ROGUE recruiters who are allegedly transporting people from India to Bahrain illegally are posing a major challenge, according to social workers.
Scores of cases have been referred to support groups such as the Indian Community Relief Fund (ICRF) and Pravasi Legal Cell (PLC), confirmed officials.
The victims are mostly illiterate men and women from remote villages in India who pay large sums of money to manpower agents back home for jobs in Bahrain, only to find themselves jobless and illegal in Bahrain, stated volunteers.
By the time the victims become aware of the trap, they are left homeless, entangled in a travel ban and fines for overstaying.
Indian Home Minister of State Ajay Kumar Mishra said last week that Indian embassies abroad, particularly in the GCC, have received many complaints related to human trafficking.
According to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, the Indian Embassy in Bahrain received four complaints of human trafficking last year and nine so far this year.
“All of the victims were sent without proper documents. According to the information, most cases of human trafficking are linked to Gulf countries,” said the ministry.
“In cases of human trafficking, people are often sent abroad illegally on the pretext of jobs.
“There, women and children are forced into prostitution apart from doing domestic work,” added the ministry.
India is taking measures to protect its migrant workers by way of signing agreements with labour-hiring countries and by setting up a 24x7 helpline and online portal for support.
Strict laws are also in place to combat human trafficking in India, with the Anti-Human Trafficking Units active in more than 330 districts across the country.
However, exploitation continues and cases that come to light are only the tip of the iceberg, according to ICRF chairman Dr Babu Ramachandran.
“The issue of rogue recruiters is not new, and the ICRF has received scores of cases.
“We receive calls from housemaids who have apparently paid around 80,000 Indian rupees (BD400) to get a job and they end up working as waitresses in bars and hotels.
“Most of these women are from remote villages in India and are illiterate; they are shocked at what they see here. Some accept their fate as breadwinners for their families, while others commit suicide.
“Only a small percentage of those who reach out receive assistance.
“We encourage associations and community volunteers to report such cases so that we can together expose and punish such fraud middlemen.”
According to PLC country head Sudheer Thirunilath, many agents are abusing Bahrain’s visit visa facility.
“Because no sponsor is needed for such visas, agents use them to bring people to Bahrain on the promise of a job.
“In the majority of cases, these people end up being detained and fined; PLC has come across at least six such cases this year.”
He also stated that some businesses are illegally hiring employees on visit visas.
“We recommend that local authorities pay close attention to the issue of visit visas.”
raji@gdnmedia.bh
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