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Workers forced to work without being paid for months

Thousands of Immigrant workers have been turned into slaves by the Arab capitalists and Multi National Companies ( MNCs) in oil rich Gulf States. Millions of poor workers from Pakistan , India , Bangladesh, Nepal, Srilanka, Egypt and others countries are working in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, United Arab Emirates ( UAE) and countries.
These immigrant workers came to these countries for a better future, but facing a completely different situation. The Arab and multi national companies are recruiting thousands of workers every year from these countries through the respective governments
And private recruiting agencies. Starving at home because of poverty and unemployment,
These desperate workers want to go to these Gulf States to earn money for their families
And to improve their living standards. Local agents and companies offered them decent
Wages and conditions, once they are there, they openly violate contracts and promises.
There are no labour laws which can protect these workers from open workers rights violations and naked exploitations. These repressive Arab regimes are siding openly with capitalists. The situation has been deteriorating since last many years, which has increased the exploitation and repression. Big business is earning billions of dollars as profit every year on the cost of starving and impoverished immigrant workers. In the past these workers were silently facing all these horrible conditions and exploitation, but now they have started to show their anger and fight back. The events in Kuwait and UAE are significant importance.

Bangladesh immigrant workers ransack embassy in Kuwait

More than 1000 workers employed in cleaning company in Kuwait, held protest demonstration in front of Bangladeshi Embassy. They were protesting against non payment of salaries for last 6 months. The angry workers also ransack the Embassy, broke the windows and computers. The Bangladeshi immigrant workers were demanding
The intervention of the Embassy to ensure they receive up to 6 month wages. According
To the police 5000 Bangladeshi workers employed in cleaning firm is not paying them salaries for last 6 months. They have left with no money, food and facing starvation and extreme poverty. We have arrested 150 workers which were released after investigation.
Total 200000 Bangladeshi immigrant workers are employed in Kuwait, which has
Large number of immigrant workers.
According to the police “this is not the first incident of this nature. Last year 4000 angry
Egyptian workers took to the streets, burnt tires and ransack the employer’s office. The
Labour unrest is on the increase in our country, which we never saw in the past. It has become very difficult for us to use state security forces against these protesters, because
It can result into a more wide spread unrest. The companies should take care of their workers, otherwise they will not accept slave conditions and will come out to show their anger. The 392 workers from Pakistan employed in a Kuwaiti company forced to work in Iraq, when they refused the company stop their wages until they will not work in Iraq. Few workers went to Iraq and three of them were kidnapped and then killed by a militant group. The other workers brought back by the company and kept in a camp without paying them any salaries. One worker was able to make contact with family in Pakistan, they told the story to media and government was forced to make intervention. The different Kuwaiti and foreign companies recruited 16000 workers from Pakistan, but forcefully send to Iraq by these companies.

The conditions of migrant workers are worst in Kuwait, a tiny country with population of only 2.7 million. But control tenth of global oil reserve, with complete dependence on immigrant workers. The Kuwaiti regime is one of the most vicious regimes in Gulf. The
Kuwaiti king and other rich Arabs spent million of dollars every year to spread the Wahabi brand Islam in poor Muslim countries. One Pakistani worker describe the situation in these words (they treat us like slaves and animals, I was a great supporter of these so called Islamic regimes, but after three years work in Kuwait has forced me to change my opinion. They treat their pets better than us. My experience show me that all Muslims are not equal and also not brothers. There is clear division on the basis of rich and poor. As a student I always opposed the Socialism, but now I think we need that.

They teach us about great Islamic values in our countries but they are implementing it in their country. They spend huge amount on preaching but not paying salaries to workers. There are hundreds of workers want to go back to their countries, but companies are not paying them their dues and unpaid salaries of many years to force them to continue work on slave wages. There is no trade union and workers rights exist. Despite the fears of arrest and deportation, the workers of different countries are now coming out against this slavery, insults, injustices and super exploitation. Few consciously advance workers are now talking about the formation of illegal workers

Committees to defend themselves against the increased onslaught of bosses. This process
Is in a very early stage and will take sometime to overcome the difficulties and problems.
The bosses used religious and national divisions to further divide the workers. It is important to overcome these divisions to make a strong workers unity. There is no socialist left force exist in this country, such a force can organize these Immigrant workers to become a strong political force. The reformist movement is week and also controlled from the top. So called parliament does exist but real
Power still enjoyed by the king and his family. Womens has been denied the right of vote. The Royal family is holding power with help of American Imperialism. The
Right wing political Islam is not happy with the presence of American Military.
They can create problem for the king.

Labourers in UAE struggle to survive

The ten of thousands of labourers, mostly from the South Asia , lured by promises of
Jobs and better life in oil rich United Arab Emirates are suffering from inhuman conditions. As construction firms cash in on the construction boom in the Gulf’s trading and tourism hub, most workers receive meager salaries and sometimes go without pay for
Months , sparking occasional protests. They live in overcrowded camps on the outskirts of town, out of sight of five-star hotels and luxury resorts which lure millions of tourists from around the world to Dubai. Local newspapers have reported cases of suicide by unpaid workers whose families rely on their remittances. They are the foundation of a rapid development drive that has turned Dubai from a back water desert state into a bustling metropolis with a futuristic skyline.

Dubai and UAE is a dream land for millions of young people in South Asia. They come to this desert land for a better life and future. But they are facing super exploitation
And slave wages. They work without wages for months. The situation is more worst
In construction industry, which employed largest numbers of workers. Most of these
Workers take loans to come to UAE, which they have to repay from the money they will
Earn here.They can not go back without sending the money back home to repay the loan.
They even work for 200to 300 dirhams per month, which is not enough for them to live
A decent live. They live in camps are rows of cement blocks with balconies are draped with laundry. At one housing unit, 12 men share a room , in which they sleep in shifts.
The workers say power and water supplies are erratic. They works in a very unsafe and
Dangerous conditions. There is no safety measures and facilities. The non payment of
Wages has become so common that even government has forced to intervene. The workers has started the demonstrations to force the employers to pay salaries.
The labour ministry figures show the increase in workers struggles. According to these
Figures the workers in different 24 companies staged demonstrations and walkouts in
Last 16 months. The construction companies are involved in this wrong practice that
They resort to withholding their workers wages instead of taking loans. They also stop
Paying salaries to workers between the period of two projects.
According to ILO regional office in Lebnon “ The UAE is in process of making new
Labour laws to allow the workers to form the unions. We are helping the government to
Amend the labour laws” . The amendments are not going to be made for the workers
rights, but to qualify for a proposed free trade agreement.
The ILO office also said “ the country needed to revise its sponsorship system and ensure
New regulations are implemented. Gulf countries should look into issues of wages and social and health protection. Workers should be part of a system where their rights are
Protected. We want to warn all the Gulf states that they should realize the situation and
Act accordingly, otherwise they will have to face a workers back lash , which we are
Trying to avoid. We Think the situation is more explosive than the governments are
Assessing. If they are going to continue like that they will not be able to control the situation very long and there will be more workers explosions.”
2 years ago the workers showed their strength when Pakistani and Indian workers
Employed in a construction company went on strike for three days, they occupied the
Construction sight and force the company to accept their demands. In this struggle workers showed their strength and ability to overcome the divisions on the basis of
Religion, nationality and language during the course of struggle. More workers struggles

Will erupt in the future.
The workers have lost the dreams of better life and future. One 37 year old Egypt ion
Worker Abdul-Aziz Taha said “ my hopes of a better life had been crushed. We came here to make a living but instead we are in ruins.”
One Pakistani worker Hamid said “ We toil in scorching heat and high humidity for most of year. It is very tough to work in this heat, many workers faint during the work. I am here since 9 years and will not be able to go back to my country in next many years.”
One Nepalese worker said “ I paid 5000 dirham to come hear. The agent promised good facilities and wages but he lied and destroyed my life.”
One Indian worker describe the situation in these words “I came here 15 years ago to earn
Lot of money for my family,but I failed to earn this money and still living in this hell.”

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