By Kathryn Maureen Ryan Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East CAIRO, Egypt – Egypt’s top military general hailed a visit by Russian officials as the beginning of a new era of defence co-operation between the Egyptian State and the Russian Federation. Russia’s defence and foreign ministers met with Egypt officials in Cairo this week in a trip that has been called historic, though the delegation left Egypt yesterday without announcing a deal for any new defence deals between the Egypt and Russia.

The historic meeting came just weeks after the Obama administration announced that the United States would cut military aid to Egypt in response to growing concerns about the actions taken the military government against supporters of ousted President Morsi. While the United States did not cut all of the annual aid to Egypt, the cuts represented a significant shift in relations with Egypt’s interim government, the United States cut aid not connected with the promotion of democratization or counterterrorism efforts carried out by the Egyptian military. The meetings may have been meant as a sign to the United States. Yasser El-Shimy an Egypt analyst with the International Crisis Group said  the meetings were “meant to send a message to say Egypt has options, and that if the United States wishes to maintain its strategic alliance with Egypt, it will have to drop the conditions it attaches to the military aid.” The United States has said it will consider renewing feign aid if the Egyptian states shows signs of progress towards democratization. However, Egypt’s warming relations with Russia may be a sign that the United States has lost some of the coercive power its funding of the Egyptian military once held. As the United States cut funding to Egypt the Egyptian state showed that it is willing to look elsewhere to fill the vacuum left by aid cuts. Egypt has downplayed suggestions that the meetings with Russian officials signify a further cooling of relations between Egypt and the United States.  “We are not replacing one party with another,” said Badr Abdel­atty, an Egyptian Foreign Ministry spokesman. “We want to strengthen the independence of our foreign policy. We want to diversify. And Russia is a very important global power.” While support for the United States by the public, which perceived the United States as supporters of a military dictatorship though its support of former President Hosni Mubarak, and the military, which now sees the United States as an unreliable ally, has fallen in Egypt Russia and Vladimir Putin have become increasingly popular. The state-run Al-Ahram newspaper has published posters on Thursday reading “Thanks, Putin.” These developments came as the Egyptian military government continues to crack down on Islamist supporters across the country. Earlier this week an Egyptian court sentenced twelve protesters who demonstrated in support of ousted President Mohamed Morsi to 17 years in prison for taking part in a violent student-led protest. For more information please see: Al Jazeera – Egypt Hails Renewed Military Ties with Russia – 14 November 2013 The Washington Post – Egypt Hosts Top Russian Officials, A Sign it is Turning Further Away from Alliance With U.S. – 14 November 2013 Al Jazeera – Egypt Warms to Russia as US Ties Cool – 15 November 2013 Al Jazeera – Pro-Morsi Protesters Sentenced to 17 Years – 13 November 2013

By Darrin Simmons
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

BAGHDAD, Iraq-Heightened security could not prevent an explosion in a town south of Baghdad during the Ashura commemoration rituals.  The attacks hit in the town of Hafriya, in the Wasit province, on early Thursday.

The near-simultaneous bombings targeted a Shiite religious procession killed at least eight people while wounding dozens of others.  Worshippers were gathered inside a tent performing rituals to commemorate the death of Inmam al-Hussein when the attack struck.

During the religious event, regional authorities expect two million pilgrims, at least 200,000 from outside Iraq, will visit the city of Karbala for the ten days leading up to Ashura.  In an attempt to be prepared, 35,000 soldiers and policemen have been deployed to Karbala.

However, late Thursday another suicide bombing ripped through Karbala during the religious process, killing 43 people.  The bomber was disguised in a police uniform, as he made his way through the crowd.

Iraq suffered a third attack on its holiest day when a bombing targeting an army patrol in a predominantly Sunni town north of Baghdad killed two soldiers.

The commemoration of Inmam al-Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Mohammed, is held to show remorse for not defending him during his death.  Tradition holds that he was decapitated and his body mutilated.  Worshipers display remorse by beating their heads and chests with some making incisions on their scalps as an act of self-flagellation.

“I have been coming since I was young, every year, even during the time of the tyrant Saddam,” said Abu Ali, a 35-year-old pilgrim who visits from Basra, a southern port city.  “I challenge anyone not to cry,” said Ali, in referring to the strong emotions emanating from the ritual.

Imam al-Hussein’s death is one of the events that created the division between the Sunni and Shiite Islam, which dates back to a battle in 680 A.D.

Shiites are the majority in Iraq, Iran, and Bahrain, making up about 15 percent of Muslims worldwide.  Sunni militants that are linked to Al-Qaeda, regard Shiites as apostates and typically target them during religious holidays like Ashura and Arbaeen.

The increased violence against Shiites is the latest in Iraq’s deadliest unrest since 2008.  Prime Minister Nuri-al-Maliki, a Shiite, has appeadled to the United States for help by way of intelligence sharing and the supplying of new weapons systems.

For more information, please see the following: 

Al Jazeera-Deadly blasts hit Iraqi religious procession-14 November 2013

Al Arabiya-Blasts hit Iraq as millions mark Ashura-14 November 2013

CNN-36 killed in blasts targeting Iraqi Shiite Muslims on holy day-14 November 2013

Global Post-Iraq bombers kill 43 as millions mark Shiite holiday-14 November 2013

By Kathryn Maureen Ryan
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

DOHA, Qatar – Francois Crepeau, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Migrants, called on Quarter to improve labour relations and respect the rights of migrant workers in the country, which is preparing to host the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup.

 

According to the United Nations Qatar should allow workers to organize into unions, abolish the discriminatory “kafala” system, adopt legislation to protect labour rights, and properly enforce existing legislation, to protect workers in the country.

Crepeau said on Sunday that there have been some positive developments for migrant workers but argued that the state must adopt reforms in order to protect the rights of migrant workers in the Country which has the highest ratio of migrant workers in the world.

Migrant workers make up approximately 88% of Qatar’s population. Qatar currently has a high demand for construction workers as the country undertakes several massive development projects including construction projects connected with the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Crepeau’s speech came at the end of an 8 day visit to Qatar to investigate allegations of abuses of the rights of migrant workers. The plight of migrant workers in Qatar gained international attention after The Guardian published a report on the issue earlier this fall. During his visit, Crepeau met with government officials, migrant workers, academics, and members of Qatar’s National Human Rights Committee.

While Qatar has announced plans to improve conditions of labourers in the country the state has been criticized for failing to enforce existing labour laws meant to protect worker rights. Qatar has fought to keep the images of labour conditions in the country from being seen by the international community. In October the Guardian reported that two German film makers, Peter Giesel the head of a Munich-based production company, and his cameraman Robin Ahne were detained for 27 hours after filming the working conditions of workers in Qatar from the balcony of the Mercure Grand hotel in Doha.

Despite continued concerns about the labour rights situation in Qatar the Fédération Internationale de Football Association organizations has remained committed to house the 20202 World Cup in Qatar. According to FIFA President Sepp Blatter has said that the decision to award the 2022 World Cup to Qatar is “not reversible”.

On Saturday Blatter told reporters in Doha after meeting the emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani that “There is no doubt that the World Cup in 2022 will be organised in Qatar.”

For More Information Please See:

Al Jazeera – UN official urges Qatar labour reforms – 11 November 2013

Al Jazeera –  UN recommendations on Qatar migrant rights – 10 November 2013

Al Jazeera – Blatter: World Cup in Qatar is not reversible – 9 November 2013

The Guardian – Qatar detained two Germans who filmed World Cup labour conditions – 14 October 2013

By Darrin Simmons
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

DOHA, Qatar-Pressure is being raised by the United Nations against Qatar, the 2022 World Cup host, to end labor abuse.  Qatar has implemented a sponsorship system for migrant workers that is at the root of the abuse.

“This marks a stain on Qatar’s reputation and is something that can be improved right away,” said Francois Crepeau, a U.N. Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants.   Crepeau reported that living conditions of foreign workers tended to be poor, referencing them to “slums.”

With the World Cup quickly approaching, Qatar has been scrambling to complete major construction and infrastructure projects, increasing the number of its estimated 1.8 million foreigners (88 percent of Qatar’s population) working on projects for the event.

The system that Qatar has implemented prohibits employees from changing jobs or leaving the country without permission from their sponsors, who are frequently labor supply companies or wealth Qatar individuals who provide workers to personal profit businesses.

“A majority of the employee sponsors confiscate their passports for the duration of their contract, placing most of the workers in the construction and domestic work sectors.  Qatari Labor Ministry officials were not immediately available for comment.

“This system that is used to regulate the relationship between employers and migrant workers, with a work permit linked to a single employer, is problematic and a source of abuse against migrants,” said Crepeau.

Crepeau visited Qatar, meeting with government officials, migrant workers, academics, and Qatar’s National Human Rights committee.  He was able to visit every location that he wished to see and sat down to discuss drafting laws for domestic workers and a blacklist of companies who abuse migrant workers.

Crepeau also certified the establishment of a minium wage, a more developed labor inspection system, and the kafala system, the system that binds workers to a single employer and forbids the to change jobs or acquire an exit visa.

Living conditions were criticized by Crepeau,  “The dwellings I have visited do not conform to Qatari legislation.  I saw bunk beds, which are prohibited.  I saw overcrowding.  I saw very shoddy construction of these camps.  One place in particular had no kitchens…the latrines are, let’s say, minimal.  Access to water was problematic at times.”

In September, dozens of Nepali workers died during the summer in Qatar as laborers were not given enough food and water.  However, Nepal recalled its ambassador from Qatar this past Thursday after she claimed that Qatar was an “open jail” for Nepalis who suffer labor abuses.

For more information, please see the following: 

Aljazeera-UN official urges Qatar labour reforms-10 November 2013

Gulf News-UN urges Qatar to improve migrant labour conditions-10 November 2013

Reuters-U.N. expert on labour abuse urges Qatar to end sponsorship system-10 November 2013

Guardian-Qatar under pressure over migrant labour abuse-26 September 2013

By Kathryn Maureen Ryan
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

RAMALLAH, Palestine – The Israeli/Palestinian peace process has been threatened by Israeli moves over the past week to move forward with the construction of more than 3,700 new illegal settler homes in occupied Palestinian territories.

Secretary of State John Kerry, speaking after a meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Bethlehem, said . Israeli settlements in the occupied territories are “illegitimate.” (Photo courtesy of Al Jazeera)

Several international leaders have called upon Israel to restrict the construction of settlements in Palestinian territory seeing the construction of these settlements could derail peace process between Palestine and the state of Israel.

On Wednesday United States Secretary of State John Kerry called for Israel to limit the construction of settlements in occupied Palestinian territory. Kerry said that Israeli settlements in the occupied territories are “illegitimate” and are serving as a hindrance to the ongoing peace talks between Israel and Palestine. He said “Let me emphasise that the position of the United States is that we consider now, and have always considered, the settlements to be illegitimate.” He also said that there was no deal that the Palestinians accept that would recognize illegal settlements in return for peace, saying; “I want to make it extremely clear that at no time did the Palestinians in any way agree, as a matter of going back to the talks, that they could somehow condone or accept the settlements.”

Kerry’s statement reflects the growing feeling amongst the international community that Israel’s government sanctioned settlement program is preventing any real progress in talks between Palestinian and Israeli leaders.

On Thursday Catherine Ashton, the head of foreign affairs for the European Union addressed Europe’s concerns over the announcement that Israeli’s decision to allow the construction of more than 1,5000 homes in the West Bank, which she feels can damage the peace process. She said “The EU deplores the latest settlement announcement and calls on the Israeli government to reverse its decision.”

Ashton also said in a statement that the European Union has “repeatedly stated that settlements are illegal under international law and that bold and decisive leadership is needed for the current peace negotiations to succeed,” and that the planed actions that “could hamper or undermine the ongoing negotiations must be avoided.”

Secretary Kerry met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday. According to his spokesman, President Abbas told the Secretary of State that “the Palestinians are committed to negotiations that would lead to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with east Jerusalem as its capital.” He also said that the Palestinians consider all Israeli settlements to be illegitimate.

An anonymous senior Palestinian official said that Palestinian officials would refuse to continue the talks with Israel as long as Jewish settlement on the West Bank are allowed to continue to proliferate. He said “The Israeli side is determined to continue its settlement and we cannot continue negotiations under these unprecedented settlement attacks,” he said after a meeting of Israeli and Palestinian negotiators.

For more information please see:

Al Jazeera – EU Deplores Israel’s New Settler Homes Plan – 7 November 2013

Al Jazeera – Kerry: Israeli Settlements are Illegitimate – 6 November 2013

The Jerusalem Post – Kerry: US Considers Israeli Settlements to Be Illegal – 6 November 2013

The New York – Kerry Presses Israel on Settlement Construction – 6 November 2013