Slaves of Saudis

Joy C Raphael’s book, Slaves of Saudis: Terrorisation of foreign workers, on abusive treatment of migrant workers in Saudi Arabia is an eye-opener for many of us. After all, these ‘things’ don’t happen to us; and so, we go to bed at night without a worry.

I say ‘eye-opener’ because, in spite of hearing rumours from fellow Indians who’ve been to the Gulf on work and shared some of their stories with us, or even after reading reports in newspapers and magazines or watching coverage on TV, we’ve never grasped the seriousness of these acts – or should I say, crimes – against migrant workers in Saudi Arabia and the predicament of the people who are hurt by these heinous crimes.

What crimes are we talking about? Well, we needn’t visit the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia or scour the internet for data. Joy C Raphael’s book Slaves of Saudis: Terrorisation of foreign workers – published by Turtle Books, an imprint of Zen Publications – gives us story after cruel story on the abuse and punishment meted out to migrant workers in Saudi Arabia.

In eighteen quick-to-read chapters in Slaves of Saudis, Raphael narrates the predicament of naïve low-wage workers lured into chasing employment in Saudi Arabia with better pays and hopes of a better life back home. Many of these migrant workers are Indians; many are Pakistanis, Sri Lankans, Filipinos, Bangladeshis, among others. An estimate quoted by Raphael in the beginning of the book suggests seven million people.

A majority (if not all, at some point or the other) of this seven million ‘foreign worker’ population in Saudi Arabia suffer from uncertainty, forced work without pay, beatings, starvation, torture, rape, jail sentences, whippings, murders, and even executions (beheadings) delivered by their employers, the Mutawas (i.e. Saudi Arabia’s moral police), and the State justice system. In many cases, the Royalty (i.e. the Princes), the Police and the State justice department are complicit in these crimes.

The Saudis seem to have a general disdain for migrant workers. In one of the chapters in the book, Raphael narrates “Most royals treat their employees with total contempt and disregard for their rights as human beings. Servants are usually confined to their quarters in the palaces in which they live throughout their period of service. Perhaps the only time they are allowed out is during the drive to the airport to board planes to their countries for a vacation.”

The execution of a 24-year-old Sri Lankan domestic worker in January 2013 did capture the attention of the international Press and shocked the world, but this is one among many tales of crimes against, and punishment of, migrant workers in Saudi Arabia. Not to mention the hundreds of suicides which result from unbearable torture, punishment, humiliation and shame.

What’s important about Raphael’s book Slaves of Saudis is that it brings forth a sample of the thousands of untold stories which would have never seen the light of day. Thanks to Raphael, a senior journalist who has worked in Saudi Arabia for over 14 years, now these crimes against migrant workers in Saudi Arabia will be read, talked about, shared and, hopefully, investigated by human rights action groups and tried in international courts of justice.

Maybe one day (if it’s possible at all) full justice and honour will be delivered to those who’ve suffered and survived – and to their families.