Modern Day Slavery: The exploitation of Qatar's migrant workers

[Secur]

You quoted the report, go and read it

Qatar appointed DLA Piper, a leading international law firm, to examine claims of migrant worker abuses in its construction sector in October last year–just two weeks after the Guardian's reporting of the issue created a media storm that has not abated.The report is largely consistent with the newspaper's findings, as well as investigations from Human Rights Watch in June 2012 and Amnesty International (pdf) in November–namely that workers, among them those building 2022 World Cup infrastructure, are being subjected to serious exploitation, including forced labour. Among the many practical recommendations is one for Qatar to commission an independent study into migrant workers' deaths from cardiac arrest. The report is critical of what it sees as sensationalist reporting of such statistics, but acknowledges that exactly how many workers died or why is still not know and proposes steps to be taken to answer those questions.

Most important, DLA Piper's criticism of kafala–which has facilitated abuse and exploitation–is unequivocal, and warns the system can lead to conditions of forced labour. It recommends a wide-ranging and comprehensive review. But the report falls short on two counts. It fails to recommend immediate abolition of Qatar's exit-visa system, which allows employers to arbitrarily prevent workers from leaving. It instead recommends that the system be phased out over time. The report also fails to take into account international law on the right to leave any country, which the exit-visa system clearly violates. Nonetheless, the report leaves the Qatari government in no doubt as to the problems that exist and what it can and should do to fix them. It is to Qatar's credit that it has remained willing to engage on the issue, despite receiving unprecedented criticism. Last month, a delegation from Human Rights Watch visited Qatar and held talks with officials, including the prime minister.

Qatar Report on Migrant Workers Criticizes Treatment of Workers | Human Rights Watch

The system of recruiting and hiring semi- and unskilled expats to work in Qatar is riddled with “endemic corruption” and unethical practices that result in trafficking, debt bondage and forced labor, according to a new report commissioned by Qatar Foundation. The 160-page document, Migrant Labor Recruitment to Qatar, calls for an overhaul of the process of recruiting blue collar workers to the country.
Produced as part of the Qatar Foundation Migrant Worker Welfare Initiative, the report comes as the Gulf state faces international criticism for labor rights abuses.
It does not deny that problems exist here, but points out that many expats’ troubles begin with the recruitment process in their home countries. According to the report, current recruitment practices in sending countries are fueled by bribery, deceit and corruption, which give rise to basic human rights violations and exploit vulnerable workers. On the Qatar side of things, the withholding of passports, late or non-existent payments and the restrictive kafala sponsorship system only contribute to workers’ woes, the report states. Specifically, it called attention to the potential abuses caused by the system of exit visas and no objection certificates. It called for workers to be given automatic exit permits and NOCs, enabling them to change employers – particularly after their rights had been violated.

QF report: Corrupt process of recruiting workers to Qatar needs reform - Doha News

The 139-page report, “Migrant labour in the construction sector in the State of Qatar,“ was commissioned by the government last fall to examine the state of affairs of Qatar’s growing blue-collar workforce, following intense media coverage of various abuses. The report was issued to the government at the beginning of May and released publicly this week by NGO Engineers Against Poverty, which has posted it in full on its website (and is embedded below). The document is not groundbreaking, in that it reads like many other reports published in recent years by human rights groups who have studied labor conditions in Qatar.
It echoes Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the United Nations, among others, in calling for major reforms in Qatar. However, several of DLA Piper’s recommendations, including allowing expats to organize into unions and setting a minimum wage, have already been discussed and dismissed by officials here.
Still, because the report was commissioned by the government, it is unclear what kind of an impact it will have on reform.

DLA Piper report: Changes to kafala expected as early as end of May - Doha News

 

[JUBA]

Right.
Give them slums to live in while you try to air-condition your stadiums.
Lel.

They got air condition duh, do you suggest that we build another Burj Khalifa and make them live there ?

Qatar appointed DLA Piper, a leading international law firm, to examine claims of migrant worker abuses in its construction sector in October last year–just two weeks after the Guardian's reporting of the issue created a media storm that has not abated.The report is largely consistent with the newspaper's findings, as well as investigations from Human Rights Watch in June 2012 and Amnesty International (pdf) in November–namely that workers, among them those building 2022 World Cup infrastructure, are being subjected to serious exploitation, including forced labour. Among the many practical recommendations is one for Qatar to commission an independent study into migrant workers' deaths from cardiac arrest. The report is critical of what it sees as sensationalist reporting of such statistics, but acknowledges that exactly how many workers died or why is still not know and proposes steps to be taken to answer those questions.

Most important, DLA Piper's criticism of kafala–which has facilitated abuse and exploitation–is unequivocal, and warns the system can lead to conditions of forced labour. It recommends a wide-ranging and comprehensive review. But the report falls short on two counts. It fails to recommend immediate abolition of Qatar's exit-visa system, which allows employers to arbitrarily prevent workers from leaving. It instead recommends that the system be phased out over time. The report also fails to take into account international law on the right to leave any country, which the exit-visa system clearly violates. Nonetheless, the report leaves the Qatari government in no doubt as to the problems that exist and what it can and should do to fix them. It is to Qatar's credit that it has remained willing to engage on the issue, despite receiving unprecedented criticism. Last month, a delegation from Human Rights Watch visited Qatar and held talks with officials, including the prime minister.

Qatar Report on Migrant Workers Criticizes Treatment of Workers | Human Rights Watch

The system of recruiting and hiring semi- and unskilled expats to work in Qatar is riddled with “endemic corruption” and unethical practices that result in trafficking, debt bondage and forced labor, according to a new report commissioned by Qatar Foundation. The 160-page document, Migrant Labor Recruitment to Qatar, calls for an overhaul of the process of recruiting blue collar workers to the country.
Produced as part of the Qatar Foundation Migrant Worker Welfare Initiative, the report comes as the Gulf state faces international criticism for labor rights abuses.
It does not deny that problems exist here, but points out that many expats’ troubles begin with the recruitment process in their home countries. According to the report, current recruitment practices in sending countries are fueled by bribery, deceit and corruption, which give rise to basic human rights violations and exploit vulnerable workers. On the Qatar side of things, the withholding of passports, late or non-existent payments and the restrictive kafala sponsorship system only contribute to workers’ woes, the report states. Specifically, it called attention to the potential abuses caused by the system of exit visas and no objection certificates. It called for workers to be given automatic exit permits and NOCs, enabling them to change employers – particularly after their rights had been violated.

QF report: Corrupt process of recruiting workers to Qatar needs reform - Doha News

The 139-page report, “Migrant labour in the construction sector in the State of Qatar,“ was commissioned by the government last fall to examine the state of affairs of Qatar’s growing blue-collar workforce, following intense media coverage of various abuses. The report was issued to the government at the beginning of May and released publicly this week by NGO Engineers Against Poverty, which has posted it in full on its website (and is embedded below). The document is not groundbreaking, in that it reads like many other reports published in recent years by human rights groups who have studied labor conditions in Qatar.
It echoes Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the United Nations, among others, in calling for major reforms in Qatar. However, several of DLA Piper’s recommendations, including allowing expats to organize into unions and setting a minimum wage, have already been discussed and dismissed by officials here.
Still, because the report was commissioned by the government, it is unclear what kind of an impact it will have on reform.

DLA Piper report: Changes to kafala expected as early as end of May - Doha News

Highlight the important parts, not gonna read it all

 

[1000]

Here you go you proved my points, they are life is better than some people

Which means nothing, we go by (international) law and human rights not by your 'acceptable' standards. Since the UN pressed Qatar on this matter we can conclude the UN is not satisfied with Qatar's policies.
U.N. urges Qatar to reform labor practices | Al Jazeera America

 

[Secur]

Highlight the important parts, not gonna read it all

What do you think, the underlining means in my previous post? Lets make it further easy for you.

The 139-page report, “Migrant labour in the construction sector in the State of Qatar,“ was commissioned by the government last fall to examine the state of affairs of Qatar’s growing blue-collar workforce, following intense media coverage of various abuses. The report was issued to the government at the beginning of May and released publicly this week by NGO Engineers Against Poverty, which has posted it in full on its website (and is embedded below). The document is not groundbreaking, in that it reads like many other reports published in recent years by human rights groups who have studied labor conditions in Qatar.
It echoes Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the United Nations, among others, in calling for major reforms in Qatar. However, several of DLA Piper’s recommendations, including allowing expats to organize into unions and setting a minimum wage, have already been discussed and dismissed by officials here.

DLA Piper report: Changes to kafala expected as early as end of May - Doha News

The system of recruiting and hiring semi- and unskilled expats to work in Qatar is riddled with “endemic corruption” and unethical practices that result in trafficking, debt bondage and forced labor, according to a new report commissioned by Qatar Foundation. Produced as part of the Qatar Foundation Migrant Worker Welfare Initiative, the report comes as the Gulf state faces international criticism for labor rights abuses. According to the report, current recruitment practices in sending countries are fueled by bribery, deceit and corruption, which give rise to basic human rights violations and exploit vulnerable workers. On the Qatar side of things, the withholding of passports, late or non-existent payments and the restrictive kafala sponsorship system only contribute to workers’ woes, the report states.

QF report: Corrupt process of recruiting workers to Qatar needs reform - Doha News

False info.

Fair Dinkum? Really, you aren't joking?

 

[JUBA]

Which means nothing, we go by (international) law and human rights not by your 'acceptable' standards. Since the UN pressed Qatar on this matter we can conclude the UN is not satisfied with Qatar's policies.
U.N. urges Qatar to reform labor practices | Al Jazeera America

It means lots of things actually, they can go to their embassies and file a complaint about their living standers, no need for exaggerating things and call it "slavery" slave have no rights, there immigrants do

 

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It means lots of things actually, they can go to their embassies and file a complaint about their living standers, no need for exaggerating things and call it "slavery" slave have no rights, there immigrants do

Those "lot of things" are explained in the above reports, several of which you have denied again and again. Slavery has different interpretations, if I cant the country because I don't have money or I am not allowed to and I am not getting paid for my word, there's no other word for it. Even slaves had/have certain rights, what do you know about history of slavery?

 

[1000]

It means lots of things actually, they can go to their embassies and file a complaint about their living standers, no need for exaggerating things and call it "slavery" slave have no rights, there immigrants do

'It' = your acceptable standards...

So slaves have no rights ? Slaves in ancient Babylon and ancient Egypt had many rights.

Now look at WIKIBEDIA

Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work.[1] Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation.

According to all the articles and video's it seems like the workers of Qatar are treated as property, forced to work and held against their will with their passports taken. Sounds like slavery.

Now who says they can go to their embassy, let's ask that to the workers.

 

[JUBA]

What do you think, the underlining means in my previous post? Lets make it further easy for you.

The 139-page report, “Migrant labour in the construction sector in the State of Qatar,“ was commissioned by the government last fall to examine the state of affairs of Qatar’s growing blue-collar workforce, following intense media coverage of various abuses. The report was issued to the government at the beginning of May and released publicly this week by NGO Engineers Against Poverty, which has posted it in full on its website (and is embedded below). The document is not groundbreaking, in that it reads like many other reports published in recent years by human rights groups who have studied labor conditions in Qatar.
It echoes Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the United Nations, among others, in calling for major reforms in Qatar. However, several of DLA Piper’s recommendations, including allowing expats to organize into unions and setting a minimum wage, have already been discussed and dismissed by officials here.

DLA Piper report: Changes to kafala expected as early as end of May - Doha News

The system of recruiting and hiring semi- and unskilled expats to work in Qatar is riddled with “endemic corruption” and unethical practices that result in trafficking, debt bondage and forced labor, according to a new report commissioned by Qatar Foundation. Produced as part of the Qatar Foundation Migrant Worker Welfare Initiative, the report comes as the Gulf state faces international criticism for labor rights abuses. According to the report, current recruitment practices in sending countries are fueled by bribery, deceit and corruption, which give rise to basic human rights violations and exploit vulnerable workers. On the Qatar side of things, the withholding of passports, late or non-existent payments and the restrictive kafala sponsorship system only contribute to workers’ woes, the report states.

QF report: Corrupt process of recruiting workers to Qatar needs reform - Doha News


Fair Dinkum? Really, you aren't joking?

The report is taking mostly about hiring unskilled workers and allowing then to form unions and things like that, we are arguing about their living standers and wither they traded as slaves like some people here like to call them or not

'It' = your acceptable standards...

So slaves have no rights ? Slaves in ancient Babylon and ancient Egypt had many rights.

Now look at WIKIBEDIA



According to all the articles and video's it seems like the workers of Qatar are treated as property, forced to work and held against their will with their passports taken. Sounds like slavery.

Now who says they can go to their embassy, let's ask that to the workers.

Agin if they are "forced" to work or their legal documents are being takes they can complain and justice will be served, which means they're not "slaves" cuz a slave is your property and no can intervene on how you treat them

 

[Secur]

The report is taking mostly about hiring unskilled workers and allowing then to form unions and things like that, we are arguing about their living standers and wither they traded as slaves like some people here like to call them or not

On the Qatar side of things, the withholding of passports, late or non-existent payments and the restrictive kafala sponsorship system only contribute to workers’ woes, the report states.
QF report: Corrupt process of recruiting workers to Qatar needs reform - Doha News

Give me a better word than slavery for it. Its an official Govt report published in the newspaper of the same country, whats the excuse there?

 

[JUBA]

On the Qatar side of things, the withholding of passports, late or non-existent payments and the restrictive kafala sponsorship system only contribute to workers’ woes, the report states.
QF report: Corrupt process of recruiting workers to Qatar needs reform - Doha News

Give me a better word than slavery for it. Its an official Govt report published in the newspaper of the same country, whats the excuse there?

Did the few workers who were subject to this complain ? or did they take it up the *** without saying a word ? That's their faults.

 

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Agin if they are "forced" to work or their legal documents are being takes they can complain and justice will be served,

Since their passports are taken from them then it's quite clear they are forced to stay and work.

Complain to who ? Their embassy which can't do much in a foreign state when the Qataris accept the slavery, that if they are even allowed to reach that embassy, the Qatari embassy which won't even let them in since they look South Asian or to some news agency which just reports it.

which means they're not "slaves" cuz a slave is your property and no can intervene on how you treat them[

Organizations have only spoken against it pressing the government of Qatar, no one has tried stopping it with true action.

In this day and age slavery is not acceptable anymore therefor organizations are not accepting it, however the one who is able to take action against it ( the state of Qatar ) has taken no action. No intervention has taken place.

 

[JUBA]

Since their passports are taken from them then it's quite clear they are forced to stay and work.

Complain to who ? Their embassy which can't do much in a foreign state when the Qataris accept the slavery, that if they are even allowed to reach that embassy, the Qatari embassy which won't even let them in since they look South Asian or to some news agency which just reports it.


Organizations have only spoken against it pressing the government of Qatar, no one has tried stopping it with true action.

In this day and age slavery is not acceptable anymore therefor organizations are not accepting it, however the one who is able to take action against it ( the state of Qatar ) has taken no action. No intervention has taken place.

Is it really that hard for you to process ? I didn't say they are not forced to work, i said IF a worker is forced he can complain, and yes his government can take action, his countries embassy's door are open and guarded by his country men, no one can stop him

 

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Did the few workers who were subject to this complain ? or did they take it up the *** without saying a word ? That's their faults.

This isn't a few workers! I have been continuously showing you evidence of exploitation, The Govt's acknowledgment of it with different reports and all I get is either a plain denial or acting naive. Can they complain? What would your mindset be, if you stuck in a land foreign with no money and no travel documents? Yes, its their fault! @Hyperion Honestly, mate!

 

[JUBA]

This isn't a few workers! I have been continuously showing you evidence of exploitation, The Govt's acknowledgment of it with different reports and all I get is either a plain denial or acting naive. Can they complain? What would your mindset be, if you stuck in a land foreign with no money and no travel documents? Yes, its their fault! @Hyperion Honestly, mate!

There's hardly any evidence, if I was stuck in a foreign land without documents I'll go to my country's embassy and they'll take care of me, unless you're saying south governments don't look after their people, then that's another story.

 

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There's hardly any evidence, if I was stuck in a foreign land without documents I'll go to my country's embassy and they'll take care of me, unless you're saying south governments don't look after their people, then that's another story.

Of course not! Everyone except you, is lying.