Nepali slaves in the MidEast, article by The Guardian.
 

The Guardian has a story and video.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/vide...emirates-video

It really pisses me off that powerfull countries do not take meaningfull action against such crimes against humanity:frown:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20110324...20110324104959


What is it with the hate and abuse of migrant workers (especially the dark skinned ones) across the MidEast, from the Levant to the Gulf to the Maghreb.

Re: Nepali slaves in the MidEast, article by The Guardian.
 

This is sadly a reality for much of the Middle East. There seems to be something seeped into the general culture that allows some people to treat their employees like animals. In the ten years I have been in the UAE I have lost count of the stories of families who lock their maids in their apartment while they go on vacation, the stories of physical and sexual abuse, the promises made and broken constantly. Even "reputable" companies hold the passports of their staff and make them work inhuman hours for pittance (especially common in the hotel business).

I wouldn't even know where to begin with the reasons why. There could be a religious element (Muslim v. Kaffir), there is definite historical precedent as slavery has continued right up to the modern day in the region, there is also a economic element with the traffickers who set up these people in the first place. A huge issue is the complete lack of proper labour laws and/or the enforcement of those laws in the middle east. Simple lack of development is an issue - they just don't care about people on the lower ladders of society, especially when they are foreigners.

The West generally turns a blind eye mostly because pissing off oil producing states isn't good when you're dependent on the black gold...(that said we've slowly made them outlaw literal slavery with Saudi ending it in the 1960s and Mauritania coming in line a few years ago - if it's enforced or not is another matter though) meanwhile the boxes keep turning up in airports like Katmandu every day...:(

N.

Re: Nepali slaves in the MidEast, article by The Guardian.
 

I think if you look through history, most countries have gone through a dark phase during which those with power treated those without inhumanely. In much of the West (for example) an altruistic streak emerged, from which came democratic processes. In the fifteenth century...

Re: Nepali slaves in the MidEast, article by The Guardian.
 

Oh I think everyone knows that, the thing is that the MidEast is still doing it and they aren't in a war against Nepalis. They always claim they are victims of Western anti Muslim sentiment ,colonialism , racism etc...