Qatar says worker deaths for World Cup 'between 400 and 500'
Doha (AP): A top Qatari official involved in the country's World Cup organisation has put the number of worker deaths for the tournament "between 400 and 500" for the first time, a drastically higher number than any other previously offered by Doha.
The comment by Hassan al-Thawadi, the secretary-general of Qatar's Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, appeared to come off the cuff during an interview with British journalist Piers Morgan.
It also threatened to reinvigorate criticism by human rights groups over what the toll of hosting the Middle East's first World Cup for the migrant labour that built over
200 billion worth of stadiums, metro lines and new infrastructure needed for the tournament.
The Supreme Committee and Qatar's government did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.
In the interview, portions of which Morgan posted online, the British journalist asks al-Thawadi: "What is the honest, realistic total do you think of migrant workers who died from as a result of work they're doing for the World Cup in totality?"
"The estimate is around 400, between 400 and 500," al-Thawadi responds. "I don't have the exact number. That's something that's been discussed."
But that figure hasn't been discussed publicly previously. Reports from the Supreme Committee dating from 2014 through the end of 2021 only include the number of deaths of workers involved in building and refurbishing the stadiums now hosting the World Cup.
Those released figures put the total number of deaths at 40. They include 37 from what the Qataris describe as nonwork incidents such as heart attacks and three from workplace incidents. One report also separately lists a worker death from the coronavirus amid the pandemic.
Since FIFA awarded the tournament to Qatar in 2010, the country has taken some steps to overhaul the country's employment practices. That includes eliminating its so-called kafala employment system, which tied workers to their employers, who had say over whether they could leave their jobs or even the country.
Qatar also has adopted a minimum monthly wage of 1,000 Qatari riyals (
275) for workers and required food and housing allowances for employees not receiving those benefits directly from their employers. It also has updated its worker safety rules to prevent deaths.
"One death is a death too many. Plain and simple," al-Thawadi adds in the interview.
Activists have called on Doha to do more, particularly when it comes to ensuring workers receive their salaries on time and are protected from abusive employers.
Al-Thawadi's comment also renews questions on the veracity of both government and private business reporting on worker injuries and deaths across the Gulf Arab states, whose skyscrapers have been built by labourers from South Asia nations like India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
Mustafa Qadri, the executive director of Equidem Research, a labour consultancy that has published reports on the toll of the construction on migrant labourers, said he was surprised by al-Thawadi's remark.
"For him now to come and say there is hundreds, it's shocking," he told The Associated Press. "They have no idea what's going on." (AP)
SCYNew Delhi (PTI): Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday took a dig at the BJP, saying if the saffron party had "worked" during its rule in the city's civic body, then it wouldn't have required so many CMs and union ministers to campaign for them for the MCD election.
He said this while interacting with local residents during a door-to-door campaign in the Chirag Delhi area to seek support for the AAP ahead of the December 4 polls.
Civic polls are due on December 4 and both the AAP and BJP have exuded confidence that they will emerge victorious.
"There's garbage everywhere in the city. I'll clean the city if voted to power. The BJP abuses me day and night. We have made arrangements for water, we will take responsibility for garbage disposal too. Give one chance to AAP, and we will clean the city like never before," Kejriwal claimed.
"We will make Delhi shine," the AAP supremo told residents.
Several media persons also accompanied the chief minister during his campaign.
Exuding confidence in winning the December 4 MCD polls, Kejriwal said that the AAP will win more than 230 seats and that the BJP will get less than 20 seats.
"I can see the excitement in the citizens and I'm certain that AAP will get more than 230 seats. The BJP will not get more than 20 seats in the MCD. We talk about the work that we have done in the Delhi government but the BJP doesn't have the audacity to tell what work they have done in the MCD," he said.
Reacting to the 'sting' videos and CCTV footage of AAP Minister Satyendar Jain released by the BJP, Kejriwal said, "BJP has started a video company now. Once a week they come up with these videos. Their morning show begins at 9 am and by 12 noon it turns into a flop show."
On the BJP fielding chief ministers and Union ministers to campaign for the party ahead of the civic polls, Kejriwal said, "I've seen BJP fielding chief ministers and several other Union ministers for one municipal election. If they (BJP) would've worked in the MCD, they wouldn't have required so many ministers to campaign for them".
Union ministers Rajnath Singh and Piyush Goyal, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar have campaigned for BJP candidates in the last few days.
"And what do these ministers do? They only abuse me in their campaigns," Kejriwal alleged.
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Udupi: Vikram Gowda killed in ANF ‘encounter’ in Hebri
Udupi: Vikram Gowda, a prominent Naxal leader, was killed in a gunfight with the Anti-Naxal Force (ANF) near Seethanbailu in Kabbinakadu, Hebri, Karkala taluk, on Monday night.
According to reports, Naxal movement had been observed in the Hebri region over the past few days. Acting on these inputs, the ANF had intensified combing operations in the area. On Monday night, a group of five Naxalites reportedly arrived near Seethanbailu to collect rations when they were intercepted by the ANF team.
A gun battle ensued during which Vikram Gowda was fatally shot. The remaining four members of the group fled into the forest, evading capture.
The ANF has resumed its combing operations in the area and continues its search for the escaped Naxalites. Further details are awaited from official sources.
