INDIAN EMBASSY ADDRESSES LABOR ISSUES

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MUSCAT 000860 SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/ARP AND G/TIP E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/21/2018 TAGS: PHUM KTIP MU SUBJECT: INDIAN EMBASSY ADDRESSES LABOR ISSUES Classified By: Ambassador Gary A. Grappo for Reasons 1.4 (b/d). ¶1. (C) Summary: The new Indian DCM gave post an overview of the situation for Indian workers in Oman, noting the particular difficulties faced by housemaids. She also discussed her embassy's process for dealing with laborers' problems and noted that given time, the Omani government system generally resolved complaints when issues were brought to its attention. A recent MOU between India and Oman on protections for Indian workers provides a positive framework for preventing exploitation of Indian expatriates in the Sultanate. End Summary. ¶2. (C) In a December 15 meeting with poloff, the DCM of the Indian Embassy in Muscat, Dr. Swati Kulkanni, candidly acknowledged the challenges her embassy faces in caring for Indian nationals in the Sultanate. She confirmed that there are at least 500,000 Indians working in Oman, including 30,000-40,000 housemaids, and stated that caring for these individuals consumed a significant amount of time and resources. In order to efficiently address worker concerns, the Indian Embassy has an open session once a month when any Indian citizen can bring a problem or complaint to the embassy and discuss it with an appropriate official, including the DCM and Ambassador if desired. She said that roughly 60 workers would come to each session, some of whose stories were "atrocious." (Note: Both Kulkanni and the Indian Ambassador have invited post to attend and observe these sessions. End Note.) ¶3. (C) Remarking that their situation was "easily exploited," Kulkanni addressed the specific problems faced by housemaids. To help prevent future labor problems among domestic workers, approximately one year ago the Indian Embassy began to require sponsors of new Indian housemaids to submit a copy of the contract to the embassy for attestation before the maid could travel to the Sultanate. This process includes verification that the contract salary meets the India-imposed minimum wage of 75 Omani Rials (USD 195) per month. Although it only applies to new maids, Kulkanni thought this requirement had improved the situation for domestic workers. The Indian government also does not allow women under the age of 30 to come as maids to Oman in order that they be old enough to know how to "manage themselves." Kulkanni commented that problems for maids seem to be worse in the interior of Oman and shared that India had considered prohibiting Indians from working in Oman as housemaids, but that this was not feasible as India was a democracy and many Indians know of positive stories of maids making good money in Oman. ¶4. (C) Kulkanni confirmed that the Indian community in Oman runs a non-official shelter in Muscat primarily for run-away housemaids, which usually houses about 5-10 people at one time. She said that her embassy only recommends the shelter to people who are in dire need, as the embassy has to support them financially while they are there. She further noted that the embassy had requested permission from the Omani government to open a shelter in the southern city of Salalah, but that the government denied the request on the grounds that it was in the process of establishing its own shelters. ¶5. (C) Kulkanni described the Omani labor bureaucracy as very slow. However, she also expressed favorable surprise at the many positive outcomes of labor complaints. She stated that most issues brought to the attention of the Omani government by or on behalf of Indian workers were eventually resolved to the embassy's satisfaction. When asked if the Ministry of Manpower's hotline for labor disputes was effective, she said she had not heard of any complaints and therefore assumed "no news was good news." Kulkanni recounted a specific case in which an Indian laborer had allegedly been badly beaten by his sponsor. As the sponsor was the son of a member of the Majlis Oman (the Sultanate's proto-legislature),the Indian embassy did not expect the sponsor to be punished and was accordingly very pleased to learn that he was both prosecuted and convicted by an Omani court. ¶6. (C) Kulkanni asked several times if the U.S. had experienced similar labor-related problems for its citizens in Oman. When told no, she seemed surprised at the USG interest in the problems of Indian expatriates. As the conversation progressed, she noted the number of goals that the U.S. and India had in common and agreed to work with post when possible. She was surprised to hear that labor unions were legal in Oman and was anxious to find ways to communicate this fact to laborers. She also said that she would like to get the Omani government to encourage a "best practices" model for residence facilities for laborers MUSCAT 00000860 002 OF 002 (locally known as "labor camps"),an idea that post has pursued with the Omanis. She further expressed desire to meet and coordinate strategy with the labor attaches of other labor source countries, including at semi-regular lunches for the attaches hosted by post. ¶7. (C) Kulkanni gave poloff a copy of the recent memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed between India and Oman outlining a strategy to increase opportunities and protections for Indian workers in Oman. Although both the Indian Ambassador and the DCM have managed our expectations down regarding the MOU, it had some noteworthy positive points. For example, in outlining the process for hiring new Indian workers, it calls for contracts authenticated by the Ministry of Manpower that state salary, end of service benefits, leave entitlement and information on accommodation and transportation. The MOU further outlines a dispute resolution process for employers and employees including legal recourse to the courts for either party. The agreement also establishes a six-person committee to meet at least annually to address labor issues and specifies that one of its official functions is "to exchange information that will prevent illegal recruitment and trafficking." ¶8. (C) Comment: While Kulkanni -- who has only been in Oman for three months -- noted the same difficulties post often faces in the availability of Omani officials for meetings on labor matters, she readily admitted that, overall, the labor complaint process seemed to work if given time and especially if foreign embassies are willing to intervene in specific cases. Kulkanni also confirmed that her boss, the new Indian Ambassador, is more focused on the issues of Indian workers in Oman and more willing to address their problems with the Omani government than his predecessor. One Indian who is active in charitable work for migrant workers in Oman told poloff that this ambassador makes her "proud to be Indian" due to the way he is dealing with these problems. End Comment. GRAPPO