A Filipino Catholic nun waves a “red card” for Qatar for alleged lack of respect for human rights and for reportedly exploiting migrant workers ahead of the World Cup that will open on November 20.
In football, a “red card” is shown by a referee to signify that a player must be sent off the field of play immediately for violating the game’s rules.
In a campaign launched by the German Catholic Church, Filipino Benedictine nun Mary John Mananzan nun waved a red card to protest Doha’s “policy based on exploitation.”
In recent days, Germany’s professional soccer leagues have been marked by protests against the World Cup to condemn alleged FIFA corruption and human rights abuses in the Gulf Arab country.
A report on AsiaNews said that in past 10 years, about 6,500 immigrants from India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka have died in Qatar.
The report said many worked in 50 degree temperatures and extremely poor living conditions.
Situations of exploitation bordering on slavery do not only concern the workers of the World Cup, but also many foreign domestic workers employed by wealthy families, the report said.
Missio also denounced the alleged abuse and rape that “nine out of 10 women” suffer in the emirate.
Last month, Qatar’s ruler said criticism over his country’s hosting of the FIFA World Cup was “slander.”
“Since we had the honor of hosting the World Cup, Qatar has been the target of an unprecedented campaign that no other host country has suffered,” said Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani.
FIFA awarded the 2022 World Cup to Qatar in 2010, with Qatar’s rulers spending tens of billions of euros on the event which will take place from November 20 to December 18.
The energy-rich, Middle Eastern country has been repeatedly criticized over the treatment of migrant workers, women and the LGBT+ community in the run-up to the World Cup.
