Yemens of the world

Migrants must be made aware of the perils of employment in risky destinations 

New Delhi is racing against time to halt the execution of Indian nurse Nimisha Priya in Yemen. But it’s a tough job. First, the execution, ordered under Sharia  law, is scheduled for July 16. Second, all legal appeals have been exhausted. Third, even the option of paying blood money to halt the death sentence isn’t working. Adding to complication is the fact that India does not have official diplomatic relations with Yemen’s Houthis who control the capital Sanaa where Nimisha is being detained. 

Nimisha has been sentenced for killing a Yemeni man who was her business partner but was abusing and exploiting her. Her case is a cautionary tale for Indian migrants seeking jobs in countries where rule of law and security systems are far from modern, fair or stable. This applies as much to today’s Yemen wracked by civil war as it does to Russia engaged in the Ukraine war, and lawless parts of Myanmar and Cambodia. Indian nationals have been victims of unscrupulous middlemen and human traffickers who promised lucrative jobs. Instead, they were forced to fight in the Russian army on the frontlines of the Ukraine war or operate cyber-fraud schemes from compounds in Southeast Asia. 

What makes things even more tricky is that recruiters are getting sophisticated. They are using social media to lure their victims. A 2020 UN Office on Drugs and Crime report details how traffickers are recruiting using standard webpages, online advertisements, and video streaming services to trap and blackmail their victims. The share of social media usage in confirmed trafficking recruitment cases has jumped from 32% in 2009-2011 to 52% in 2015-2018. Of course, people in search of better employment will travel abroad. In fact, this is the strength of the Indian diaspora. But better checks and govt counselling of migrants are needed before they head for risky destinations. GOI must redouble its efforts in this direction.     

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