Lift ban on Iraq market

It is good to note that the Nepali government is considering lifting the ban on labor export to Iraq. We at Republica believe that the restriction, which has been in place since 2004 when 12 Nepalis were killed in a grotesque manner by Islamic militants and widely publicized all over the world, no longer serves its purpose. One, though the war-ravaged West Asian country is still far from stable, there has been a relative improvement in the law and order situation there. That is the reason why our southern neighbor, India, also decided to revoke a similar ban this May. Second, the whole purpose of the ban is in any case being defeated because more than 30,000 Nepalis are estimated to be presently working in Iraq despite the prohibition.



The concerned officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Labor and Transport Management are considering revisiting the decision after the US Contracting Command in Iraq issued a notice on July 20 that requires all Nepali workers, which effectively means every Nepali working there, to leave the country by Aug 9. If our government refrains from revoking the ban, it will do nothing more than snatching away the jobs of over 30,000 Nepalis who work there primarily as cooks, gardeners, security guards, etc, in multinational companies that sprung up after the US-led invasion of the country removed its dictator, Saddam Hussein, from power in 2003. Additionally, we do not see any logic in the ban now since the government continues to identify Afghanistan, which is equally if not a more dangerous place to be in, as a labor destination.



Revoking the ban will serve many purposes. First, it will ensure that Nepalis do not have to make a backdoor entry to Iraq, thus saving them from the clutches of many manpower companies that leave no stone unturned to squeeze out every single penny from potential workers with the promise of lucrative jobs there. An entry into Iraq through legal channels also means that the Nepali state would be in a position to ensure their rights, and protect and help them when need be. God forbid but in case of a fatal accident, the family would also be entitled to make insurance claims in addition to being guaranteed Rs 100,000 from the Nepali state.



Let us not stick to a decision that makes no sense now. If the situation in Iraq deteriorates in the future putting the lives of Nepalis at risk, we should not refrain from once again slapping a ban but common sense dictates that it must be lifted now.

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