We made World Cup happen, say migrant workers in Qatar
DOHA: Taking selfies from the stands and sitting on the grassy pitch, thousands of migrant workers gathered in a Doha stadium to watch the opening match of the first World Cup in the Middle East.
The special fan zone set up at the industrial area on the city’s outskirts includes a stadium with a giant TV screen and another big screen set up outside for an overflow crowd.
“We are here to enjoy our sweat now,” said Ronald Ssenyondo, a 25-year-old Ugandan who was rooting for Qatar on Sunday.
He had been in Qatar for two years, working long hours under the sun to finish stadiums where the tournament was being held.
“I am just overwhelmed with the things I’m seeing now,” he said.
Rights groups have accused authorities of failing to protect workers – including those who built the stadiums and hotels to host World Cup fans – from overwork, unpaid wages and poor living conditions.
The government says it has enacted labour reforms, including a minimum monthly wage of 1,000 Qatari rials, or about US$275 (RM1,260), more than many earn back home.
Some say it was the closest they would get to a game all month.
“I’m supporting my sisters and brothers in Ethiopia by sending money back, so I’m coming here because tickets are too much,” said Ali Jammal, 26, who has worked in Qatar for five years.
A nurse from Nepal, one of a handful of women watching, said she wouldn’t be able to watch any other matches because of her long shifts at a hospital.
Mohammad Ansar, a 28-year-old Indian who has been working in Qatar since earlier this year, said he was volunteering with Fifa at two of the upcoming matches, so he would get in to watch them live. — Reuters