Nepal to send fact finding team to Afghanistan to study about Nepalese migrant workers

The Nepalese government is sending a fact finding mission to Afghanistan to study on the attack on Nepalese security guards killing 13 of them and status of Nepalese staying in the war-torn country, a cabinet Minister said on Saturday.

As many as 12 Nepalese and two Indian nationals working as security guards in Canadian embassy in Kabul were killed instantly in a Taliban attack on June 20 while another injured Nepalese national died a few days later. Six Nepalese had been injured in the attack.

After the Nepalese died in the attack, Nepal government has banned sending workers in war-torn four countries -- Afghanistan, Syria, Libya and Iraq. Those who have come home on a leave can however go there under their own risk and under strict travel advisory.

Minister for Labour and Employment Deepak Bohora told the parliament on Saturday that a government team would go to Kabul within a few days. A team representing Ministry of Labour and Employment, Department of Immigration and Nepal Police will go to Kabul, said the Minister.

According to Bohora, the government was preparing to send the fact finding team as the Nepalese working even in the so-called 'green zone' were killed in the attack. Nepal does not have its own diplomatic mission in Afghanistan and Nepal's Pakistan-based embassy oversees the Afghanistan affairs.

Before the latest ban was imposed, Nepal was permitting to send workers to Afghanistan to work only inside the green zone only where United Nations and other international organization as well as diplomatic agencies have their work stations.

The Nepal government does not have exact number of its citizens working in Afghanistan. Over the last 10 years, about 8,800 Nepalese have gone to Afghanistan after taking permit from the government authorities, according to Ministry of Labour and Employment.

But, the government officials believe more Nepalese have been working in Afghanistan as many enter the war torn country illegally through Gulf countries and most of the Nepalese there work there as security guards. 
Source:XINHUA