Nepal government lifts Iraq working ban Aug-16-2010

The government in Nepal has lifted a ban that prohibited Nepalis from seeking work in Iraq.

The ban had left 30,000 Nepalis already in Iraq at risk of losing their jobs because of a demand by the US for contractors to prove that their staff were in Iraq legitimately.

The ban was introduced in 2004 when 12 Nepalis working in Iraq were killed.

Correspondents say the comparatively high wages made tens of thousands defy the ban.

The government said it took the decision to protect the interests of migrant workers in Iraq after the US Central Command directed all companies working for it to remove workers not in compliance with local, international and US laws.