The Hindu : Kerala News : Fighting injustice from Libyan firm

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jul 23, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

Fighting injustice from Libyan firm

By Biju Govind

KOZHIKODE, JULY 22. Incidents of injustice meted out to migrant workers from the Indian sub-continent in the Middle East may not be that uncommon. It seems that things are hardly any better in Libya, as K.V. Noorudheen would testify.

This native of Kozhikode worked as leather-cutting-knife-die-maker with the Rata Footwear Leather Factory, a Government unit in Libya, from 1980 to 2000. Though he met with two accidents while on duty, the management denied him the retirement benefits as well as the relief and compensation packages.

He has now approached the Libyan President, Col. Muammar Abu Minyar al Qadhafi, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Louise Arbour, seeking help. ``I believe the Libyan President will help me as I had worked for that country for nearly two decades,'' said Mr. Noorudheen, who returned home in January 2004 after fighting a series of legal battles for nearly three years in Libya.

The accidents

Mr. Noorudheen met with an accident while on duty on May 6, 1993. His left hand was crushed and seriously injured with multiple fractures from shoulder to wrist. Apart from a surgery, the doctors performed bone grafting on his hand. After recovering from the injuries, he rejoined duty for the same post.

Unfortunately, he met with a similar accident in 1997. On the same hand with fracture and injuries. Despite the doctors attached to the Libyan Medical Committee declared him ``45 per cent disable,'' Mr. Noorudheen joined duty at the Government-run leather unit because of financial problems. He worked in the company till 2000. At the time of final settlement, the company refused to disburse gratuity to him, said Mr. Noorudheen, who was directly recruited from India.

Court cases

He was forced to seek refuge in the judiciary in Libya when he felt that the management was violating labour laws and the rights of the migrant workforce. After many trials, a local court delivered the judgment in his favour. But the management moved the High Court and when it also gave a favourable verdict the management appealed before the Supreme Court of Libya.

More than a year ago, the Supreme Court reverted the case to the High Court. ``It is now pending before the Misurata High Court. I am sending a petition to the Union Minister of State for External Affairs, E. Ahamed, to expedite the legal process,'' he said.

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