The World Cup awarded to Qatar has turned from what should be a joyous occasion into a nightmare for those tasked with building the needed infrastructure that comes with hosting such an event. Working conditions and the deaths of more than 900 workers from India, Bangladesh and India have shown a harsh light on the human rights abuses the government of Qatar and Fifa are willing to tolerate all in the name of profit and prestige.
Fifa President Sepp Blatter's only regret about awarding the 2022 World Cup to Qatar is that it gets unbearably hot and humid during the summer months. He and the Fifia governing council aren't concerned with the deaths of construction workers or their human rights that's someone else's problem as they aren't the United Nations.
The Qatari government doesn't care about the rights, health or common welfare of these workers just as long as makes Qatar look good in the eyes of the world.
Paying a living wage in a country with the highest GDP in the world what could one possibly be thinking? It's all about the money. The workers just don't count.
Fifa President Sepp Blatter's only regret about awarding the 2022 World Cup to Qatar is that it gets unbearably hot and humid during the summer months. He and the Fifia governing council aren't concerned with the deaths of construction workers or their human rights that's someone else's problem as they aren't the United Nations.
Qatar is spending billions to build hotels, subways, shopping centers and stadiums ahead of the World Cup in 2022. But those working on the projects are poorly paid and poorly housed. And some of them can't leave.
Ganesh was one of these phantoms. He has since returned to his family in Nepal's southeast. He could hardly wait to leave Qatar. Ganesh has promised himself to never again set foot in the desert.On this spring evening, though, Ganesh's trip back home still lies before him. He is sprawled out exhausted on his bed on the outskirts of Doha after finishing his shift. The room is just 16 square meters (172 square feet) -- and provides shelter to 10 workers. With the fan broken and the window sealed shut with aluminum foil, the air is thick and stuffy. Outside, a diesel generator roars. It is only with great effort that Ganesh, a cheerful, somewhat shy 26-year-old with jet black hair hanging to his shoulders, is able to suppress his frustration and fatigue.
The Qatari government doesn't care about the rights, health or common welfare of these workers just as long as makes Qatar look good in the eyes of the world.
A 'Missed Opportunity'In mid-May, the Qatari government announced a reform to the Kafala system to make it easier to obtain a departure visa and to increase penalties on companies that confiscate workers' passports. But human rights activists have criticized the reform as a sham. Amnesty International referred to it as a "missed opportunity."
This is despite the fact that Qatar is a rich country, with one of the biggest natural gas reserves in the world lying off the coast. With a GDP per capita among the highest anywhere, the country could easily pay higher wages. But the pre-World Cup construction boom has attracted many foreign companies to Qatar -- from France, Great Britain, China and Germany. And they are unwilling to share their profits with Indians and Nepalese. For six days of work per week, eight to 10 hours per day, Ganesh receives €300 per month.
Paying a living wage in a country with the highest GDP in the world what could one possibly be thinking? It's all about the money. The workers just don't count.
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