UAE- We just want to go back home say workers rescued from bus

Date

12/22/2015 8:42:15 PM

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times)

Eight of the 23 workers who were forced to live inside a bus for 12 days may return to their home countries on Wednesday Khaleej Times has learnt.

Twenty-three workers of a contracting company called Qasr Al Ameer were left in a lurch after their owner fled the country 50 days ago without paying the workers. They were forced to live inside a bus for over a fortnight with little access to food and water.

The company's sponsor Abdullah told Khaleej Times that paperwork for eight of the 23 men has already been processed and they are working to purchase air tickets for the men and repatriate them as early as Wednesday.

After the intervention of the Ministry of Labour and the Dubai Police Human Rights Department last Thursday the men were moved to labour accommodations in Sharjah and Dubai. Abdullah said the men will be given one month's salary. He said the paperwork was taking time as the Ministry of Labour found that the visas and identity cards of the workers have expired.

"Since the owner did not process any of their paperwork hefty penalties have been issued by the ministry which (have) to be cleared."

Dubai dream now a nightmare

Many of the workers went to great lengths to get to Dubai for work. Bhuvneshwar Mishra from India sold his ancestral land and mother's jewellery to get a job visa to the UAE. However his Dubai dream turned into a nightmare.

The men have not been informed about the visas or passports but they are hopeful.

"We are living in Sharjah as of now and we are feeling positive that our visas will be cancelled and we will be given tickets to fly back home ... We just want to go back home" said Mishra.

Another Indian national Arun Mishra said: "It has been a long wait and we are tired. Though our living conditions have improved we just want to go back home to our families now. "We are very thankful for the help from Indian national and social worker Girish Pant. He helped us out with food and water when no one else did."

Pant an employee of a company in Jebel Ali drove to help the men almost every day for the 12 days they were in a bus.

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