Reflections on the Kuwait tragedy
The only thing that separates those of us who enjoy the luxuries of the Gulf as visitors or businesspersons and those who live and work in deplorable conditions is a stroke of fortune.
Just at the time when the oil boom began in the Persian Gulf, my grandfather’s brother decided to move to his El Dorado- Kuwait. Chandra Elayacha, as we called him, chose to shun the path of studying extra hard and attempting to get a secure government or bank job and move to a totally unfamiliar land to seek his fortune.
He found his success in Kuwait, decades before the first Gulf War, building a beautiful modern house in Palakkad with all the latest electronic items at a time when even a stereo was considered a luxury. Chandra Elayacha was generous and hospitable and made sure that he would bring gifts for as many relatives as possible when he came to Kerala on holiday.
Hearing of his success, others chose to migrate to wealthy Kuwait and try and make it there, all so that they could come back and build the home of their dreams. The economic boom in the Gulf has been a great leveller in Kerala. Men who toiled in difficult conditions ensured there was inter-generational wealth to be passed down and that their children would get access to the best schools in the country. If caste networks kept prosperity in the hands of the few, the Gulf boom spread that across the state. This is primarily why there is virtually no visible poverty in Kerala.
As a child in 1980s Palakkad, I used to enjoy my summer visits to Chandra Elayacha’s house, but I had no idea what he did for a living. None of us really know how hard he had to struggle to get where he did. This is also the case for millions of other children who benefited directly from the sacrifices made by their fathers.
This Gulf diaspora of Malayalis is the toast of India. They get a lot of praise for the remittances that are sent to the country and the nation fondly remembers how they subscribed to government debt way back in 1991 when India was on the verge of financial ruin. But what do we know about the vast majority of these workers who live in the Gulf?
The privileged among us fly to places like Dubai and transit through Doha and admire the wealth, luxury and modern infrastructure of the GCC countries. Wealthy Indians go on long weekends there to escape from the pollution, dirt and noise of the motherland. How many such people even appreciate the fact that the Gulf countries are the way they are because of the blood, sweat and tears of Indians who have not always gotten the best deal.
The only thing that separates those of us who enjoy the luxuries of the Gulf as visitors or businesspersons and those who live and work in deplorable conditions is a stroke of fortune. The onus is on every privileged Indian to speak up for the rights of the working class both in the Gulf and in India. There is absolutely no reason for a country swimming in money to allow workers to live in dangerous and unsanitary conditions.
It’s great to have new and fancy temples, diverse Indian cuisine and a greater degree of respect for “white collar” Indians in that part of the world, but not one person should be made to live in a place without basic hygiene and safety standards. What’s worse is the fact that many a time it is an Indian responsible for the poor conditions that workers are subjected to.
Over the years, Indian missions in the Gulf have worked hard to protect the rights of working class Indians in the region. A lot more has to be done, and now that the Indian government’s stature is at an unprecedented high in the region, this must be leveraged to ensure proper safeguards for any person going to work in the Gulf from India.
It is a great tragedy that even after five decades since the advent of the Gulf boom, Kerala simply does not offer enough opportunities for those with high aspirations. As we mourn our brethren, both blue collar and white collar, who died in the terrible Kuwait fire last week, let us also reflect on where we have gone wrong as a society.
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