Press Release
13th March 2019
Abandonment. A Pattern of Human Rights Abuse.
“My Uncle is a strong man, but he does not have any hope left. His only hope has been to stay sane and to get back some of the wages that are owed to him to take home.”
London UK. Following the publication on the 8th March of the first family statement and case study on behalf of abandoned Indian seafarers off the UAE coast, today Human Rights at Sea publishes the second case on behalf of Chief Engineer Gorropotu Venkatarao.
On arrival in Sector 11, East Navi Mumbai, India, the Human Rights at Sea team were met by Bharath Bylapudi, the nephew of Chief Engineer Gorropotu Venkatarao of the (MT TAMIM, IMO No:9531375, Marshall Islands flag), which at the time of writing, remains abandoned in Sharjah OPL anchorage offshore UAE after 23 months due to lack of charter.
Invited to the family apartment as the nearest family members to Mumbai during the Human Rights at Sea visit, Bharath outlined the situation faced by both the immediate, and wider family over the last 23 months. The document is the authorised family testimony.
HRAS Comment: The Trend of the ‘Second Abandonment’
The charity is witnessing an underlying trend of what it is now calling the ‘Second Abandonment‘ which the seafarer and the immediate family suffer.
This occurs when supporting family members and friends themselves run out of money, have used up all their savings and assets to assist, and are thereby put into a similar financial and mental position.
Their withdrawal of support, to a greater or lesser extent, is a second blow to the family and for the seafarer who can not help them, who is left feeling helpless. This has serious mental health implications, as well as the potential for cases of actual or attempted suicide if not addressed.
Iranian Researcher, Sayedeh Hajar Hejazi, commented: “The ripple effect of the first commercial abandonment is having far greater ramifications on the wider family unit than was previously known. We need to better understand and exposed is trend to try to stop this pattern of human rights abuse.”
The detailed testimony of the family of Chief Engineer Gorropotu Venkatarao as to the effects and consequences of his abandonment offshore the UAE for 23 months without pay and ability to see his family.
Abandonment. A Pattern of Human Rights Abuse.