By Eric C. Sigmund
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

AMMAN, Jordan – In what was heralded as “a day of rage,” over 5000 Jordanians staged protests against the government for increases in food prices and unemployment.  While police were successful in containing the protests, the demonstrations highlight the rising levels of resentment against the government blamed for the country’s declining standards of living and economic stagnation.  The protests occurred in five cities and were the latest in a series of demonstrations within the region opposing rising food prices.  The protests remained peaceful and no arrests have been reported. 

Even before the protests broke out, the Jordanian government had dedicated over £141m to subsidize the cost of bread.  Some of this money has also been infused into the economy to spur job creation.   While the government’s efforts have proven helpful in cushioning the impact of the current economic situation, those who are worse off have felt little relief.  Poverty and unemployment continue to be difficult challenges for the leadership in Amman, and may be exacerbated by continued economic decline.  Current poverty levels continue to hover around 25 percent in the desert regions of the country and Amman, the country’s capital, continues to be the most expensive city in the Arab world. The country’s budget deficit reach a record high in 2009 standing at $2billion or 9 percent of Jordan’s GDP. 

The protests in Jordan were just one of many in recent weeks which sought to bring attention to the rising price of food in the Middle East and Africa.   Some protests in Tunisia and Algeria turned violent.  The protests in Jordan mark the growing dissatisfaction with the population of the government’s economic policy. The latest figures published by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization reported a 25% increase in the price of many of the most fundamental foodstuffs since last year, including; bread, cereals, cooking oils, meat and dairy products.  One protest banner warned of the effects of a resentful and hungry population reading “Jordan is not one for the rich.  Bread is a red line.  Beware of our starvation and fury.”  While these protests were conducted in a peaceful manner, it may only be a matter of time before the government is faced with a more tumultuous scenario.

For more information, please see:

Guardian – Jordanians Protests against Soaring Food Prices – Jan. 15, 2011

Agence France Presse – Jordanians Protest Living Conditions, Blame Govt – Jan. 14, 2011

Reuters Africa – Hundreds Protest Over High Prices in south Jordan – Jan. 14, 2011

The Press Association – Jordanians Protest at Rising Prices – Jan. 14, 2011

By Eric C. Sigmund
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – A Saudi court on Sunday issued a three year prison sentence to a female employer of an Indonesian maid.  Reports indicate that the ruling may be the first time in the country’s history that a punishment has been handed down to a Saudi citizen for abusing a migrant worker.  The employer was found guilty under a new law issued by the Kingdom to fight human trafficking.   Observers contend that Sunday’s ruling is a small step in the right direction for a country which continues to face international pressure to secure rights and protections for migrant workers. 

The maid, 23, suffered internal bleeding and broken bones after she was severely beaten and burned by her employer.   This latest case of abuse against migrant workers has sparked international condemnation for a problem which has been prevalent in the Middle East in recent months.  Migrant workers continue to be subjected to poor treatment, abuse, arrest and deportations throughout the region.  A comprehensive report published by Human Rights Watch last year found that migrant workers who suffer abuse at the hands of their employers are likely to suffer emotional trauma and substantial psychological effects.   The report indicates that such abuse may also contribute to forced labor and human trafficking. 

While the ruling appears to be a small win for rights activists, both sides are appealing the ruling.  Indonesian officials have declared the sentence to be unsatisfactory.  Didi Wahyudi, the head of citizen protection services at the Indonesian Consulate in Jeddah stated that “[t]he punishment is not strict enough, it’s a very light punishment.” Other’s however, appear to embrace the ruling with an optimistic view towards the future.  The Saudi daily newspaper, Arab News, reported that the case “may become something of a watershed.”  The government in Riyadh has kept its distance in the controversy, failing to comment about the court’s decision.  Although the Saudi government is unlikely to announce any significant change in its policies towards migrant workers in the near future, Sunday’s ruling may be a starting point to guaranteeing greater rights and legal protections for migrant workers in Saudi Arabia.

For more information, please see:

BNO News – Indonesia to Appeal Sentence in Saudi Arabia Tortured Migrant Worker Case – Jan. 13, 2011

Adnkronos International – Non-govt Groups Fundraise to Repatriate Migrants Stranded in Saudi Arabia – Jan. 12, 2011

CNN World – Woman Gets Three Years for Abusing Indonesian Maid – Jan. 12, 2011

People’s Daily Online – Indonesia Files Appeal on Tortured Migrant Worker Case in Saudi Arabia – Jan. 12, 2011

By Eric C. Sigmund
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

 SANA’A, Yemen – As debate over the latest amendments to Yemen’s constitution begin this week, the country’s parliament announced its support for amendments which would eliminate term limitations on the country’s presidency.  Although a formal vote on the amendment will not occur until later this year, the amendment represents a significant reversal of democratic freedom in Yemen.   Saturday’s symbolic preliminary vote was protested by some in the international community however, the amendment received support from 170 members of the President’s General People’s Congress (GPC) party. 

Yemen’s current electoral rules limit the amount of time one may serve as President to two consecutive terms.   The proposed amendment would eliminate this restriction but would reduce the President’s term from seven years to five. Current President Ali Abdullah Saleh is currently serving his second term as the country’s President until its expiration in 2013.  Should the amendment pass, President Saleh may be able to rule for life. 

The amendments come at a time when the government is fighting a bloody campaign against al-Qaeda cells within the country.  Some leaders within the GPC have used the conflict to justify ending presidential term limits.  Sultan al-Barakani, head of the GPC stated that “stability of the country necessitates that he [President Saleh] should stay in power.”  President Salah, a long time  U.S. ally, has been given political and material support by the U.S. in its fight against al-Qaeda, but the proposed amendments threaten to cool relations between the two countries.    

Supporters of the constitutional amendments responded to calls by the United States and others to delay the vote, calling these demands foreign interference with Yemen’s sovereignty.   Proponents also highlight the progressive benefits of the reforms which would increase parliamentary seats for women.  Critics of the amendments however, fear that eliminating presidential term limits might increase tensions between the ruling party, minority parties and militant groups in the country.   Ali Acshal, a member of the Islamist Al-Islah (Reform) Party warned that the amendment “will result in a complete break between the north and south and will destroy any hope of partnership.” Ali Abed Rabbo al-Qadi, a prominent leader in parliament noted that “[i]f the ruling party goes ahead with these amendments…it will cause disorder in the country and open it up to foreign interference.”  Despite these warnings, officials of the President’s ruling GPC party expressed their commitment to pushing the constitutional reforms through parliament.  A finalized version of the proposed amendments will be ready within 60 days.

For more information, please see:

Global Arab Network – Yemen Rejects US Demand to Delay Constitutional Amendments – Jan. 2, 2011

Agence France Presse – Yemen Adopts Principle of Constitutional Amendment – Jan. 1, 2011

Bloomberg – Saleh Gains Preliminary Yemeni Approval to End Term Limits – Jan. 1, 2011

CNN World – Yemen Begins Debating Constitutional Reforms – Jan. 1, 2011

By Elizabeth A. Conger
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Middle East Desk

CAIRO, Egypt –  According to a report issued by the Egyptian Center for Women’s Rights (ECWR), Egypt ranked 125th out of 134 countries when it came to women’s rights in 2010. The report also showed that Egypt ranked thirteenth among countries in the Middle Estate/North Africa region.

Nehad Abu El Komsan, chair of the board of ECWR, said: “The regional ranking is especially saddening . . . Palestine – which is under occupation – preceded Egypt in the women’s rights ranking.”

Among the factors which determined Egypt’s low ranking was the state council’s refusal to appoint female judges in February of 2010.  The ECWR report also stated that the women’s quota system, which reserves sixty four parliamentary seats for female candidates, was only a temporary solution and did not adequately integrate women into the polical sphere.

Abu El Komsan stated: “The women [candidates] were used to decorate the parliament.  It is not an issue of development, it is only a political tool.”

The report noted that although representation of women in political parties turned out ot be weak, some women did successfully emerge as leaders in a few political parties, such as Asmahan Shoukry, who was named the Labor Party’s first female president.

The report’s examination of educational opportunities in Egypt revealed that school curriculum in Egypt reaffirm the stereotypical view that women are only suitable for domestic roles.  Additionally, the study showed many reports of men attempting to break into girls’ schools and harass girls. Girls also reported harassment by teachers and security guards at universities.

As for workplace conditions, women still receive lower wages than men for the same work, are regularly deprived of promotion opportunities, and are treated as temporary labor because of their domestic responsibilities.  A new labor law reduced maternity leave from ninety to one hundred an eighty days, and limited it to twice in a lifetime.

Additionally, the study showed a marked increase in violence against women. According to the report, 71.4% of violent crimes committed in Egypt during 2010 were against women. A study by several NGO’s also showed that incidents of rape have increased in Egypt, with twenty seven rapes reported daily. It is also estimated that roughly 95% of rape cases in Egypt go unreported.

The study stated that two thirds of young men polled felt that physically torturing a women is “justifiable in some situations.”

The report also noted the rise in two new police practice practices in Egypt: the practice of holding women hostages in order to force fugitives to surrender themselves to the police, and sexual violation of women by police officers. In 2010, several Christian women women were also reported to have disappeared as a part of sectarian violence in Egypt.

The ECWR report concluded with recommendations that the Egyptian government pass more legislation to protect women, do more to integrate women into the political sphere, and promote gender equality through art.

For more information, please see:

thedailynewsegypt.com – Women’s rights in Egypt deteriorate in 2010, says report – 28 December, 2010

msn news – Violence against women increased in Egypt in 2010: Report – 28 December, 2010

ECWR /Bikyamasr – Egypt Women: Postponed rights in 2010 – 28 December, 2010

By Eric C. Sigmund
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Thousands of Somali immigrants in Saudi Arabia have been deported to the war torn city of Mogadishu, reports Human Rights Watch.  Calling the government’s policy “inhumane,” the rights organization has found that roughly 2000 Somali immigrants have been sent back into the war zones of Mogadishu since this summer.  International law prohibits the forcible return of refugees to any place where they may face further oppression and violence. 

Noting that the deportations have placed hundreds of refugee children back in harm’s way, Rona Peligal, the Africa Director at Human Rights Watch stated “[d]eporting anyone to a war zone like Mogadishu is inhumane, but returning children is beyond comprehension.”  The human rights situation in Somali remains abysmal as domestic conflict continues to engulf the country.  The United Nations estimates that approximately 1.4 million civilians have been displaced in recent years and up to 270,000 civilians have fled the capital city in the last year alone. 

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reiterated these concerns and called upon the Saudi government to stop the deportation of Somali refugees from the country.   The U.N. agency stressed that civilians face a “risk of serious harm” in Somali.   The Saudi government ignored the U.N.’s initial demands in July of this year to stop deportations of Somali immigrants and it appears that a change in policy is unlikely in the near future. 

Saudi Arabia has not been the only country receiving international condemnation for deportations.  In July, Human Rights Watch and the UN criticized the government of the Netherlands for forcibly deporting Somali refugees back to their home country, citing similar fears that civilians face continued violence in the country.  Ensuring the safety of Somali refugees continues to be an important goal for the United Nations.  Despite initiatives to protect and facilitate the resettlement of displaced citizens, more action is necessary at the national level to prevent the deportations of those fleeing internal conflict.

For more information please see,

Agence France Presse – Saudi Deportations to Mogadishu Inhumane: HRW – Dec. 22, 2010

Human Rights Watch – Saudi Arabia: Stop Deporting Somalis to Mogadishu – Dec. 22, 2010

Human Rights Watch – Somalia Documents / Reports – 2010

Africa News – Somalia: UNHCR Decries Saudi Arabia’s Deportation of Somalis – July 26, 2010