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A28 WORLD NEWS
Friday 24 april 2020
Virus traps, sickens foreign laborers in Gulf Arab states

By JON GAMBRELL and AYA dreds of migrant workers
BATRAWY were quarantined after an
Associated Press unknown number contract-
DUBAI, United Arab Emir- ed COVID-19, the disease
ates (AP) — Long a lifeline caused by the coronavirus.
for families back home, mi- Saudi Arabia also noted the
grant workers in oil-rich Gulf danger of the virus spread-
Arab states now find them- ing in housing for laborers.
selves trapped by the coro- It's a crisis striking Singapore
navirus pandemic, losing as well.
jobs, running out of money Gulf countries have intro-
and desperate to return duced amnesty periods
to their home countries as for workers whose visas
COVID-19 stalks their labor and residencies expire dur-
camps. ing the pandemic. Several
Whether on the island of have ordered firms to pro-
Bahrain, hidden in the in- vide food and accommo-
dustrial neighborhoods be- dation to migrant workers
hind Dubai's skyscrapers or who've been furloughed,
in landlocked cities of Sau- though laborers have been
di Arabia, a growing num- vulnerable to abuse for de-
ber of workers have con- cades. Countries also have
tracted the virus or been In this Thursday, April 16, 2020 photo, a laborer looks out the window of his living quarters in the Al promised free treatment for
forced into mass quaran- Quoz neighborhood of Dubai, United Arab Emirates. any confirmed case of the
tines. Many have been put Associated Press. virus, regardless of citizen-
on unpaid leave or fired. ers out. "Our job is gone bia and the UAE, as well teeming with highways, ship.
The United Arab Emirates and we need to move." as in Jordan and Lebanon, skyscrapers, luxury hotels Access to health care,
is even threatening the la- It's a cruel fate for the mil- according to U.N. figures. and marbled malls. Others however, remains an issue.
borers' home countries that lions of mostly South Asian Foreigners far outnumber work as cleaners, drivers, In Dubai's industrial Al Quoz
won't take them back with migrants who left their locals in the Gulf states, waiters and in jobs tradi- neighborhood, an Associ-
possible quotas on workers homes. They've missed accounting for over 80% tionally shunned by locals. ated Press journalist recent-
in the future — something priceless years and family of the population in some Women often find jobs as ly saw more than 20 people
that would endanger a milestones for more lucra- countries. nannies or maids. who were worried that they
crucial source of remittanc- tive wages in the Gulf. Gulf states have increased The virus represents a new had the virus standing for
es for South Asian countries. Their work is essential for the coronavirus testing for resi- danger, especially in their hours in the rain outside a
Workers like Hunzullah region that hosts them and dents and citizens alike. living quarters. Krishna Ku- private clinic, waiting to be
Khaliqnoor, an IT manager for their home countries. The UAE, for example, says mar, the head of the Abu seen.
from Peshawar, Pakistan, Their remittances are a life- 10,000 workers are being Dhabi-based Kerala Social In a statement to the AP,
who shares a room in Dubai line for nations like Afghani- screened daily in Abu Dha- Center, named after the clinic owner Aster DM
with his two brothers, just stan, India, Nepal, Pakistan bi's industrial district. Indian state from which Healthcare said it hadn't
wants to escape. and the Philippines. Many of the migrants hold many laborers come, said "observed any unprec-
Khaliqnoor said he has Some 35 million laborers low-paying construction up to 10 workers share a edented queues at any of
been pleading daily with work in the six Arab Gulf jobs, laboring in scorch- room in some labor camps our clinics" and followed "all
the Pakistani Consulate to states of Bahrain, Kuwait, ing heat to transform the in the region. measures of social distanc-
fly him and one of his broth- Oman, Qatar, Saudi Ara- region's deserts into cities In Bahrain and Qatar, hun- ing." q

Saudi Arabia announces start of Ramadan after sighting moon

ing Egypt, the United Arab state-run WAM news agen- the beginning of the holy
Emirates and Jordan, de- cy. month.
clared that the holy month Oman said the fasting Muslims follow a lunar cal-
of Ramadan — when the month will begin on Sat- endar, and a moon-sight-
faithful observe a dawn-to- urday as the sultanate’s ing methodology can lead
dusk fast — would begin on religious authority did not to different countries de-
Friday, based on a moon- sight the crescent moon on claring the start of Rama-
sighting methodology. Thursday evening. In Iran, dan a day or two apart.
This year, the coronavirus Ramadan is expected to The Ramadan fast, in which
pandemic has cut off the begin on Saturday as well. food and water are prohib-
world’s 1.8 billion Muslims In Lebanon, the Supreme ited during daylight hours,
from their cherished Rama- Shiite Council announced is intended to bring the
dan rituals as health offi- that moon sighting was faithful closer to God and
cials battle to ward off new not possible on Thursday, remind them of those less
infections during Islam’s indicating that Ramadan fortunate.
holiest month, when large would begin for the com- While fasting, Muslims must
Clerics of Pakistan's Moon Sighting Committee search the sky gatherings and family cel- munity on Saturday. also abstain from sex, gos-
with a telescope for the new moon that signals the start of the ebrations are a tradition. The Sunnis in Lebanon are sip and cursing. The faithful
Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, in Karachi, Thursday, April The Saudi statement came due to begin their fast- are encouraged to spend
23, 2020. on the kingdom’s state-run ing on Friday, alongside time in contemplation,
Associated Press. Saudi Press Agency while a smaller group of Shiites prayer, reading the Quran
DUBAI, United Arab Emir- and some other Muslim- the Emiratis made the an- who rely on astronomical and charity during the
ates (AP) — Saudi Arabia majority nations, includ- nouncement through their calculations to determine day.q