COMMENTARY
SPECIALS
INTERVIEWS
CAPITAL BUZZ
REDIFF POLL
DEAR REDIFF
THE STATES
YEH HAI INDIA!
ARCHIVES

Bitter memories

They paid through their nose for a job in Saudi Arabia. But returned home with bitter memories, thanks to the kingdom's general amnesty for illegal migrants.

Train-loads of passengers chugged into Kerala recently, emptying tales of woe and despair triggered by greedy Indian embassy officials and travel agents.

M Majeed of Perinathalmanna spent Rs 55,000 for a security guard's job. But ended up grinding stones. Unable to cope with the arduous job, he ran away from his employer, only to be deported back.

Mujib Rehman of Kanjirapally was recruited as a peon, but was forced to graze cattle without proper food and rest. Rehman escaped from the employer's clutches, wandered high and low for a better alternative which eluded him. He returned to the original employer, only to be handed over to the police.

Mujib was languishing in jail, when the general amnesty came like a whiff of fresh air.

A majority of the migrants switched jobs and lost their original documents in the process, becoming illegal migrants.

The few documents that were left with them were deposited with the jail authorities, making their retrieval impossible, said Vasudevan of Thiruvananthapuram.

Vasudevan went on a carpenter's visa. But left the job as he was not paid for six months and became a helper in a tailoring shop until the general amnesty was announced. ''Foreigners have to suffer injustice silently as all their documents are kept in the employer's custody,'' said Vasudeven. ''If they dare to complain, they end up in jail.''

What is more shocking is that Indian embassy officials fleece the migrants in their hour of distress.

Usman, who returned from Jeddah, alleged that the embassy officials demand up to Rs 3,500 for issuing temporary certificates for the return journey. The bribe for other services range from Rs 200 to Rs 1,000. ''Those who could not pay the bribe are languishing in Saudia,'' he said.

Urging the government to take immediate steps to rescue such people, he said many such migrants were sleeping on the streets. ''On occasions, they cannot get even a square meal.''

Usman, who was a witness to the gherao of the embassy staff on October 6, said that hundreds of Indians ran amuck after waiting endlessly for the documents. There was no food or water, and their patience was being tested.

The embassy officials asked the police to shoot at the crowd, but the Saudi authorities showed restraint. ''The fate of 13 arrested Indians, however, is not known,'' said Usman.

The deportees are equally critical of the Indian government which ''has not made any arrangements to bring back the migrants''.

The ship which brought them from Jeddah to Bombay was teeming with people. Though the vessel could accommodate only 1,200, it was teeming with more than 2,500 people.

As a result, most of the ''deportees could not get adequate food and water. Even answering the nature's call was difficult''.

The Maharashtra government, however, made proper arrangements for accommodation and food at Bombay, besides their onward journey to Kerala.

Back in Kerala, many of the deportees harbour no hopes of returning to the Gulf as they cannot to raise the huge sum required for finding another visa.

With Saudi Arabia preferring locals for most jobs, it would be increasingly difficult for foreigners to find jobs there, said Basheer from Kilimanoor. ''After losing Rs 50,000 for the first visa, I plan to settle down in the state with whatever job I can find.''

Tell us what you think of this report