Malagasy female migrant workers in Lebanon: an on going repatriation, is it?

Nadine Ramaroson, the HAT´s minister in charge of the population, seems a little bit overwhelmed. None of the expected results have been reached, one after she addressed the file. The repatriation of bodies with death cause reports contradicting with the Lebanese authorities´ official versions outraged the victims´ families. Casualties did fortunately not increased in number, but the return of more and more ruined people put pressure back on the government. Those ones were unable to speak, think or stand and reflected the gravity of the abuses they had to endure.

Minister Ramaroson launched the repatriation project entirely paid by the HAT anew as a response. The Malagasy authorities have registered some 512 compatriots willing to leave Lebanon. The repatriation process would cost Ar300 millions. 100 people have already recovered home soil, 15 of them were jailed in Lebanon, but released thanks to expulsion accords between both countries.

The repatriation process announced by the dictating power´s leader few months ago was a failure blamed partly on the power´s lack of international credibility and on some migrant workers´ hesitation to go back home. Agencies have, on the contrary, been sending more women to Lebanon in spite of the Population minister´s ban on such a thing. The authority has gained much more in terms of international credit in 2011, so the operation is likely to come into completion. It remains complicated, so complicated that a blow of panic is making families shudder on their own.

The union of social workers supporting the young female migrant workers on their way back home is putting pressure on the state. It outlined that all of the ladies will not be able to enter a same aircraft.”Families are in panic for expecting their daughters back. Some victims of ill-treatment still have the same boss, some others a new one, and some are homeless,” explained Jeannoda Ramandimbiarison, the Union´s president. 60 malagasy citizens are being taken care of by a catholic institute up to their repatriation.

“the fact that the state is bound to take its responsibilities is a positive thing, but this requires preparation. And we have to get a larger perspective. How are we going to send them back to their provinces? What about social and professional reinsertion issues?” addressed Jeannoda Ramandimbiarison. The Lebanese experience happened to be everything but the expected goldmine for many of these workers deemed to go home without a penny.

The Malagasy state promises judicial support to these young ladies. They are bound by working contracts; they will have to prove that they endured abuses and ill-treatments. They are in all more than 5000 working in Lebanon. Is the HAT bound to pay for 10 flights? The central issue is rather the way to improve the fate of those longing for keeping on working.