It’s been nearly two months since Hamas seized control of Gaza.  Since then there has been many changes.  Factional street fighting has virtually disappeared.  Before Hamas took control of Gaza, rival political parties fought with each other.  The violence reached a peak during the days prior to the coup.  When Hamas forced Fatah out of Gaza, the level of violence subsided.  Hamas controlled militia, known as the Executive Force, worked hard to rid lawlessness from Gaza and restore order.

This new security comes at a heavy price.  Hamas’s takeover of Gaza has seen an increase in discrimination and harassment of members of other political parties, especially Fatah supporters.  Palestinian Centre for Human Rights has documented the numerous allegations of mistreatment of Palestinians by Hamas and its Executive Force.

Recent allegations include the dismissal of high ranking officials who are also Fatah supporters.  Jumaa al-Saqqa was dismissed from his post as public relations chief at Shifa Hospital for his support of Abbas and the interim government.  Following his dismissal, he and his son were arrested by the Executive Force, but were later released.  In addition to al-Saqqa, the director of the hospital, also a Fatah supporter, was also dismissed.  Other allegations against Hamas include the report of Executive Force storming and shutting down opposition television and radio stations.

Also, the Executive Force recently enforced a ban on public demonstrations and public gatherings.  According to Ehab Al Ghsain, spokesman of the Hamas-run Interior Ministry in Gaza, demonstrators must obtain a special permit to demonstrate 48 hours prior to the event, so that proper protection for the participants may be given.  On Monday, members of the Executive Force stopped buses filled with protesters from entering Gaza City, beat its passengers and turned the bus around.  Despite the Executive Force stopping buses filled to demonstrators, 300 still managed to reach the rally site.  At the rally, officers of the Executive Force confiscated cameras, video recorders, and cell phones with camera taking capabilities; even those belonging to journalists.

The ban on demonstrations and public gatherings is a response to an increased number of rallies and demonstrations over the weekend by Fatah supporters.  These rallies are a reaction of the arrests of Fatah members made during a wedding and a previous demonstration.

For more information please see:
BBC:  “Hamas forces ‘beat Gaza rivals’”  13 August 2007. 

Gulfnews.com:  “Hamas bans unlicensed rallies in Gaza”  13 August 2007. 

Ha’aretz:  “Hamas forcibly breaks up Fatah rally in Gaza, confiscates cameras”  13 August 2007. 

International Herald Tribune:  “Hamas opponents protest in Gaza, defying ban and militia force”  13 August 2007. 

Middle East Times:  “Two months on, Hamas tightens grip on Gaza” 13 August 2007. 

Reuters:  “Hamas cracks down on ‘unlicensed’ rallies in Gaza”  13 August 2007. 

New York Times:  “20 hurt as Fatah members protest arrests at wedding”  12 August 2007. 

BBC:  “Hamas detains Fatah men in Gaza”  11 August 2007. 

Palestinian Centre for Human Rights:  “Press Releases”.

       Filipino Vice President Noli De Castro has ordered that Kuwaiti recruiting agencies be investigated for accusations of kidnapping.  A large recruiting agency, First Kuwaiti General Trading and Contracting Co., has been investigated because of 11 allegedly trafficked Filipino immigrant workers.  Earlier reports had stated that the number of Filipinos was closer to 51.  The migrants were working at the US embassy in Iraq.  The Kuwaiti recruiting firm has denied all allegations.

        In 2004, the Filipino government outlawed Filipinos from working in Iraq.  However, over 7,000 Filipinos remain in Iraq.  Thus, Filipinos working on the US Embassy automatically raised questions leading to the investigation.  Philippine Presidential Special Envoy to the Middle East General Roy Cimatu was sent to Kuwait to investigate the plight of the Filipino construction workers.

        Many Filipinos have been lured into Iraq through false promises of working in lucrative jobs in the Middle East.  When the migrants arrive in country, they are faced with the reality that the jobs do not exist.  Instead, journalist David Phinney reported that the workers are given three options.  The options are either pay a $1,000 penalty and work for free in Kuwait for three months, be arrested and jailed in Kuwait, or work in Iraq for lower salaries.  While contemplating their decision, 800 Filipinos were housed in a deteriorating building without mattresses or blankets.  Thus, many of the poor Filipino workers chose to violate the law and work in Iraq. 

        The Filipinos’ work conditions in Iraq are inhumane.  Once in Iraq, some of the Filipinos work 12 hours a day, 7 days a week for limited pay.  Also, compensation and access to identification documents are both sometimes withheld from the workers to ensure that the workers stay at the job site.  One Filipino reported to David Phinney that he slept on truck beds and only ate the leftovers from the soldiers’ meals.  However, because of investigations some of the conditions in Iraq have improved vastly for the workers.  For example, at the US Embassy the migrant workers have finally been provided with adequate food, medical attention and sleeping arrangements. 
   

Gulf News. Kuwaiti firm denies kidnapping of Filipino workers for Iraq. 12 August 2007.

International Herald Tribune. Kuwaiti company denies kidnapping Filipinos to work in Iraq.  12 August 2007.

Arab Times.  Cimatu in Kuwait to probe kidnapping of 51 Filipinos; Meeting planned with US Embassy officials. Viewed 12 August 2007.

Arabian Business. Probe into alleged kidnapping of Filipinos. 5 August 2007.

Iraq Slogger.  Filipino Worker Recounts Escape From Iraq.  6 June 2007.

Manila Standard Today. Noli targets two firms for defying ban on deployment to Iraq.  5 August 2007.

Human Rights Watch recently sent a letter to Egypt’s Minister of the Interior, urging him to investigate the deaths of three Sudanese migrants.  According to Israeli soldiers, Egyptian border guards killed three Sudanese nationals attempting to cross into Israel.  According to witnesses, the Egyptian guards shot one man and beat the other two.  Egyptian authorities deny that the incident occurred.  However, last month Egyptian authorities admitted that they killed one Sudanese woman attempting to cross into Israel.

Currently, Egypt and Israel are in the midst of negotiating an agreement concerning the treatment and return of third-country nationals captured while attempting to cross the border.  Israel estimates that 2,800 people have entered Israel, via Egypt, illegally in recent years.  The number of illegal arrivals increased in the past months; with an estimated 50 arriving each day in the month of June.

The allegations against the Egyptian border guards were accompanied by the release of a report from an Egyptian human rights group.  The report cites over 560 cases of police brutality since 1993.  According to the report, in this year alone there has been 26 cases of torture; resulting in three deaths.  The report suggests that one reason why torture and mistreatment by Egyptian police is so wide spread is because the perpetrators are rarely caught and punished.

For more information please see:
BBC:  “Egypt pressed on migrant deaths”  8 August 2007. 

Human Rights Watch:  “Egypt: Investigate killings of Sudanese migrants attempting to cross intro Israel”  8 August 2007. 

Middle East Times:  “567 police torture cases in Egypt, says rights group”  8 August 2007. 

Middle East Times:  “Egypt ‘must probe’ deaths of Sudan refugees”  8 August 2007.

    The Muttaween, Religious Police, were recently cleared of all criminal charges involving the death of Ahmed al-Bulaiwi.  Al-Bulaiwi was apprehended by the Religious Police for driving around a woman who was not a relative, which is forbidden under Saudi law.  Under Saudi law a woman cannot drive, nor can a woman go out in public and ride in a car without being escorted by either her husband, brother, or son.  In al-Bulaiwi’s case it turned out that al-Bulaiwi, who had a second job as a driver, actually had been instructed by the woman’s family to pick her up.  However, al-Bulaiwi was not given a chance to respond to his accusers, but instead he died while he was in custody.  Allegedly, he was beaten while being arrested.  Despite the evidence showing that the Religious Police’s actions probably contributed to al-Bulaiwi’s death, the Religious Police were cleared of all charges.

    The Religious Police have faced unprecedented criticism from the government and Saudi Arabian citizens.  However, the fact that Religious Police were cleared of all charges for al-Bulaiwi’s death allows them to continue to enforce Saudi Arabia’s moral codes.   Recently, the Religious Police arrested a Nigerian Islamic convert for assisting his sickly elder neighbor woman to the hospital.  Ibrahim Mohammad Lawal was arrested for his immoral behavior of driving a woman who was not a relative.  His supposedly immoral behavior has put Lawal in jail for more than 50 days.  Additionally, the Religious Police were accused of attacking a group of Shiites in Mecca.  The Iraqi Shiite pilgrims were reportedly called infidels.   Iraqi parliamentarian Ridda Jawad al-Takki said, “[t]hey [the group of Shiites] were beaten up because they were holding Shi’ite-style prayers.”  The Iraqis needed medical treatment after being detained by the Religious Police for 24 hours because of the misunderstanding.  The Religious Police must be checked by the government to avoid future abuses of power by the Muttaween. 

CNSNEWS.  Saudi Religious Police Arrest Man for Helping His Neighbor.  7 August 2007.

BBC News.   Religious police: Saudi readers’ views.  30 July  2007. 

International Herald Tribune.  Saudi religious police acquitted in case involving the death of a man in custody.  31 July 2007.

Manawatu Standard.  Saudi religious police accused of beating Shi’ites.  7 August 2007.

Scotsman.  Man jailed for taking woman to hospital.  7 August 2007.

IC Publications.  Saudi jails Nigerian who helped aged woman: report. 6 August 2007.

Press TV.  Saudi Police beat Iraqi pilgrims.  7 August 2007.

Rasid.   Iraqi nationalities western abused at the hands of the Saudi religious police in Mecca. 8 August 2007.