Amnesty International: Fifa compensate workers of the World Cup in Qatar

Well before gods World Cup in Qatar what happened to the public was made public workers employed to build stadiums, subjected to conditions very far from the minimum standards of legality, security and respect for human rights. According to Guardian at least 6500 of them, mainly from India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, they died for causes defined as natural by the authorities.

Even those who did not lose their lives were victims of abuse and mistreatment and forced to work in conditions of semi-slavery, with inhuman shifts and the withdrawal of their passports. The same happened during the tournament, last November. Behind the scenes though the gold of the World Cup it wasn’t so shiny and now Avaaz And Amnesty International they decided to make their voices heard and ask Fifa for the bill.

It is these days the news of the delivery at the headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland, of a letter open accompanied by one million signatures collected in 190 countries, with the request for compensation for migrant workers who have suffered abuse and the families of those who did not survive.

Along with the letter, Amnesty International officials presented some of them in the Fifa museum custom made soccer jerseys, reminiscent of the blue overalls and yellow vests worn by many of the workers involved in the construction of stadiums and other infrastructure. On the back the writing Justice for workers.

“With this gesture we ask that the organization recognize the sacrifice of migrants and that their claims for compensation are satisfied,” he said. Steve Cockburn, head of economic and social justice at Amnesty International “Although there is no substitute for the loss of a loved one, there is no doubt that FIFA has the resources to help redress these injustices and provide life-changing support for so many.”

The message is addressed in particular to the President Gianni Infantinowhich in November 2022 had announced a I earn for the Federation more than 7 billion dollars from the World Cup, about $1 billion more than expected. Overwhelmed by the criticisms, on the eve of the tournament he said he intended to find a way to compensate the injured persons, later identifying it in theestablishment of a Legacy Fund. Months later, however, there is no news on the matter and everything seems to have stopped.

The letter from Amnesty International and Avaaz urges him to use that fund and cooperate with Qatar to ensure that families of the deceased and workers who have left the country can access their compensation system remotely.

During its annual congress, underway in RwandaFifa has undertaken to evaluate the adequacy of the remedial mechanisms, currently in force, in favor of migrant workers who have suffered human rights violations in the preparation of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

“Fifa has admitted that this verification is necessary. Now it is good that I waste no time in ascertaining what is more than abundantly clear: many thousands of migrant workers have been unable to obtain reparations for the appalling human rights violations they suffered to make the World Cup possible,” he said. Steve Cockburn. “Any review FIFA undertakes, it must ensure that workers and their families are compensated for what they have suffered: illegal recruitment fees, wages stolen, lives lost. If this does not happen, FIFA will have failed in its responsibilities towards those who suffered the worst while the football government made billions in revenue.

Since the assignment of the World Cup, Qatar has begun a major urbanization and construction of new structures. In addition to the stadiums, hotels, conference centres, restaurants and many other meeting points have sprung up, which should intentionally give a new impetus to tourism. For these jobs, the conditions of the workers do not seem to have changed at all despite the fact that in recent years the country has introduced a series of labor reforms aimed at improving them.

THE check they are almost non-existent and Fifa would have inserted itself into this system of exploitation without making a particular contrast, probably hoping for little interest in the cause on the part of public opinion which, instead, according to Bieta Andemariam, legal director of Avaaz in the United States“recognized the grave injustice perpetrated against these workers and united in protest”.

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