This appears in the documentary “Trapped in Qatar” from the German ARD.
In the industrial area in Sanaya just outside of Doha lives of thousands of workers. The area is blocked off with fences, and no one is going neither in nor out without spesialtillatelse.
Authorities fear that the virus should spread, and has placed the entire area in quarantine.
We are locked inside, all the streets are blocked. The police ensures that no one leaves the area. I will remain here, otherwise I do not know what is going on with me, ” says one of the workers in a video sent to the ARD.
the migrant WORKERS: IN Qatar, there are over 2 million migrant workers, and efforts to build facilities for the world cup in 2022 continues, even if the country is closed down. The picture is from December of last year, during a tour of the Lusail stadium, just to the north of Doha.
Photo: Kai Pfaffenbach / Reuters the Workers must sneak out
the Industrial site in Sanaya is 12 square kilometres large, but here the lives of thousands of workers under very simple conditions. They live in narrow rooms, and advice on keeping the distance is that the utopia to come.
ARD has been pictures, video and reports from the inside of the area which is now inactive. Workers from Africa, Bangladesh, and Nepal are desperate, scared, and don’t know what to do.
” We are seven pieces in a small room, and it is crumbling here. We don’t go out and get fresh air. We must leave the rooms in secret to ensure the us food, ” says one of the workers.
A video from the site shows a store with empty shelves.
We are hungry, we don’t have enough food. All will have food, but it is not enough, ” says another of the workers ARD has talked with.
They do not want to stand up with the name in fear of retaliation.
NRK has contacted the authorities in Qatar, which has a different version of the case.
– Food, water, surgical masks, gloves and hånddesinfeksjon are delivered to the site daily. About 1000 cars to deliver the goods every day, informs the state kommunikasjonskontoret in Qatar in an e-mail to NRK.
don’t Know if they get the salary
They also say that anyone who is sick shall get free medical care, and that workers who are in quarantine receive salary as usual. Workers who have been shown the infection should not work until they are completely symptomfrie.
– We get no information from the company we work for, we don’t know whether we get salary. All they have said to us is that we should be in the apartment until this is over, ” says one of them.
According to ARD to have 500 people tested positive for the koronaviruset a few days ago.
– We fit on each other. We are afraid to contaminate each other with korona. What should we do? We have no choice, ” says another.
– We have had telephone contact with several of the workers. They describe the same situation we see. They live in extremely overcrowded residential areas, and the images we see are the same that we have heard with them, ” said John Peder Egenæs, secretary general of Amnesty International in Norway.
WORRIED: John Peder Egenæs of Amnesty International Norway.
Photo: MIKE LINVOLLEN / NRK
the Government has guaranteed that gjestearbeiderne that is in quarantine or receiving treatment receive full salary and set of 824 million dollars in support to help companies to pay out salaries, writes that the state kommunikasjonskontoret in Qatar to NRK.
They also enlightens that it is located out the health centers inside the area, and that they carry out 400 tests a day.
– In the name of justice we must say that they make a part. They take out the people who are diagnosed, but they do too little in relation to what it takes, ” says Egenæs and continues:
– They force them to go to work. There are full buses that transport them to the plants, they work under conditions that are unjustifiable. There are things that suggest that there is not enough food for all. Even if they say that they do things, we must ask whether it reaches out to all and about it when all fast enough.
Sent a letter to the prime minister
the Workers who work with to build facilities for the world cup in 2022 is several times referred to as slaves. Hundreds of workers have died while they have worked, and many of them have not received salaries.
Qatars government claims 36 have died so far. Human rights organizations have estimated that 4000 will die as a result of the construction work to the football world cup in 2022.
Thursday is it reported over 40 degrees in the capital city of Doha, and the workers work long days with excruciating conditions. Even though almost everything in the country is closed continue the work to bring the plants to the football world cup in two years.
31. march sent 16 human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, letter to prime minister of Qatar. They are concerned about the development, especially now that koronaviruset spreads where people live.
the Pandemic affects the workers in Qatar extra hard.
– It is difficult to get to when you live so close. There are so many parts to wash, toilet and shower. This pandemic puts at the tip of the bad conditions that the workers live under, ” says Egenæs.
