FIFA World Cup: On posters of dead workers instead of heroes

On the posters of Qatar 2022 there are young faces, under the image of the flag of the country to which they belong and on the left a number. But the faces are not like Messi, Benzema or Lewandowski, some of the great heroes expected to attend the World Cup that kicks off on November 20 in Qatar. Citizens are from Bangladesh, Nepal and India only. While the number is not from the shirt, but the age these boys were at when they died. The posters we are talking about are published by the press project Qatar cardsan investigation that aims to tell the stories of people known to date mostly by number: 6500. It is the number of workers who, according to the British newspaper, WatchmanThey lost their lives for her stadium construction, Roads, bridges and metro in Qatar.

The idea for the posters came to Swedish journalist Martin Shippe, known for co-founding in 2015, along with Burt Staxton, the investigative platform. empty spot Thanks to the crowdfunding campaign. Along with colleagues in India and Bangladesh, the two conducted interviews with families Workers who did not return home. In the meantime, Schibbye is printing stickers to send to the top of FIFA and to World Cup sponsors. A few dozen are ready now, but the goal is to create one for each dead worker.

On the back of each card their story is told. They differ from each other, but the plot unfortunately repeats: everyone in Qatar saw an opportunity to bring the family out of misery, Many died under mysterious circumstances. Gal Singer Ray, 20, was told by the parents of Gal Singer Ray that he had hanged himself; So does Zubair Ahmed, a 32-year-old Bengali. Many deaths from heart attacks and those from “natural causes”: are not always credible, according to the families. then Accidents at workMohammed, 33, fell from the tenth floor of a building under construction, Anish, 21, in a car accident on his way to the construction site. Despite this, the company that hired him did not pay any compensation to the family.

Qatar from rights deprived to the dead on construction sites: the shadows that weigh on the World Cup

by Francesca Caveri

08 November 2022

Posted on Friday 11 November 2022