Labour Ministry refuses to help Sulaibiya camp 'captives'

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Labour Ministry refuses to help Sulaibiya camp 'captives'

By Nawara Fattahova

KUWAIT: A death in the desert. An unscrupulous employer. An unconcerned
Ministry of Labour. All this has translated into untold misery for about 1,300
labourers held captive in a squalid camp in Sulaibiya. A few weeks ago, Kuwait
Times reported that a well-known contracting company was holding the workers
captive in the camp. The men, hailing from Egypt, India and the Philippines,
complained of unhygienic living conditions, meagre food supplies and ill
treatment. They all had come to Kuwait to work at the Burgan oilfields and
though being accommodated in flats in Mahboula on arrival, had been transferred
to the camp against their will. After arriving at the camp, the workers found
such squalid conditions that they immediately complained and asked to be
relocated. According to an employee living in the camp, "There are no telephones
or transportation, we have to drink contaminated water and the stench is
terrible in addition to the place being infested with insects." The problem
wasn't resolved despite continued complaints and the news report. In fact,
matters now have worsened. Yesterday, one of the Indian workers, Bino Stephen,
died at the camp. Now the defiant residents are refusing to release his body to
the guards in retaliation against the appalling living conditions and allege
that Stephen's death was caused by the unhygienic conditions in the camp. "We
want to find a solution to our dreadful situation by having our living
conditions improved or have us repatriated back home," said Mohammed, one of the
workers. Four other inmates have been ill since last week. "We suspect malaria
to be in the air here, and with no doctor around and no one to help us, we are
in real danger," he pleaded. "The stubborn and adamant employer has refused to
employ a doctor, as well as sanitise the camp to improve hygiene, and having no
other option, we decided to complain to the 'Shuoon' (Ministry of Social Affairs
and Labour). But somebody snitched on us and informed the management of our
intentions, and since then we have been held here in captivity," Mohammed
added."The employer also used 'wasta' through a friend who is a police officer
to threaten and dissuade us from going outside, warning action from the police
or Shuoon," another worker named Ashraf said. According to him, the municipality
shut down the camp six months ago, but through connections, the company
succeeded in reopening it for them to stay to save on rents, he said.Kuwait
Times attempted to speak to officials at the Ministry of Social Affairs and
Labour to see what - if anything - was being done to help the residents. An
officer in the complaints section of the ministry, who refused to give his name,
when informed about the recent death in the camp said, "I wouldn't call the
death of one person a disaster, and then complaints have to be registered
personally, so if they can't come, we can't help." When asked if the ministry
intended to send an inspector to check the living conditions at the camp, the
official replied, "I'm sorry we can't send any inspector. We are concerned about
our officials' health, and can't risk letting them fall sick or getting
infected."