Kuwait won't renew residency visas

Kuwait won't renew residency visas
160 more Bangladeshi workers deported

Kuwait has decided not to renew residency visas of Bangladeshis doing menial jobs, saying these workers are a threat to state security and bring unnecessary international focus on the country, reports the Kuwait Times.

The Gulf state that faced strong demonstrations by Asians, mainly Bangladeshi cleaning workers, demanding better wages, is also considering raising minimum wage to Kuwaiti dinar 40.

Meanwhile, at least 160 Bangladeshi workers who allegedly instigated and took part in strikes in Kuwait in the last few days arrived in Dhaka yesterday, immigration police said. With the latest arrival, the number of deportees in two days now stands at 217, said an official of the Bureau of Manpower Employment and Training.

The Kuwait Times reports that the Kuwaiti government has decided not to renew residency visas of Bangladeshis to cut the number of marginal workers, especially those who fall victim to negative practices by companies or visa traders. However, the country will renew residency visas of Bangladeshis doing specialised jobs.

Quoting high-ranking official sources, the daily says the government is determined to solve the problems through strict legal action and reduce workers' numbers in the country.

Presently, around 2 lakh Bangladeshis are estimated to live in Kuwait, which stopped hiring workers in late 2006. The nation now hires workers only for selective companies.

Asked about implication of Kuwait's new decision, Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Secretary Abdul Matin Chowdhury said implementation of the decision does not mean a stop to hiring workers. Kuwait now prefers hiring skilled workers, he added.

The Kuwait government has reached an agreement with the Asian workers on Monday to end a three-day strike over pay and working conditions against the backdrop of soaring inflation, which exceeded 11 percent in April and May.

The government, meanwhile, arrested around 1,000 Bangladeshis on charges of taking part in the strike and will deport them if found responsible for the strike, Kuwait authorities told Bangladesh Embassy on Wednesday.

The Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour is currently negotiating wage rises for the workers with the companies involved, as well as insisting on back payment of their unpaid salaries and improvements to their miserable living conditions, in order to avoid future recurrence of such protests.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Interior's preliminary interviews revealed Kuwaiti citizens, Egyptian expatriates and Bangladeshi community leaders were among those involved in organising the riots.

The trade unions of the country yesterday urged Kuwait Trade Unions Federation to extend a helping hand to Bangladeshi workers facing repression in Kuwait and deportation.

In an email letter Jatiyatabadi Sramik Dal President Nazrul Islam Khan and Jatiya Sramik League General Secretary Roy Ramesh Chandra said they hope trade union movement in Kuwait would negotiate with the authorities to create a scope so that Bangladeshi workers can continue with their jobs.

They also urged the Kuwait trade union movement for initiatives to take back to work the workers who were deported for misreporting.

Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) at a press release said movement by workers in demand of pay hike is their fundamental human rights. If anybody does something violent, there is legal procedure for them, but beating them up and deporting them is not maintaining the law, it said.

Bangladesh government's move on the migrant workers' issue reflects its "bowing-down" policy, it said, urging the government to consider it with top priority and ensure Bangladeshi workers' rights abroad.

Source : The Daily Star

 

Maybe it's just me, but I find this incredibly funny. Kuwait is not a democracy like the U.S., and a residency visa is not citizenship.
I can completely understand the Kuwaiti Governments position.
You are not a citizen.
You are here as a privilege, and with permission, and now you want to protest the conditions in OUR country.
Then Leave. Plain and simple.

The bottom line is, you are not going to go to another country, and tell them how to do business, just like no one is going to tell you how to run your website or blog. And to think that they were so comfortable there that they actually thought that someone gave a crap is funny. That is another country, with different laws. They are under no obligation to give you what you think you deserve based on laws and rules in other lands.

If you want equal rights and fairness, then go to a country that has it, or stay where you are.

 

I can see both sides of the argument. The Bangladeshi workers left their countries because there's no work, so why don't they demonstrate against their country for putting them in that position?Besides, if I personally didn't like a job, I would move on. However, I do agree with them in that they do get miss treated whilst working. The conditions are bad, but just move on.

 

It is a shame that anyone gets mistreated, but that is based on me being an American, and not standing for it, but you can't tell other people how to run their country. That's why we are sectioned off into territories instead of one big happy borderless world, so that governments can do what ever they please.

If they don't like the way things are done, then they should leave.

 

Kuwait to be asked to ensure payment to deported workers.

The government will ask Kuwait to ensure that employers there remit arrears to the Bangladeshi workers now being deported for allegedly inciting or taking part in strikes, an official yesterday said.

"We'll hold meeting with Kuwaiti authorities and ask them how they'd arrange the payment of the outstanding salaries to the deported workers," Shahriar Kader Siddiky, labour counsellor at Bangladesh Embassy in Kuwait, told The Daily Star.

He said the deportees left behind their salaries and belongings in the Gulf state.

Meantime, at least 63 workers arrived in Dhaka yesterday morning on board two Kuwait Airways and Qatar Airways flights. With them, the number of deportees from Kuwait in the last three days stands at 280.

Kuwait is sending the workers back home after thousands of Asian workers went on strike in protest at low wage, poor work conditions and exploitations by their employers.

Many of the deportees, however, said they were not involved in the demonstrations in any way, but that Kuwaiti police broke into their camps out of the blue, beat them up and hopped them on board Dhaka-bound flights.

When asked about this, Shahriar Siddiky said the embassy asked the Kuwaiti authorities to make sure that no innocent workers are deported.

"Of the around 1000 arrestees, Kuwait also freed 300 as their involvement in the demonstrations was not proved. They assured us that they would not deport any workers who were not involved in the strikes," he said.

On exactly how many workers will be sent back, he said the Kuwaiti government has not informed them of the figure. "We asked the Kuwaiti authorities not to make any further arrests," he said.

The Bangladesh Embassy also asked Kuwait not to take any decision affecting other Bangladeshis in the Gulf nation, the labour counsellor said.

He said the issues that ignited the protests have largely been solved in most cases but some workers of a few companies are demanding written commitment on the part of their employers.

On Kuwait's decision not to renew residency permits for Bangladeshi workers on menial jobs, he said the embassy has not been informed of any such decision.

Meantime, various organisations on migrants' rights yesterday condemned the continued deportation, saying the move is a complete violation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of all Migrant Workers and Members of their Families.

"We call on the UN Human Rights Council to intervene to protect the rights of migrant workers in Kuwait," said an IMA Research Foundation statement.

The unjust detention and deportation of migrant workers only add to the continued abuses they have been through, it said.

Probashi Manab Kalyan Foundation (PMKF) demanded compensation to the deported workers and called for diplomatic efforts to stop further expulsion.

Source : The Daily Star.

 

I have never heard of any incidences of bangladeshi workers ever causing trouble in kuwait. These are hard workers looking to support their families and it takes guts to leave your culture and country to try to give better financial support to your children. The kuwaitis should have an exchange program where they get to live as people from these countries coming into theirs. Maybe a little empathy will have been gained.

 

That is a nice sentiment, but Kuwait has a right to do what ever they wish in regards to their country, and their immigration policies.
The workers knew the risks of traveling to a foreign land, and that Kuwait is not a democracy.
Rights are not universal in the world, unfortunately.

 

Kuwait has a notorious reputation for how it treats its foreign construction and domestic workers

They have been the subject of criticism over this for a long time

In such a stinking rich country like Kuwait this is completely unacceptable.

Good like to the workers demonstrating...

 

Yet it is still their country. They are under no obligation to do what anyone thinks is right, no matter how "rich" they are.
If their rules and laws are so notorious, then don't go there looking for work.
Maybe if they are boycotted, they will surely either conform with common international laws regarding workers, or decide not to bother and close it's borders.

 

Yep Wisdom, because they have a small population and the second biggest oil production(if my knowledge is accurate) they make alot per capita, but to me money can sometimes be a hindrance if they rob a person of compassion and empathy towards others. As long as people have that its all good.

 

This was not a very peaceful protest...

 

Violence never solves anything in the longrun. If you look throughout history people like gandhi and mlk made the biggest impacts by non voilent organized protests. The bangladeshis just need to gather in larger numbers peacefully and let the world hear their plea.

 

I agree. If I compare situation to America...If someone has a permit to work here legally, and is contributing to our society, I wouldn't have a problem with that. If they believed they were being mistreated, and had an extremely peaceful protest that did not hurt anyone, I can accept that. Yet if they started damaging property or hurting people, then they should be deported. So while I'm sorry that they had poor working conditions, I can understand Kuwait's position of asking them to leave.

 

118 more workers return from Kuwait

Another 118 deported Bangladeshi workers arrived in Dhaka yesterday from Kuwait, raising their total number to 464.

Immigration wing of Zia International Airport told The Daily Star last night that 85 of yesterday's deportees reached Dhaka on a Kuwait Airways flight while the others on a Gulf Air flight.

On Friday night, the Kuwaiti authorities sent back 66 workers to Bangladesh on an Emirates Airways flight.

Hundreds of Bangladeshi workers fear deportation from the Middle Eastern country on charge of 'violating local laws'.

On July 30, the Kuwaiti authorities started deporting foreign workers, mostly Bangladeshis, who went on strike in the Gulf country in protest at low wage, poor work conditions and exploitation by their employers.

Kuwaiti Police on July 28 arrested about 800 Bangladeshi workers who went on a rampage on their second consecutive day of demonstrations.

Yesterday in a press release, foreign affairs ministry of Bangladesh said the Kuwaiti police arrested about 1,000 Bangladeshi workers so far and about 300 of them will be released as their involvement in any unlawful activity could not be established.

According to the Arab Times, about 2,000 Bangladeshi workers, employed by Al-Jawhara Company for stevedoring and cleaning in Hassawi in Kuwait, destroyed six vehicles and injured five camp officials on Sunday.

The law enforcement agencies of Kuwait are examining video footages to detect workers and others involved in the vandalism and attack on law enforcers.

The Kuwaiti authorities told Bangladesh mission officials in the country that innocent detainees would be released, but the wrongdoers will be sent back.

Bangladeshi workers in Kuwait, however, alleged that the police and military had arrested the Bangladeshis indiscriminately.

Source : The Daily Star

 

I was trying to find more info about the situation, and eeeks I found this...

Going to Kuwait seems like a really bad idea, I wish there was more money to be made in Bangladesh. It is sad, this shouldn't be happening, don't know what the answer is.

 

Kuwait warns firms against poor pay
80,000 Bangladeshi workers resume work

Kuwait warned companies employing Bangladeshi workers in Kuwait of punitive actions if they fail to pay the workers the government-fixed minimum 40 Kuwaiti Dinar.

Kuwaiti authorities also directed its law enforcement agencies not to arrest any more workers provided they do not go on strikes or take part in illegal activities, a handout of Bangladesh Press Information Department (PID) yesterday said.

Bangladesh government also requested Kuwait to handover the outstanding dues and personal belongings of the deported workers through the Bangladesh mission in Kuwait.

Six human rights bodies and FBCCI also expressed their concerns over the issue.

Around 80,000 Bangladeshi workers under 23 companies withdrew their strikes in Kuwait and joined work, the handout said.

It said 850 Bangladeshi workers were arrested for their involvement in activities that violated Kuwaiti laws and Kuwaiti cabinet decided to deport them.

Yesterday afternoon an official of the Bureau of Manpower Employment and Training's welfare desk, stationed at Zia International Airport, said 597 workers were deported during the last five days.

However, Arab Times quoting security sources in Kuwait reported yesterday that a total of 1,000 Bangladeshis were deported.

"Bangladesh Embassy in Kuwait is keeping continuous contact with Kuwait's labour department to ensure minimum wages of workers and their rejoining work," the PID handout said.

Bangladesh Embassy charge d' affaires and an official of the foreign ministry of Kuwait held a meeting Saturday where the latter assured him of taking effective actions to look into the workers' welfare issues. The official said the actions would be taken after discussing with interior and labour ministries of Kuwait.

Acting Foreign Secretary MAK Mahmud, meanwhile, wrote a letter to Kuwaiti foreign ministry urging an end to the problem. He requested Kuwait not to arrest any innocent Bangladeshis and release those already arrested so that they could rejoin work.

CRITICISM FROM HUMAN RIGHTS BODIES
Six human rights bodies yesterday criticised torture and deportation of Bangladeshi workers by Kuwait and demanded the United Nations and international community intervene to stop Kuwaiti authorities' abuses of expatriate workers.

Deprived of their just wages for years, workers demonstrated to realise their demands but Kuwaiti authorities refused to meet their demands and deported them, a violation of basic human and labour rights, human rights bodies said in a press conference at Dhaka Reporters Unity.

Demanding an immediate probe by a committee comprised of justice and labour representatives, the migrant workers' rights activists said Bangladesh Embassy in Kuwait has also not played its due role to ensure workers' rights in a clear display of "Bangladesh's servile foreign policy".

Bangladeshi workers in Kuwait are contributing hugely to the economy of that country and that they do not want anything more than they are entitled to, they said adding, Kuwait's maltreatment of foreign workers is unacceptable.

Ain O Salish Kendra (ASK), WARBE Development Foundation, IMA Research Foundation, Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF), Brac Advocacy and Human Rights Unit, Ovibashi Karmi Unnayan Programme (OKUP) and Migrant Welfare Organisation (MWO) jointly held the press conference.

"It is said that Kuwait is a friendly nation to Bangladesh. Bangladesh during the Iraqi war in Kuwait fought with Kuwaiti soldiers. But Kuwait today is torturing and deporting Bangladeshis. This is not acceptable," said WARBE Development Foundation Chairman Syed Saiful Haque.

The government claims sending lakhs of workers with overseas jobs and a reserve of billions of dollars earned in remittance but it does not really care for the people who are sending this money and helping the national economy, he lamented. He said the deported workers should be provided full compensation and their due wages.

"Actually, in the name of sending workers, agencies are trading visas and laundering money," Saiful Haque said, adding that Bangladesh should take a strong position to protect its people. "If needed, it should declare that it would bring back the workers from Kuwait, if that country cannot respect our people."

Ovibashi Karmi Unnayan Programme Chairman Shakirul Islam in a statement said a Kuwaiti minister admitted abuse of workers by Kuwaiti companies. "So, why is this deportation of workers?"

Shakirul said Kuwait police arrested workers of other Asian countries too but the embassy officials of those countries immediately made arrangements for their release. Officials of Bangladesh embassy in Kuwait played a silent role which is very unfortunate, he said.

Even when these deported workers arrived in Dhaka, the government did not take any measure to take care of them. Many of them are injured and broke, he said.

Recruiting agencies, middlemen and employers are eating up the hard-earned money of the workers but the government has not taken any strong effective measures to save workers from these people, he added.

"To avoid such incidents in future, the government should set the minimum wage, ensure good working conditions, health and other facilities by signing bilateral agreements with the countries concerned," said WARBE Development Foundation General Secretary Anisur Rahman Khan.

The government also must stop trading workers' visas, take punitive measures against corrupt recruiting agencies and strengthen the Bangladesh missions overseas, he said.

Brac Advocacy and Human Rights Unit's Mujibul Huq, ASK official Shah Alam Farooq, OKUP General Secretary Omar Faruque, IMA Research Foundation Programme Officer Radyan Rahave, MWO Secretary General Mohammad Ali and MJF Programme Manager Rezwanul Karim also spoke.

Meanwhile, Chairman of Human Rights Committee of Kuwait's Parliament Waleed Al-Tabtabaei criticised the absence of an effective monitoring system to address the problems of expatriate workers in Kuwait. He said most of the workers resorted to violence because they could no longer bear the inhuman treatment by their employers, reported Arab Times.

FBCCI'S CONCERN
Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) expressed its deep concern over the deportation of Bangladeshi workers from Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.

Since most remittance earnings of the country are from the Middle East and more specifically from Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, this would affect foreign currency inflow resulting in a negative impact on the overall economy, an FBCCI press release said.

In the last financial year, Bangladesh received over $7.91 billion as remittance of which around $4.98 billion came from eight Middle East countries and $3.19 billion from Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.

FBCCI President Annisul Huq expressed his concern over the blanket arrest, inhuman behaviour and deportation of Bangladeshi expatriates in those two countries.

In Kuwait, a number of the workers were being paid less than eight Kuwaiti Dinars a month, equivalent to $30 or Tk 2,000, and this is the main cause for the demonstration since the workers sold their land and other properties to gather the money to go there, the release said.

It said, "We do not support the act of taking the law into one's hand but we guess there might have been many incidents of hardship and exploitation that forced the workers to demonstrate."

"We are observing with deep concern that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Bangladeshi Embassy in Kuwait are not taking proper pro-active measures to tackle the situation," it said.

The trade body also felt it necessary to investigate whether Bangladeshi recruiting agencies were involved in the fixing of low wages for our workers in Kuwait.

The statement said on May 8, 2008 the FBCCI sent a letter to the foreign ministry narrating the miserable condition of Bangladeshi expatriates there and predicted the possibility of such an incident. The letter was sent based on FBCCI vice-president's visit to Kuwait.

The trade body feared that in future such grievance could spread among Bangladeshi workers in Malaysia. It urged the government to talk to Middle Eastern countries to resolve the problem.

Source : The Daily Star