Migrant workers in Doha have been evicted from their homes because of the upcoming World Cup. This emerges from a document from the local authorities, which is available to the NOS. The document, addressed to the owners of the apartments, says the houses must be vacated before the end of this month. The Qatari government had previously denied the eviction was related to the World Cup.

These are neighborhoods around the city center where football fans have to stay during the tournament. The document says the neighborhoods must be evacuated due to specific rules issued by world football governing body FIFA to avoid “problems” surrounding FIFA accommodations. NOS has contacted FIFA but has not yet received a response.

Reuters news agency reported yesterday that local authorities have evicted workers from their homes. Migrant workers told Reuters that people were forced from their homes in more than 10 buildings. It can be thousands of people.

The buildings mainly housed Asian and African migrant workers. According to some residents of a building in the Al Mansoura neighborhood, they were told to vacate their apartment two hours in advance.

“No relation to the World Cup”

FIFA declined to comment on the Reuters reports. The Qatar government has announced that the evictions have nothing to do with the World Cup. The operation is part of “broad current and future residential restructuring plans in Doha,” the spokesman said.

According to this spokesman, all have been moved to “a safe and appropriate alternative home”. At least one resident told Reuters that this was not true; he says he has nowhere to go.

The first World Cup game will be played in Qatar on November 20th. The country has been under scrutiny for years for possible human rights violations. The conditions under which migrant workers have to work in the country were particularly criticized.

Investigative journalists and human rights groups estimate that thousands of foreign construction workers have been killed since Qatar was awarded the 2010 World Cup. The Guardian speaks of 6,000 to 6,500 dead. Of Qatar’s three million people, 85 percent are migrant workers from countries like Bangladesh and the Philippines.