The 2014 World Cup in Brazil
is over now it's time to take a serious look to what's going on in Qatar
ahead of the 2022 World Cup or perhaps
it should be better known as Qatar's disregard of human rights...cup.
Qatar was awarded the right to host by FIFA in 2010.
Since then around 1,200 construction workers have died.
The majority of these deaths are attributed to poor working conditions,
heat-related illnesses, exhaustion and a lack
safety. There are regular reports that workers are being physically assaulted
and many female support staff are also subject to sexual exploitation in the
workplace.
They live in unsanitary conditions. A shocking estimate from the International
Trading Commission predicts if the current working practices continues
around 4,000 workers could lose their lives before a single ball is kicked
in the tournament. That number could of course be even higher
as up to one million more immigrant workers are expected to arrive in the
Emirate
to help with the construction. This includes the
eight World Cup stadiums of which 12 were originally promised,
a hundred plus hotels, subway lines, roads
and in new airport costing around $200 billion dollars.
At the root of Qatar's questionable human rights record is the country's
kafala system described by critics as a version
modern day slavery. Kafala means that a worker is tied into a specific employer
who takes control
of their right to leave the country, whether they can have a driver's license
rent a home, or open a bank account. They are held under laws by their employers.
They are effectively enslaved. Amnesty International claims to have witnessed
workers signing false statements saying they've been paid
in order to get their passports back. Qatar's labor laws have been under intense
scrutiny and human rights groups have been campaigning for a reform
of the Kafala system.
Qatari officials have promised the system will be reformed
but despite these promises no time line for action has been set.
Qatar has put forward two workers rights charters so far,
the QFMS and the SCWWS.
The QFMS requires contractors to submit a "welfare adherence plan" to prove that their
workers are being treated well
but these are self audited by the contracter themselves.
Realistically how much of this can we trust to be true? The SCWW S proposes a
monthly forum to help workers discuss conditions.
Sounds good apart from the fact that they can only talk about accommodation
and not wages working hours and conditions
and any other problems that they have. James Lynch from Human Rights Watch
believes
"Our biggest issue is that the government trying to claim that this
isn't abolition up the kafala system and that is evidently not the case
when you actually look
at the reform that they are proposing. All of this begs the question: should
Qatar have won the fee for bed
in the first place? The oil-rich Gulf state was against the US for the bed
and as you can see in this risk assessment carried out on things like
stadium construction,
transport and accommodation, the US came in at a lower risk
in eight out of nine categories. Qatar was low risk
for one. Various allegations have been made that five million dollars in bribes have
been paid to football officials to support the Qatar bid.
Two officials were even suspended from the vote.
President of FIFA Sepp Blatter has since admitted that awarding Qatar the World Cup
was a mistake. Qatar is fighting back
and denies any wrongdoing meanwhile the Qatar Foundation sponsors Barcelona FC
shirts in a hundred and fifty million dollar five-year deal.
They injected funds into Spanish club Malaga
and get this the Qatar Investment Authority bought
Paris Saint-Germain. What do you think should be done?
Let me know in the comments below if you want to check out my video on the dark
side of the World Cup from Brazil 2014
you can check it out over here and as always get yourself subscribed to the
channel.
And I'll see you soon Truthloaders.