I knew there had been many migrant workers killed on world cup sites but was severely and profoundly shocked to hear on Channel 4 last night that 1,200 had been killed to date while working on world cup projects in Qatar.
This is slaughter on a truly frightening and grand scale and means the utterly corrupt and repulsive Mr Blatter and other FIFA Officials, as well as the Qatar government, have the blood of these workers on their hands. When I think of the grief and suffering this must mean for the families and friends of these dead workers, and the thousands who must have been maimed, I feel like weeping. Serious injuries always accompany figures for deaths on site. These are the main reasons why the vile corruption and Blatter and FIFA must be stopped now! The beautiful game has become the killing game!
This is also why work on World Cup projects in Qatar should also be stopped now – or, at the very least, until the Swiss Inquiry into how Qatar managed to get the World Cup is completed and the results are published. And if it is decided to restart building projects then steps must be taken to ensure NOT ONE more building worker is killed or seriously maimed.
This means these workers must have strong democratic site union organisation, which protects their lives and limbs from those who currently profiteer from their labour while they kill and maim them! If this is not guaranteed then NO WORK should take place!
29th May, 2015
For other articles by Brian Higgins see:-
http://republicancommunist.org/blog/2015/04/09/blacklisted/
http://republicancommunist.org/blog/2013/01/01/collusion-and-betrayal/
http://republicancommunist.org/blog/2010/09/06/brian-higgins-anti-blacklist-campaign/