Nepali workers safe in Bahrain

KATHMANDU, March 16: All Nepalis in Bahrain have been reported safe as of Wednesday even as the Gulf country seems to be headed toward fierce confrontation in the aftermath of military crackdown against anti-government protestors, said Nepalese Embassy in Saudi Arabia that also looks after Bahrain.



According to Deputy Chief of Mission at Nepal´s Saudi Embassy Paras Ghimire, the embassy is in constant touch with Nepalis living there. [break]



“We established contact with Nepalis living there over telephone. All Nepalis are learnt to be safe there,” Ghimire told Republica.



Ghimire, however, said that the situation in Bahrain is not favorable for repatriation of Nepali nationals. “We are in contact with them over telephone as it is not possible to go to Bahrain. Most western countries have issued advisories to their embassy officials in Saudi Arabia asking them not to go to Bahrain until the situation there becomes normal,” he further said.



Diplomats as well as others go to Bahrain -- that is some 400 kilometer away from Riyadh, the capital city of Saudi Arabia -- every weekend for shopping.



Ghimire said all Nepalis have been advised not to come out in the streets and keep food stocks with them. “There could be shortage of food if the protests continue for many days. We have come to learn that local authorities in Bahrain are mulling to open shops by using martial laws,” he further said.

Some 30,000 to 35,000 Nepali migrant workers are working in Bahrain.



Talking to Republica over phone, Lal Mani Pun, who hails from Rolpa, said business activities and transport movement have come to a standstill while army choppers have been hovering in the sky in his place in Bahrain. “There is only one place where telephone service is available. The embassy in Saudi has not responded to us. We are in a dilemma over what to do next,” he said.



Foreign Ministry officials in Kathmandu said they have been closely monitoring the situation in Bahrain and what other South Asian countries, including India and Bangladesh, are doing for the safety of their nationals in Bahrain. “We will take necessary move seeing what other South Asian countries do for their nationals,” a top official said.



Bahrain government declared a state of emergency amid simmering tension between Shia and Sunni Muslim communities demanding political and social reforms. Earlier, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar and Oman sent their troops to Bahrain at the request of Bahrain government to contain acts of violence.

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