After the fall of Panchayati (essentially autocratic direct rule of the King) system in Nepal in 1989, the country’s skilled and semi-skilled work force began heading to the Gulf countries in search of work and better pay.Booming economy of oil rich countries like Saudi Arabia, Qatar, United Arab Emirates (UAE) were attractive destination for Nepalese workers who had suffered through years of economic slowdown, lack of opportunity and age old feudal system.
Over the years the number of Nepalese migrant workers steadily climbed. Government formed after the fall of King’s direct rule was unable to fulfill its promises of economic and social revival. Corruption, mismanagement of resources and sheer incompetence of various agencies added to the frustration of those who were desperately looking for a decent job.
Civil war, which erupted after the Maoists guerillas started armed struggle against the constitutional monarchy in 1996, exacerbated the situation.The rebels often threatned manufacturing facilities, businesses with dire consequences unless they provided them with financial and material help. In an atmosphere of fear and insecurity, slowly the factories began to shut down and umeployment number climbed up.
Migration to Saudi Arabia
Despite its poor record on human and minority rights, Saudi Arabia emerged as an attractive destination for migrant Nepalese laborers. According to NepalNews, approximately 200,000 Nepalese laborers, skilled and semi skilled, work in the Kingdom. This number does not include 10,000 women who, despite a ban by Nepalese government, work in Saudi Arabia, mostly as household maids.
Not Welcome
Although laborers from South Asia-namely India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka play an important role in the Saudi economy, they like many foreign laborers are treated less than equal by most of Saudi citizens and the legal system. The country needs these workers to mainatian its growing manpower needs but due to long standing social and cultural norms, the Saudi society is unable to accept the migrant laborers' contribution.
Dr. Ali Alyami, Executive Director of The Center for Democracy and Human Rights in Sauid Arabia, a Washington DC based organization, said during an interview that Saudi Arabia has no legal framework or social system to insure that migrant laborers are treated equally and protected from various forms of abuse. Recently update labor law does not provide enough rights and protection to the migrant laborers.
He also pointed out to the horrible living and working conditions for migrant laborers. Saudi society, which itself is repressed and deprived of basic rights we enjoy in the Western world, is unable to treat the workers with respect
Dr. Alyami added that women who come to the Kingdom to work as maids are especially vulnerable to abuse. They are doubly victimized- as a woman and as a foreign laborer.
A Society Ill Equipped
Saudi Arabia’s conservative society and government which strictly controls almost every aspect of its citizen’s life is ill equipped to handle the unique social pressure created by the large number of foreign laborers.
Slow to accept changing ways of the world, the Kingdom is yet to come up with fair labor law that protects both the workers and the employers from abuse.Feudal mindset of its citizens is a barrier in creating a more hospitable environment for foreigners and even the Saudis.
Despite all of this, Nepalese laborers continue to flock Saudi job market in hopes of better future. Ongoing political and social turmoil keep pushing men and women to the Kindgom. Every year many die unable to take another day of hard labor, in humane working conditions and ill treatment by the employers but the migration continues.
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