WORKERS INVOLVED IN LABOR PROTEST DEPORTED

C O N F I D E N T I A L MUSCAT 001046 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP, G/TIP, AND DRL DEPARTMENT FOR LABOR FOR JAMES RUDE E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/14/2017 TAGS: PHUM PREL KCRM KWMN SMIG ELAB MU SUBJECT: WORKERS INVOLVED IN LABOR PROTEST DEPORTED REF: MUSCAT 01004 Classified By: Ambassador Gary A. Grappo for Reasons 1.4 b/d ¶1. (C) Three weeks after a reportedly violent demonstration by 500-600 Indian and Nepalese workers of the al-Nebha cleaning company against alleged contract violations and poor living conditions (reftel),contacts report that there have been no further protests and that the situation at the company's employee housing compound is calm. A diplomat at the Indian Embassy in Muscat told poloff that al-Nebha workers are being "quiet and cautious" since the Royal Oman Police (ROP) disbanded the protest and detained 12 men for allegedly instigating violence, and that there has been no official resolution of the workers' claims against the firm. ¶2. (C) According to the Indian Embassy, all ten of the detained Indian nationals -- whose case had been referred to the Public Prosecutor -- were deported after al-Nebha submitted an official letter stating it would not press charges against them for allegedly damaging company property during the demonstration. A representative of the Indian Embassy met with the workers at the airport and watched them depart under their own volition. The company reportedly paid them any outstanding salary before they were deported. (Note: Poloff was unable to confirm the status of the two Nepalese workers who also were detained; Ministry of Manpower (MOM) contacts state, however, that all 12 workers were deported together. End Note.) ¶2. (C) In response to a direct inquiry from poloff, the Director General of the MOM's Directorate of Labor Care, Saleh Alamri, stated that the MOM has talked with al-Nebha officials about the incident, but has not initiated a formal investigation into conditions at the camp or the company's treatment of its workers. Alamri expounded that based on discussions with al-Nebha, it appears that the protest resulted from a "misunderstanding." He quickly added, however, that the MOM is concerned that the basic monthly salary of 35 Omani Riyal (OR) - USD 91 - paid by al-Nebha to its low-skilled, expatriate workers is too low. Alamri also said that he intends to sit down with both sides to resolve any continuing problems and will ask the company's owner to raise the minimum salary to 60 OR/month - USD 156 - plus lodging and food, which, he opined, should help improve conditions considerably. ¶3. (C) Comment: It appears that the MOM is viewing the protest at al-Nebha as an isolated event, rather than symptomatic of the larger issue of poor working conditions and terms for many of Oman's low-skilled, expatriate workers. While Alamri said he would request a raise in al-Nebha's minimum basic wage, he added that his directorate does not plan to review expatriate salaries for similar work in other companies unless he "receives complaints." According to the Indian diplomat with whom poloff spoke, the Indian Embassy may also be willing to ignore larger, more fundamental labor and trafficking-in-persons (TIP) issues that may have played a role in the workers' protest. Post will continue to follow and assess the Omani government's handling of this matter and, at the appropriate time, address it in our discussions with Omani authorities to advance components of our labor and anti-TIP agendas. End Comment. GRAPPO