Lakshmi Parvathi is an Indian immigrant worker in Bahrain.  She was hired by her sponsor as a maid. Recently, she was found in tattered clothing wandering the streets of Bahrain, following her attempted escape from her employer.  This was the second time she was unsuccessful in her attempt to flee from her abusive sponsor and return to her husband in Andhra Pradesh.  Previously, the police captured her and returned Parvathi to her employer.  The Indian Embassy would not issue her a return ticket, because she had not completed her year long obligation to the employer.  Therefore, she was not legally entitled to a ticket.  Additionally, she was unable to purchase a ticket on her own, because her employer had withheld three months of her wages. 
    Migrant workers are regularly mistreated in the Middle East.  The migrant workers, usually from Asia, are drawn to higher paying salaries.  The wages are usually around $4 for menial jobs. The workers are mostly women.  They usually work as maids at homes and cook, clean, and take care of children.  In exchange for their services, their sponsors provide the workers with housing and transportation.  Thus, the women send their salaries back to support their families. 
    The migrants are in weak positions to stand up for themselves.  Many of the nations fiercely protect their citizens and are repressive toward the migrant workers.  Therefore, it is difficult for the workers protect themselves from their sponsors’ abuse.  For example, when a migrant complains against her employers, it is easy for the employer to retaliate by making a false accusation against the worker.  The sponsors’ word is almost automatically trusted and the worker is quickly tossed in jail.  Once released from jail, the worker is returned to her employer to finish her obligation.  Also, it is difficult for the employee to protest that she is not being compensated her scheduled amount. The reason is that the employer can hesitate to pay the woman until the fulfillment of their obligation.  Immediately, upon the termination of the agreement happen, the woman’s visa expires expelling her from the country, and further isolating the employer from repercussions of the withheld payment.
    The local governments must protect these women.  Abusive sponsors have taken advantage of these women by beating them and also withholding payment from them.  The sponsors need to be made accountable for their actions.  This could be done by the Asian embassies issuing the visas to the sponsors by taking a more proactive approach to protecting their citizens.  For example, each sponsor should have to go to through a verification process.  Thus, it will at least protect the women from serial abusers.  Also, it should charge the sponsors a certain premium on the issuance of the visa to pay for an exit interview of the migrant workers.  The other solution for the women is to place outside pressure on the Middle Eastern countries to monitor the abusive employers.
Gulf Daily News. Maid found wandering in the street. 5 July 2007.
Bits of News. Migrant Workers in the Middle East. 2 July 2007.
Independent Online.  Migrants and the Middle East: Welcome to the other side of Dubai. 28 March 2006.
Middle East Report Online. “Model Employees:” Sri Lankan domestics in Lebanon.

On June 29, hundreds of Palestinians staged a protest and marched three miles from Baddawi camp to Nahr al-Bared.  Most protesters were Palestinian refugees who fled the Nahr al-Bared camp after fighting began in late May.  The purpose of the protest was to regain access to their home.  Many fear that the damage resulting from the heavy fighting will prevent them from returning to their homes. 

During the march, Lebanese soldiers fired on the protesters, killing two and wounding many more.  Witnesses stated that when marchers drew close to an army checkpoint, the soldiers fired in the air above them.  When the crowd did not disperse, soldiers fired their weapons at the protesters.  While witnesses and protesters stated that the march was a peaceful demonstration, the Lebanese army issued a statement that marchers attacked the soldiers with sticks and knives. 

For more information please see:
ABC News:  “2 shot dead in refugee protest in Lebanon”  30 June 2007. 

New York Times:  “Lebanese troops kill 2 Palestinian protesters and wound 30”  30 June 2007. 

BBC:  “Lebanese army ‘kills protesters’”  29 June 2007. 

Guardian:  “2 Reported killed in Northern Lebanon”  29 June 2007. 

Reuters:  “Lebanese troops fire at Palestinian protest, 2 die”  29 June 2007. 

VOA News:  “Lebanese army fires at protesters outside Palestinian camp”  29 June 2007.

        The number of street children in Yemen is rising.  It is estimated that from 13,000-15,000 street children work in the capital.  The children work to survive.  The boys are forced to grow up, and provide for their families.  Many times the boys are beaten by their fathers if they do not make a minimum amount of money.  Cultural norms discourage girls from working.

On June 27, Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) carried out two operations in Gaza, one in Gaza City and the other in the southern city of Khan Younis.  The IDF states that the purpose of the incursions was to disrupt the terrorist infrastructure inside Gaza by finding and seizing militants and their weapons.  The incursions consisted of air strikes, as well a ground assault led by tanks.  The IDF claims that it “hit” 15 militants, while the media reports that 11 militants were killed, along with 2 civilians.  In addition, 40 people were injured, some in critical condition, and several dozens were arrested.  IDF reported that two soldiers were injured in these operations.

Then, early June 28, IDF went into the West Bank city of Nablus.  Witnesses stated that around 80 jeeps filled with Israeli soldiers entered the city.  Israeli troops interrupted radio and television programs and warned Palestinians to remain at home.  Again, IDF justified the incursion by stating that Nablus is a “hotbed” for terrorism and that the goal was to disrupt terror activity.  Israeli troops arrested two men suspected of being Fatah fighters and confiscated weapons.  Five IDF soldiers were wounded in a bombing in Nablus.  Al-Aqsa Brigades, the armed branch of Fatah claimed responsibility for the bombing.

Both Fatah and Hamas leadership condemned Israel’s actions.   Hamas accused Israel and Fatah of conspiring to pressure Hamas in Gaza.  While Salam Fayyad, the Prime Minister of the emergency Palestinian government, viewed the aggression as Israeli attempts to undermine the Palestinian government’s attempts to end the chaos.  Abbas condemned both of these military operations; calling the IDF’s actions as “criminal”.  He added that Fatah is against violence of any kind and criticized the launching of Qassam rockets.  Recently, Abbas vocalized his desire to disband all militias in both Gaza and the West Bank, even those affiliated with Fatah.

For more information please see:

Al Jazeera:  “Israeli troops raid Nablus”  28 June 2007. 

Gulf News:  “Israel raids downtown Nablus”  28 June 2007. 

Gulf News:  “Israeli raids stoke war fears”  28 June 2007. 

IDF:  “Nablus:  an officer and soldier severely injured”  28 June 2007. 

Washington Post:  “At least 14 Palestinians killed as Israeli military enters Gaza”  28 June 2007. 

Al Jazeera:  “Israel launches deadly Gaza raids”  27 June 2007. 

IDF:  “A summary of today’s events in the Gaza Strip”  27 June 2007. 

International Herald Tribune:  “Israeli raids into Gaza leave 13 dead”  27 June 2007. 

New York Times:  “Israelis kills 11 militants inside Gaza; 2 civilians die”  27 June 2007.

    The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (“PKK”) have become more frequent in their attacks. Thus, Gen. İlker Başbuğ, the commander of the Turkish Land Forces promised to increase his force to crush the rebels.

    The Kurds are the largest people group in the Middle East without their own nation. They originate from an area located within Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Armenia and Syria.  In 1920, when the Ottoman Empire was defeated by the Allies, the Kurds were split up into multiple different nations. Their strong desire for an independent nation has remained since 1920.  The Kurdistan Workers’ Party has actively tried to make that desire into a reality.

    The PKK was founded in 1978 by Abdullah Ocalan. He was a Leninist revolutionary. He has fought the Turkish government since 1984, using guerrilla warfare tactics. Recently, some of their members were arrested trying to place bombs.  Their leader, Ocalan, was captured by Turkey and was placed in prison for life in 1999.  The group currently has more than 5,000 members, and has its own unrecognized parliament.

    In response to the actions by the PKK the Turkish government has promised to quell the rebellious Kurds.  In just his year alone, the PKK has killed 65-70 of the Turkish soldiers.  The weapon of choice for the PKK is land mines. The Turkish Government hopes its response  will be able to completely defeat the PKK and avenge some of the 30,000 lives lost since the party’s inception.

    This new major offensive will be long, brutal and demanding. It will force the Turkish government and the Kurds into a deep civil war, which cannot not be resolved soon.  It will cause many to die, and will create more open hostility in an already unstable region.  The Kurds will not be satisfied until they get their own land. And so even if the Turkish government is successful in accomplishing its goal, it will only be a stop-gap measure.

Time Magazine. Nationalists without a Nation. 1 March 1999.
Washington Post. Who are the Kurds? 1999.
Reuters.  Turkey’s army chief renews call to crush Kurd rebels in Iraq. 27 June 2007.
Today’s Zaman. Army to restructure to step up fight against PKK. 28 June 2007.
Trend News Agency. PKK terrorists fail to plant mine trap on highway in eastern Turkey. 26 June 2007.
Associated Press. 2 Kurds Die in Failed Suicide Attack. 24 June 2007.