in the law, if it means the difference between whether their family sleeps hungry or has enough to enjoy a comfortable middle-class lifestyle. Yet many end up in Iraq for all the wrong reasons. They have their passports confiscated soon as they fly out, and have no choice but to go to the destinations (however undesirable) the manpower agents choose for them. The truly dismal plights of thousands of Indian and Bangladeshi nationals toiling for a pittance in sweat shops of Iraq have been well documented. It is reasonable to assume that a fair share of the estimated 25,000 Nepalis in Iraq are slugging it out under equally dismal conditions. Their illegal status only adds to their vulnerability. There are other compelling reasons the status quo cannot continue. The financial costs involved in any rescue operations in a country like Iraq, where the government enjoys limited control outside the national capital, can be massive, as India is finding out as it tries to negotiate the release of the 40 people abducted in Mosul. 

It does not have to be this way. India for one can do a lot to stem the tide of Iraq-bound migrants. Most Nepalis who end up in banned destinations like Iraq use Indian airports and seaports to make the final voyage. And it is not just male construction workers and would-be security guards who make the perilous journey. India has also become the primary conduit for smuggling of Nepali women to brothels and dance bars in the Gulf and Africa. Considering the sheer number of Nepalis who need help of some kind abroad, Nepal must have its own special mechanism to deal with problems faced by its migrant workers. But more than that, given the porous border with India, Nepal can do precious little on its own. Perhaps in the wake of the latest crisis Indian authorities will realize the importance of nipping the problem in the bud, which is to better screen for people travelling to dubious destinations like Iraq.

Published on: 24 June 2014 | Republica