India is trying to ensure that the issue is resolved peacefully without the Dubai authorities resorting to the extreme measure of deporting the striking workers.
NEW DELHI/DUBAI: The Indian government is closely monitoring the situation in Dubai where around 2,500 Asian workers, most of them Indians, went on the rampage at the construction site of around 100 high-rise buildings protesting low wages and bad working conditions.
The workers, employed with the Al Ahmadiyah Contracting Company, turned violent at the construction site of the Dubai Marina high-rise buildings at New Dubai Wednesday. This is the second such incident in Dubai in two months.
Terming the incident as unfortunate, a senior official in the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (MOIA) here said India's consul-general in Dubai will attend a meeting between Dubai's Permanent Committee for Labour Affairs (PCLA) and the company on Saturday to resolve the issue.
According to media reports, the workers struck work early Wednesday. The protest, however, turned violent by evening and the workers went on the rampage damaging eight cars, two buses and office property.
On Thursday, the workers stayed put in their labour camps and refused to come to their workplace.
Dubai Police have arrested several persons in this connection. A report in the Khaleej Times newspaper quoted Brigadier Mohammed Eid M Al Mansoori, director-general in the Department of Protective Security and Emergency, Dubai Police, as saying, "We arrested some workers when they were rioting.
We filed a case against them for damaging others' property. Some people are instigating the protest to create problems."
Another report quoted a striking worker as saying that the 450 dirhams a month that they earn is not enough.
"It's not enough. We can't save any money," he told the Associated Press.
The workers have also alleged they are not paid their salaries on time.
However, Muhammad Mubarak Easa, vice-president of Al Ahmadiyah Contracting Company, has denied this charge.
"We are paying the workers' salary on time. Some people had instigated the protest to safeguard their interests. We always treat our workers well. We are paying the salary according to the labour law of the country," he told Khaleej Times.
The workers, meanwhile, maintain that they will not return to work until the company management meets their demands.
An official from Dubai's Permanent Committee for Labour Affairs is scheduled to hold a meeting with the company Saturday to decide whether or not to cancel the visas of the workers who are refusing to go back to work. The head of mission in Dubai will be attending this meeting.
The MOIA official here said that India is trying to ensure that the issue is resolved peacefully without the Dubai authorities resorting to the extreme measure of deporting the striking workers.
Officials of the Indian consulate general in Dubai have already met the striking workers at their camp.
Last month, hundreds of Asian workers, including Indians, went on the rampage at Burj Dubai, the site of what is to become the world's tallest skyscraper protesting against low salaries and bad working conditions. Property worth $1 million was estimated to have been destroyed in that incident.
There are around three million Indians in the Gulf, most of them working on contracts.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}