February 27, 2002. Keralamonitor.com

Indian Worker of MRP commits suicide

Another Construction worker commits suicide in Bahla near Nizwa.

Two Indian workers (one Malayali, one from Andhra) have committed suicide in Oman due to labour problems. Twenty five year old Jog Rao from Andhra Pradesh, an employee of MRP ( Mohammed Al Ruzaikhy and Partners Trading and Contracting), Ghala owned by a leading Malayali business family has reportedly committed suicide on February 25, 2002 due to unknown reasons.

However, the company spokesman said the suicide has nothing to do with the salary default or other labour problems in MRP. "The worker who committed suicide joined the company only one and half months ago. The death is not due to labour problems,' claimed the company official.

MRP, has not been paying salary to most of the 500 odd staff for the last several months and the workers have complained to the Indian Embassy and labour court for no use. "There is some labour problem in MRP but the worker who committed suicide is not from among those who have complained to the Embassy. We have referred the case to the labour court,' said an Embassy official who said Embassy is helpless in resolving labour problems. More than 2400 labour cases are reported to the Embassy in the year 2001 and the Embassy officials are not admitting the seriousness of the problem. Most of the workers suicide are committed by Malayalis.

Similarly, thirty eight year old Sadashivan, a worker of another construction company in Bahla near Nizwa has committed suicide as his employer did not pay his salary for more than eight months and denied permission to go to Kerala. Sadashivan is from Kottoor Puthen Veedu, Koora, Kottarakkara. There have been other suicide cases of Indian workers due to labour and personal problems and immediate attention of the Indian government is to be drawn to the serious problem. One survey conducted by the Indian Embassy officials in Muscat revealed that suicides are due to labour, personal and business reasons. Most of the suicides are due to business collapse and excessive borrowing by small scale Malayali businessmen from money lenders at very high interest

There are number of companies which do not pay salary and other worker benefits. due to economic problems and other reasons, Some of the recent cases of non paymet of salary and benefits include Elco Trading and Contracting (200 employees), Projects and Supplies (58 employees), Oman Ceramics (100 Employees) etc. An young Malayali worker of Stag Enterprises committed suicide last year due to labour problems. As the Indian Embassy is helpless in ensuring that helpless Indian workers are getting their salary and other benefits, some workers commit suicide as a last resort. The issue is to be taken up as a humanitarian problem, which affects the welfare of overseas Indians, whose remittance is a major source of foreign exchange earnings to the country.

Even though about 5,000 Indian workers took outpasses for the amnesty scheme, only 3000 left the Sultanate and most of the others are still waiting for the D-Day. According to embassy officials, the Indian Ambassador has met the concerned authorities to discuss the matter. But the Indian Ambassador K.M.Meena, who is said to be a champion of the poor and downtrodden, may not be able to do something concrete to improve the situation.