Asian workers flee Kuwait

Asian workers flee Kuwait

Crowds are thronging the airport to get out

Thousands of Asians have begun leaving Kuwait after the start of US bombing in neighbouring Iraq.

Fear of attack is fuelling panic among some migrant workers, who make up two-thirds of the 2.4m population in the oil-rich Gulf state.

Indians, Pakistanis, Filippinos and Thais, among others, have spent Thursday crowding into Kuwait's small airport after the first air strikes overnight.

Police have set up roadside checkpoints to prevent passengers without tickets getting through.

"We have been waiting since 5 o'clock yesterday to go home," said Fahim, a Pakistani woman.

Everybody is trying to flee. Egyptians, Pakistanis, Indians, Bangladeshis, everybody

Mir Ahmed
Pakistani

"We have small kids and we are very worried about what Saddam might do."

The US bombing saw Iraq respond by firing missiles into Kuwait. Many foreigners there say they are afraid of chemical warfare.

"That would be the worst disaster," said Quellrilla Anthao, a 31-year-old Indian, pregnant with her second child.

"I'm really worried because my husband is still in Kuwait."

One Pakistani man said he was leaving for good after 30 years.

"I'm afraid of war. My family wants me to come home."

Special flights

Most foreigners have already left Iraq, but millions of Asian workers remain in the rich Gulf states, many as labourers or domestic workers.

For now, the exodus appears limited mainly to Kuwait.

There are 3m Indians in the Gulf

There is little sign of people fleeing other Gulf states, where jobs offer a way out of poverty at home.

Asian governments have for the time being refrained from organising mass evacuations - although plans are in place to do so should it be necessary.

Flights for those who want to leave, or are able to, are, however, being laid on.

The first of a number of special flights taking Indians home from Kuwait landed in Bombay, also called Mumbai, on Thursday.

I don't feel unsafe, but our company is playing it safe

Librato Roman
Filipino

Nepal and Pakistan are also planning to evacuate their nationals from the region.

"Everybody is trying to flee. Egyptians, Pakistanis, Indians, Bangladeshis, everybody," said a passenger who landed at Pakistan's Karachi airport.

Passports 'held'

Not everyone is able to leave, however.

They want to come back to Thailand before the war gets worse

Boonchoo Sankham
Thai worker

One Sri Lankan man told BBC News Online he had already sent his family home, but could not return with them.

"I would like to go home too, but my company has not given us back our passports."

Others say they do not feel unsafe, but are obeying their employer's orders.

"Our company has asked us to leave until the war is over," said Librato Roman, a 32-year-old from Manila who works for Hyundai.

Philippine officials say there are plans to move the 60,000 Filipinos in Kuwait to a safer place on the border with Saudi Arabia.

Thai students

Meanwhile, nearly 200 Thai workers were airlifted from Kuwait to Bangkok on Thursday.

"They want to come back to Thailand before the war gets worse," said construction worker Boonchoo Sankham.

Two more flights carrying evacuees from Kuwait and Bahrain are scheduled for Friday, Thai Airways International said.

Eight Thai students remain in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, while 30 others have been moved to border areas considered to be safe havens.

The students had earlier refused to leave Iraq because they feared they would be unable to complete their degrees.