Have 1200 World Cup workers really died in Qatar?

According to reports, nearly 1,200 World Cup workers have died in Qatar, most being migrant workers. Nearly 60% of the workers are migrants from India and Nepal. They are subjected to low pay, long hours in the heat of Qatar, and there are many barriers in place to keep them from leaving Qatar. While this number is quite astounding, we also have to be aware that these 1200 workers have not all been working on construction. The death toll also includes workers who have died of natural causes, like heart attacks. Also, Qatar is a quite wealthy country, and although the death toll is staggering, we also have to remember that workers from Nepal and India are poor. If in India working similar jobs, the death toll may be just as high. However, this statistic is very concerning. While preparing for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, only10 people died. Obviously, there needs to be an investigation into what is happening in Qatar, but we also need to account for the fact that it most likely is not completely due to the harsh conditions in Qatar.

By Hannah Higgins
From http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-33019838