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Thirteen Indian men lured to Niue on the promise of work and alleged promises of eventual New Zealand residency have been returned to their home country - at Kiwi taxpayers' expense.
Sikh Council spokesman Daljit Singh told the Weekend Herald nine of the men had this week been returned home on flights paid for by the New Zealand Government. They were due to arrive in India yesterday afternoon.
Two others had left Niue in the past month, while another two remained on the island and were in paid employment as an electrician and mechanic.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade could not confirm the cost of the flights yesterday.
Mr Singh said the men - who are understood to have paid tens of thousands of dollars for the privilege - travelled to Niue on the understanding they would receive up to $1200 a month in wages, and after two years be
eligible to move to New Zealand.
Bryan Smith, High Commissioner to Niue, said the men had been told they would be given shelter and jobs on an established vanilla farm, but on arrival were told to begin clearing bush to start the plantation, and given dilapidated buildings to live in.
In a May interview transcript passed to the Herald this week, one of the men - Rudhe Sham - outlined the group's situation.
"We came here about 20 months ago.
"We came from India via Korea, Fiji and Samoa to Niue. We each gave to [one of their sponsors] $25,000. He arranged travel. The charter flight from Samoa to Niue cost $25,000."
Mr Sham told the interviewer he was being paid $5 an hour, and had managed to save just $200 in 20 months.
"This is slave labour. It is working without pay. [They] used to take us to places to do work we would do but not get paid."
A representative from the International Organisation of Migration (IOM) was flown out from Canberra to assess the men's situation. The IOM then organised their return home, with New Zealand picking up the bill.
The IOM yesterday refused to discuss the matter with the Herald.
Mr Singh said the men's work was organised by three other men, two of whom were now in India. A third man - understood to be living in Auckland - could not be contacted.
New Zealand had a "free association" agreement with Niue, which was what made the New Zealand authorities assist the men, Mr Smith said. "It's part of the realm of New Zealand so what happens on Niue affects our reputation."
- additional reporting: John Andrews, NZPA
