UAE Offers Conflicting Figures on Construction Worker Deaths at Dubai Expo
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After over 240 million hours of work on the construction site, several deaths, and dozens of injuries, the UAE government denies laborers justice by not revealing the actual death toll of construction workers.
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A worker passes in front of the Sustainability Pavilion at the under-construction site of the Expo 2020 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on October 8, 2019 (AP)
The UAE authorities gave Saturday conflicting figures over the number of workers killed on-site during the construction of the Dubai Expo 2020. Dubai first said five workers died during the construction and later on changed the toll to three.
Officials also said more than 70 workers sustained severe injuries on the construction site. However, the authorities insisted that the safety standards were "world-class."
The initial figures were a "mistake," said Expo in a later statement, in which it also apologized. The 'clarification' came after months of refusing to publicly provide figures regarding casualties on the construction site, as Dubai had a public image to maintain. The purpose of the Expo was to draw visitors to the country and polish its reputation abroad.
The project cost nearly $7 billion, and it saw more than 200,000 workers partaking in its construction, as it spanned 1,083 acres (nearly 4.4 km2).
Human Rights Violations
The inconsistent statements coming from the UAE come as the country faces criticism over its flagrant violations of human rights, especially regarding its poor treatment of low-paid migrant workers from Africa, Asia, and West Asia - the backbone of the UAE's economy.
"Unfortunately, there have been three work-related fatalities, 72 serious injuries to date," an Expo statement said, calling the welfare of laborers its "top priority."
The Expo took more than 247 million work hours while bragging that the frequency of accidents was lower than the UK's.
European Parliament Boycotts Expo 2020
Ahead of the UAE revealing the inconsistent figures, the European parliament called for a boycott of the Expo, also criticizing the UAE's human rights record and "inhumane" practices towards immigrant laborers.
Businesses and construction companies were "coercing workers into signing untranslated documents, confiscating their passports, exposing them to extreme working hours in unsafe weather conditions, and providing them with unsanitary housing," the resolution last month said.
The UAE barred laborers from unionizing, and they have minimal protections. They are seen working long hours in return for little pay while living in harsh conditions. Despite all this, foreign workers still head to the UAE with the aspiration of making more than they could at home, and this is severely abused by the Gulf country. Workers have their residency status tied to their jobs, giving them little power while giving their employers an exceptional amount.
Yet Another French Gaffe
In light of the controversies France is currently facing, such as President Macron questioning the existence of an Algeria prior to French colonization and Paris reducing the number of visas available for Algerians, Moroccans, and Tunisians, the French Foreign Minister sparked another one when he announced that Paris was "not part" of the European Parliament resolution urging the boycott of the 6-month world fair.
"Our relation with the United Arab Emirates is a strategic one, it’s very close," Jean-Yves Le Drian said when asked about concerns over labor abuses on site. "If we need to say something to the United Arab Emirates’ government, we do so behind closed doors."
