Portugal: Spike in COVID-19 infections among migrant workers revives fears of rights abuse
"COVID-19 cases among Portugal's migrant fruit-pickers revive rights abuse concerns", 4 May 2021
Portugal's government said on Tuesday it would protect the rights of migrant fruit and vegetable pickers and keep them safe from COVID-19 after a wave of infections in the sector revived concerns over the conditions they live in. As Portugal entered the final phase of easing a national lockdown last week, sanitary cordons were imposed in the southern municipality of Odemira, where hundreds of plastic-covered greenhouses rely on migrant labour to operate...
...To tackle the issue, the government has temporarily taken over a private eco resort in Odemira, where migrants considered high-risk contacts can self-isolate. Those who test positive for COVID-19 will be transferred to local lodging...
...Many of the migrant workers - from countries such as Nepal, India and Bangladesh and also eastern Europe - live in packed living quarters with few amenities.
Prime Minister Antonio Costa has said the conditions migrants live in are a risk to public health and a "blatant violation of human rights".
Rights groups say authorities have for years turned a blind eye to problems migrants endure, from unpaid work to having their identity documents confiscated...