The stereotype about wealthy Indians living in the Gulf countries is that they lead lavish, kitschy lives and build ostentatious houses back home. That is unfair. A group of Indians recently pooled in more than Rs.9 million (729,000 dirhams) to secure the release of 14 compatriots jailed in the United Arab Emirates for causing death without intention (for instance, in a road accident or at a work site). Even though these men had served out their jail terms, the local courts ruled that they would not be released until they paid the victim's family anywhere between 100,000 and 200,000 dirhams as diyat, or blood money. In Islamic law, such a payment is made in exchange for a pardon from the family members of the victim. But these men, employed as manual labourers or in other low-paying jobs, had no means to pay the amount laid down by the court. It is commendable that the Indian Community Welfare Committee, encouraged by the Indian Embassy, decided to reach out to these men. It also assisted in negotiating individual settlements, so that in some cases, the families of the victims were willing to accept less than the sum decreed by the court. In another case, an Indian hotelier in the UAE paid a diyat of 3.4 million dirhams to the family of a Pakistani man, leading to the release of 17 Indians who had been arrested for his murder in 2010. Amnesty International had taken up the cause of the 17 men, alleging torture in custody and denial of due process.
A majority of the Indians who flock to West Asian countries are semi-skilled or skilled workers; they go in the hope that their earnings, considerably higher than the wages paid at home, will help the family they have left behind lead a better life. But working in a tough, alien environment, with its own set of rules, is not without hazards. Mistakes are bound to be committed, deliberately or unintentionally. Unscrupulous recruiters are known to fleece job-seekers and leave them stranded without travel documents or any other means to fend for themselves. When a worker finds himself in trouble with the local authorities, the sense of helplessness is acute due to the unfamiliarity with the environment and the language, and a lack of awareness about processes in that country and who to contact for help. The reflex is to look towards the Indian government for assistance. But there are limits to what a diplomatic mission can do to help in cases where the host country's criminal laws are involved. Influential members of the Indian community may be better placed to help in such situations, as the initiative in the UAE has shown.
