India’s help sought for evacuating Nepalese workers from Lebanon
Faced by a political instability, financial problems and the absence of a diplomatic mission in Beirut, the government of Nepal has asked India for assistance in evacuating Nepalese workers from southern Lebanon. As of 30 July, India has assisted in evacuating nearly 60 Nepalese workers from the war-torn country. Meanwhile, the state media reported one Nepalese casualty, Dambar Kumar Subedi, female, 30, who was allegedly killed in the aerial attacks in Lebanon on 14 July. The government estimates that there are more than 4,000 Nepalese workers in Lebanon, mostly women employed as blue-collar workers or domestic workers.
The Nepal Association of Foreign Employment Agencies has threatened to send workers for overseas employment via India if the government does not withdraw its decision to impose a two percent service charge on the foreign employment business. The two percent excise duty on the sector was proposed by former state minister for finance Dr. Roop Jyoti. According to the association, the excise duty would raise migration costs by at least Rs1,400 per worker.
Sources: “Foreign employment entrepreneurs warn to send workers visa India," Nepal News, 19 July 2006; IANS, “Nepal seeks India’s help to evacuate 4,000 workers from Lebanon," The Peninsula, 23 July 2006; Agencies, “Nepali woman killed in Israeli shelling," The Peninsula, 30 July 2006