Modern day slavery

Arab Times today has this wee gem reproduced below.

Expatriates bondsmen: ILO; End sponsorship system soon, GCC warned

KUWAIT CITY: The International Labor Organization (ILO) has criticized GCC countries for their sponsorship system and is planning to come up with an alternative procedure for the recruitment of expatriate workers, says Al-Rai. ILO described the sponsorship system as “an old model from the era of slavery,” saying “this allows sponsors to control their expatriate workers.” A reliable source said the existing sponsorship system has many negative points which make GCC countries a target of ILO’s criticisms, adding “although ILO has repeatedly asked GCC countries to change this system the latter have been remaining silent on this issue.” ILO has warned GCC states that the current system violates the rights of expatriate workers and leads to “Iqama trafficking” where expatriates are forced to buy residence permits to get jobs, he noted.

The source also said “ILO feels the sponsorship system is affecting the economy of GCC states by doubling the number of unwanted expatriate labourers who enter the job market by purchasing residence permits.” Claiming ILO has warned GCC countries that their membership in the organization will be suspended if they do not scrap the sponsorship system, the source said “the international organization has also cautioned GCC states that they will be placed in the list of countries which violate International Labor Law in the next ILO meeting scheduled to be held in Geneva in June 2008.”

Yes, the sponsorship system is "an old model from the era of slavery", but that's because slavery in everything but name still exists. Good to see that the ILO is getting a little closer to calling a 'spade' a spade.

Anyways, must toodle doo and buy me a maid...

Freedoms tested as journo jailed

Well it seems like the proverbial is hitting the fan - see article below reproduced from Kuwait Times today, and the word is out in the blogosphere. Hopefully the message is getting through that the State (In)Security Police need to toe the line and uphold the laws of the State... For Bashar and Jassem's sakes I hope the publicity of their experiences produces reform. It is worth noting that this is only one of many unpublicised cases. Bravo guys for standing up and not being intimated.

Headline News
Freedoms tested as journo jailed
Published Date: August 21, 2007
By Nawara Fattahova, Staff writer

KUWAIT: A Kuwaiti journalist remained in detention yesterday after being transferred from State Security to the Public Prosecution. Bashar Al-Sayegh was arrested by state security officials Saturday evening over comments insulting to HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah which were posted on Sayegh's personal website www.alommah.org. Late Monday evening, more than a hundred protestors comprising journalists, human rights activists, MPs and others converged at the premises of the National Democratic Coalition in Rawda in a unanimous show of solidarity against the actions of the state security forces.

The comments on Sayegh's were posted anonymously and according to reports, deleted by Sayegh 15 minutes after going live. Sayegh, a senior editor with Al-Jarida, provided the IP address of the anonymous poster to state security, but is now being investigated by the public prosecution. Sayegh is also a member the National Democratic Coalition. Rumors suggested that he had gone on a hunger strike but this could not be confirmed. Al-Jarida is owned by liberal MP Mohammad Al-Saqer.

A second Al-Jarida journalist, Jassem Al-Qames, was also taken into custody Saturday in front of the newspaper's headquarters. According to Al-Jarida, Qames tried to stop the arrest of -Sayegh, not knowing that the men, who were in civilian clothing, were from State Security. He then took photographs of the arrest, triggering his own detention. "When I took pictures, six detectives rushed to me and detained me. Then they pushed me towards three cars of state security," said Qames. He asked for their credentials, but according to him, they refused.

Qames claimed in the paper that the detectives assaulted him in the car on the way to state security headquarters in South Surra. He said the detectives took his mobile phone, camera, and wallet and before they arrived, one of detectives forced him to take off his shirt, then twisted it around his eyes and face. At the headquarters, he was taken into a room and interrogated, slapped and insulted and shouted at. Al-Qames said he was forced to sign a document with his fingerprints, even though he was blindfolded. He was released yesterday.

The speakers attending the protest in Rawda expressed their anger and dissent against the policies and maltreatment of the journalists by state security detectives. All of them demanded the immediate release of Sayegh and also agreed to unmask the person responsible for posting the insulting comment online.

MP Ahmad Al-Saadoun expressed his fears on the treatment meted towards young men involved in crimes at the hands of state security detectives. "I call for eliminating the State Security Department. We must find out who was behind this arrest, and he must be punished. We will not accept a repetition of this crime in the future. We must fight corruption," he charged.

Qames, the journalist who was released yesterday, didn't describe the details of his arrest at the gathering. "They released me in the heat without my mobile and just said "go". I was kidnapped by professional bandits who brought me to the State Security Department with my eyes blindfolded. They beat me up and told me that they had also brought Bashar's personal effects there. They thought they could threaten me so I wouldn't talk. They were wrong. I can now say whatever I want, and all these people here will support me," he said.

Qames also mentioned the plight of bedoons and even Kuwaitis arrested by the State Security Department. "They don't have anybody to ask about them. They have no protection and most of them are treated in the most inhumane way. I also was arrested in an illegal way, for just taking a photograph of the illegal arrest. We hope Bashar will be released tomorrow, and he will tell us the details," he added.

MP Ahmad Al-Mulaifi, who had just arrived in Kuwait, was shocked by the terrifying news of the arrest of the two journalists. "I'm disappointed with our present situation. Kuwait has always been known for its democracy and freedom of the media. We could criticize the parliament, the government and even our sheikhs. All our neighbors in the GCC countries used to look up on us as the ideal model of freedom. Now they consider us as a bad example," he pointed out.

He also highlighted the importance of punishing those responsible. "I know the detectives were employees and doing their work, but they will still be held responsible in the way they executed their duties. The Minister of Interior is to be held responsible for this action, and he must be held accountable for insulting Jassem and Bashar. Today I want to direct a message to the minister: Take care, you crossed the red line. We must all fight in upholding the respect of the constitution," he warned.

Kuwait's blogosphere was alive with debate and commentary about the arrests. In both Arabic and English, bloggers voiced fears of a crackdown on their freedoms of speech and protested the detentions.

The Kuwait Society for Human Rights (KSHR) issued a statement condemning the assault and detention of the journalists. "We live in a state that is governed by laws and has a clear and straightforward constitution that bans such practices, according to Article 31," said the statement, adding that the article states that, "no subject is to be arrested, detained, inspected nor his liberty to live or move around, should be violated unless in accordance to law".

The statement stressed that KSHR does not call for leniency with those jeopardizing the state's security nor violating its laws; it rather emphasizes adhering to rules, laws and regulations mentioned in Kuwait's constitution. "Law enforcers should stick to the authorities invested in them," the statement said. (Hussain Al-Qatari contributed to this report)

Kuwait State (In)Security Police at it again

Kuwait State Security Arrest, Assault Blogger And Journalist - Kuwait Constitution Violated... with highly intelligent people like these in the secret police, Kuwait is becoming a scarier place.

These links say it all really...
Hilaliya
She's still writing
Shaikha Bibi
K the Kuwaiti
Intlxpatr
248am

And the MoSA&L keeps their head firmly buried in the sand...

Whilst it's left to philanthropists and the Reverend to help those who have been pushed off the cliff, those who pushed them off the cliff don’t even get their names dragged through the press, and in a mishmash of metaphors, the band plays on (in this case the Ministry that could do something and take some responsibility, continues to do nothing). The latest instalment from this ongoing saga in today's Arab Times...

Stranded workers run into problems with ‘new firm’; ‘We are being exploited’

KUWAIT CITY: Some of the stranded Bangladeshi workers who were provided jobs by a local company on Wednesday claimed that the company was exploiting them by making them work around the clock without any benefits. According to the workers, two representatives of the new company assaulted some of the workers after the latter refused to work for more than 12 hours for KD 20 salary. It may be recalled some 90 Bangladeshi workers were given jobs as cleaners at a Co-op by a company and had promised to provide jobs for the rest of the workers in the next few days. On Wednesday, out of the 90 workers, 70 did not report to work and will continue to do so unless the company pays them overtime with a short break after every 7 hours.

Utilized
Expressing happiness over the donation of two drinking water coolers by a philanthropist on Wednesday, the workers thanked the donor and said that the coolers in question are now being utilized by workers from other companies as well. Some 1,300 Bangladeshi cleaners employed with a local company have complained of unpaid wages and deplorable living conditions at their accommodation in Hassawi. Of the 1,300 workers, some 200 female cleaners were evicted by a court order from their apartments on Monday, and have now been provided accommodation in Mahboula. On the other hand, the male workers continue to defy the eviction order and have vowed not to vacate their apartments unless all their dues are settled by the company.

According to the workers, the new company did not allow them to return to their accommodation to freshen up despite numerous requests and in stead made them work for 48 hours at a stretch. The crestfallen workers observed that the company was not giving them overtime for the extra hours worked, adding: “We were told by the new company officials that we would be given overtime but when we started work, the company officials refused and assaulted our fellow workers when they demanded their rights.” Elaborating further, the workers noted that many of the workers are ready to return home provided their company shoulders the repatriation cost in addition to paying fines in relation to their expired residencies.

Punches
Noting that the new company had embarked on a programme of harassment, a cleaner told the Arab Times that a supervisor at the company threw several punches at him for refusing to work for more than 12 hours. Articulating disappointment at the turn of events, the workers noted that they thought their saga had ended after starting work for the new firm and blamed the company for going back on its commitments. “We request the new company to treat us in a humane manner. A majority of the workers are disappointed and just want to return home. We request Reverend Andy Thompson to help us return home. He has done a lot for us and continues to do so and we will never forget his noble deeds.” Some 30 cleaners are awaiting deportation after the company had them arrested allegedly for inciting their colleagues to go on strike. The company has refused to bear the repatriation cost.

By Francis A. Clifford Cardozo
Arab Times Staff

Shares off limits to Expats!

According to today's Kuwait Times....

Shares off limits to expats

KUWAIT: The Ministry of Trade and Industry issued a legislation prohibiting expatriates from buying or selling shares listed at the Kuwait Stock Exchange. They said buying and selling shares listed on KSE could only be done by Kuwaiti citizens at the moment. A number of expatriates however expressed their regret over the decision as their interests and investments worth millions of dinars were frozen in the process. Officials meanwhile said that the decision had been taken a long time ago but was made effective just last Tuesday.

Well who's crazy enough to buy shares on the KSE anyway, unless you're participating in insider trading like everyone else! This country is a joke.