The book I wrote in 2017 contained a chapter on the death toll of migrant workers building stadiums for the world cup host of Soccer in Qatar 2022.After my visit I wrote to FIFA, the governing body with photographs of the dangers in work places and details of the more than 6500 workers who were killed on the job.
I suggested that FIFA and other Sports organizations, they must insist on basic human and labour rights for 3rd world slaves in Qatar. Everywhere you go in the country with Its opulent and regal, this place where slaves come to work and put food on their families table.
In order to prepare for the world’s premier soccer tournament, Qatar has embarked on a host of major construction projects including seven stadiums, an airport and major additions to public transport, among others.
Hotels with Crystal chandeliers sprout from the fabric ceiling, gilded thrones frame every wall, ‘Amid a red carpet stretches all the way from the entranceway to the back of the Reception hall: here, where the carpet ends, a line of men in immaculate white robes
Many are modern day slaves from India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka and the Philippines they kiss their wife’s and families good by for a two-year contract, 6500 return home in body bags, thousand more return with serious injuries,
“These health & Safety problems can be described by statistics, but they can not be understood by statistics” they can only be understood by knowing and feeling the pain, anguish, and depression and the shattered hopes of the victim and their wives, parents, children, grandparents and friends” Only those with close experience of severe permanent disability have this understanding, the hope, struggle and triumph of recovery and rehabilitation in a world often unsympathetic, ignorant, unfriendly and unsupportive
Despite FIFA and International pressure few are making an honest effort to stop modern slavery, though many excuses ‘are made not to try, the culture and attitudes of Qatari people are poor, only about 10 per cent of Qatar’s population is even Qatari: After all, they have its own way of doing things. Not our society, not our problem. Qatar has even failed to investigate the deaths of thousands of migrant workers killed in the past decade, according to a new report by Amnesty International.
The human rights organisation said the majority of migrant worker deaths in Qatar are attributed to “natural causes”, cardiac or respiratory failure; classifications which are “meaningless” without the underlying cause of death explained.
The rights group says intense heat and humidity exposure is likely to be a significant factor and has urged the Qatari authorities to put in place better protections for workers.
“When relatively young and healthy men die suddenly after working long hours in extreme heat, it raises serious questions about the safety of working conditions in Qatar,” said Dr. Bill Pomfret, of Safety Projects International Inc.
“In failing to investigate the underlying causes of migrant workers’ deaths, the Qatari authorities are ignoring warning signs which could, if addressed, save lives. This is a violation of the right to life.”
Pomfret described the devastating toll on the families of workers who die. Under Qatar law, compensation must be paid where deaths are “caused by the job”, but the failure to properly investigate deaths means work-related causes may not be identified, allowing employers to avoid compensation.
Another 50 expat workers have died in Qatar in 2020 while building the Lusail Stadium Like other gulf states such as the UAE and Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain, Qatar is highly reliant on expatriate workers who tend to voluntarily come from Asia and parts of Africa. In early 2019, the country’s population was 2.6 million of which 313,000 were Qatari citizens and 2.3 million were expatriates. Qatar has been plagued by allegations of human rights abuses and labor violations for years with international organizations consistently reporting that migrant laborers have been subject to serious exploitation and abuse. The U.S. State Department has said that expatriate workers face conditions indicative of involuntary servitude with some labor violations taking the form of beatings, withholding of payment, sexual assault and restrictions on freedom of movement.
Fans need to think about these deaths, injuries and associated suffering while tuning into world cup soccer next year.
BIO:
Dr Bill Pomfret; MSc; FIOSH; RSP. FRSH;
Founder & President.
Safety Projects International Inc, &
Dr. Bill Pomfret & Associates.
26 Drysdale Street, Kanata, Ontario.K2K 3L3.
www.spi5star.com pomfretb@spi5star.com
Tel 613-2549233