Just a Moment, Please...

Sunday - July 30, 2006 - The day that should was like any other day except that it started with a series of frantic phone calls from all the known people in India. I was taking my bath and there were record breaking 10 missed calls from different people. Why? There was a flash news in a tamil channel [Sun TV] about a fire accident in Manama, Bahrain. It took a lot of effort for me to convince them that we are safe and the incident took in a far off place. However, this blog is for something else.

One day later, i read from the paper, that 16 person from the cuddalore, vilupuram region of Tamilnadu died in the fire accident that took place during close to midnight.

The facts are:
1. around 250 people were staying in 20 rooms.
2. the building was a very old building and it was the pathetic condition of the building wiring that caused short circuit and electrocuted 16 lives.
3. all of them are construction workers.
4. they were not paid salary for the last few months.

The working condition is under the scorching hot sun in the range of 40 - 49 degree celsius [the temperature will not go beyond 50 deg cel, because then the government had to declare holiday]

Living condition, they will be put up in a very sub-standard poor living condition - about 15 - 20 person sharing one single room.

Generally, the workers from Asia dont have a human value in this society and they are not covered under any insurance [both medical and life].

Even if they wanted to leave this place, they are under the mercy of their sponsor.

Okay...why do they undergo all these turmoils...money, but is it worth?

Let us work out some logistics.
A construction worker, staying in Bahrain for atleast 5 years, working 12 hours a day for 6 days a week will earn a maximum of BD 60. If he works extra time, he will get around BD 63. With this money he has to take care of his accommodation, transport, food and living expenses, save some money and send it to his family back home. Remember, they also have to repay their huge loan amounts taken to satisfy their travel agent, with the dreams of getting a job in this part of the world.

After one week, today - 7th August 2006, i dont find any trace of what happened to these people who lost their lives and the other friends of those dead...no one cares.

Whatever is discussed in this forum will not reach the deserved people - the labours who are headed to this part of the world. But, this message will be definitely read by the sector of people who have the comfort of browsing the internet and understand what is happening around them. This sector enjoyed the benefit of education which was directly or indirectly contributed by the hardship of their fellow citizens in the foreign soil.

The event of these deaths, caused a huge cry in the indian channels and the diplomats made big statements. But, i still have the questions.
Do these media and the diplomats think that the indians in this part of the world lead a royal life?
Was it a "real surprise" to the indian embassy in Bahrain that the Indian employees are put up in a sub standard living conditions?
Come on people, take a break!.

When i came to Bahrain, the first thing i realised was the way the Indians are treated as against the westerners. The very embarassments start right from the official airlines of this part.

Who can raise the living standards of our people?
Who can raise the image of our country in the global village?
Why do our country continue to be a body shopper, supplying cheap labours to this part of the world?

There was a similar news from the west.
In Canada, there are huge inhabited lands. In an interview, the minister was asked why Canadian government is not planning to bring more sub-continent people to Canada and develop those areas. The minister immediately replied to that saying that, the task does not end with just bringing the labour. The complexity increases for making arrangements for their living, medical facilities, schools etc., This shows the two extremes of the two world.

My friend had written a nice blog on the same topic. You can find it here.

...bright