JEDDAH, 9 August 2005 — Khaled Al-Abbass Al-Telmesani has attempted to settle his case with Rizwan Abdul Nabi by asking him to sign a declaration, with promises of immediate repatriation and settlement of less than half of what the Dammam Labor Court awarded him.
“Al-Telmesani told me if I sign, he will give me SR5,000 and buy me a ticket to India. I was going to sign, but when I read the paper, I refused because it is absolutely not true,” Abdul Nabi told Arab News.
Arab News was provided with a copy of the declaration that Abdul Nabi refused to sign, from a source within Najo Forging Factory/Metal Industries Plant’s administration.
The declaration states: “I, Rizwan Abdul Nabi, Nationality Indian, Holder of Passport No. A-958**** do hereby declare that I have received all my salaries and benefits from my employer, Mr. Khalid Al-Telmesani, and signed a no claim declaration letter on May 3, 2005.
“Also I declare that since this date I do not have any claims or complaints against the company — Metal Industries Plant — and its employer, Mr. Khalid Al-Telmesani and manpower agent in India, G. Gheewala.
“I am sincerely apologizing for the inconvenience caused to you due to my bad attitude. Friends working under other employers advised me to take legal action against you, for my personal and illegal benefits, and misled me.
“When I contacted Mr. Essam Al-Ghalib, from Arab News, he misled me by giving me wrong advice and he published twisted facts. He assured me that by putting pressure on my employer we can blackmail him to give me more money. This declaration is signed today 30/7/2005 by me and whatever I have stated here is true and correct and made with my full knowledge without any threat, coercion or pressure.”
According to Abdul Nabi, he was asked to sign the declaration and provide an impression of his left thumbprint, but when he refused, Al-Telmesani said, “Then you will remain in Saudi Arabia for as long as it takes.” When contacted by Arab News, Al-Telmesani refused to comment. The plight of workers at Najo Forging Factory/ Metal Industries plant, first came to Arab News’ attention by way of a detailed e-mail providing the names, nationalities and the dispositions of laborers who either ran away from the company, or left without collecting their dues.
A check of Labor Court records showed that Abdul Nabi had indeed won his case in the Dammam Labor Court, and that there were other cases filed by other laborers against Al-Telmesani. Telephone conversations with former and current employees of Al-Telmesani, including one Saudi, also revealed a pattern of non-payment and labor law violations that some have described as being, “like modern-day slavery.”
Documentation supporting Rizwan Abdul Nabi’s claims against Al-Telmesani was also provided by the Indian Embassy in support of Abdul Nabi’s claims. In addition, Arab News contacted several creditors who have done business with Al-Telmesani’s group of companies, and they also claim that they have been owed thousands of riyals since last year. One creditor is a manpower services company that provides laborers for Al-Telmesani’s factory — other than those under Al-Telmesani’s sponsorship. Their supervisor told Arab News that he too knows about the plight of Al-Telmesani’s laborers from his own workers.
All telephone conversations were recorded and Arab News has all supporting documentation in its possession. Abdul Nabi is currently preparing for a meeting with Deputy Governor of the Eastern Province, Prince Jiluwi ibn Abdul Aziz ibn Musaed scheduled for next week.
