1.38 Million Children have been vaccinated in Syria during the Fifth Round

 

Polio Control Task Force announced that 1,386,719 children have been vaccinated during 6 days within the fifth round of the mobile polio campaign in Syria, which covers the liberated areas in seven governorates: Aleppo, Idleb, Hama, Deir al Zour, Lattakia, Raqqa and Hasaka.

polio in Syria

The fifth round commenced on May 3rd 2014 and lasted till May 8th 2014 through which the team faced many difficulties, the most important of which was inhabitant’s migration from one area to another or refuging to neighboring countries in addition to shelling Aleppo and its countryside.

Abdulkader Andalu, member of Polio team, martyred of an explosive barrel in Sheikh Fares-Aleppo. In addition, there were security difficulties and armed clashes in Raqqa and Deir al Zour, which affected the number of vaccinated children in these areas In comparison with the previous round.

Muthana Shaher, member of Polio team, martyred after being shot during performing duties in vaccinating children in Basirah- Deir al Zour.  The number of vaccinated children as per Governorates was 576,797 in Aleppo, 253,996 in Idleb, 206,362 in Raqqa, 266,162 in Deir al Zour, 38,375 in Hasaka 40,161 in Hama and 4,866 in Lattakia.

The Team had started the House to House vaccination campaign in the beginning of 2014 to covers the areas out of the control of the Assad regime in seven governorates after discovering polio outbreak; the campaign was of six consecutive rounds, out of which five were accomplished. In the first round, 1,25 million children had been vaccinated; 1,4 million had been vaccinated in the second round; 1,41 million children had been vaccinated in the third round; 1,44 million children had been vaccinated in the fourth round; 1,38 million children in the fifth round . The Team intends to launch the sixth round on the end of this May.

Polio Control Task Force was established by combining the efforts of the ACU, Local Councils, Health departmants and a number of None Governmental Local and International Organizations, Polio Control Task Force started “END POLIO IN SYRIA” campaign with more than 8,000 volunteers including more than 200 physicians.

Qatar Announces Plans to Abolish Sponsorship System

By Kathryn Maureen Ryan
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

DOHA, Qatar – The Gulf State of Qatar, which will host the 2022 World Cup, has announced plans to reform its labor law after months of criticism from the international community that followed reports of human rights abuses of mirgrant works at construction sites ahead of the World Cup. The proposed changes are based on the recommendations made by the international law firm DLA Piper which Qatar hired last year to review workers’ conditions; however, the Gulf State has not set a timeline for the implementation.

Foreign construction workers in Doha, Qatar: Hundreds of workers were reportedly killed last year due to poor conditions. (Photo Courtesy of The Guardian)

Only about 10% of the country’s population actually have Qatari citizenship. The state’s economy depends on migrant workers. About 1.4 million migrant workers are now living in Qatar, the majority of whom are concentrated in the construction and services sectors. Qatar has been criticized for its failure to protect migrant workers and for the gross disparities that exist between Qatar’s native and migrant populations In a report issued by Amnesty International law November the organizations found that migrant works in Qatar “face a range of abuses at the hands of their employers”, some of which “amount to forced labor and human trafficking.

According to Amnesty International the labor law system used in Qatar and other gulf states known as the kefala, creates an “excessively unequal power relationship” between employers and workers, who are not allowed to change jobs or leave the country without their employers’ permission. DLA Piper’s report said the Qatar’s old policies could “result in a situation where migrant workers are ‘trapped’ in Qatar, with an abusive employer, and without means of exit or the ability to legally transfer to another employer for months.” The new laws will abolish this aspect of the kefala system.

The Fédération Internationale de Football Association said it welcomes Qatar’s plans to improve labor conditions in the country. FIFA President Joseph Blatter said “this announcement is a significant step in the right direction for sustainable change in the workers’ welfare standards in Qatar. We look forward to seeing the implementation of these concrete actions over the next months. We will continue our close cooperation with Qatari authorities as well as dialogue with all key stakeholders.”

However, other organizations have criticized the government’s announcement saying that its propsed reforms do not go far enough to address labor rights in the country. The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) called the proposals “cosmetic” and said that in Qatar “There is no freedom of association, no minimum wage, and no effective labour compliance system.” The organization also said “modern slavery will still exist in Qatar.”

For more information please see:

Al Jazeera – Qatar Announces Changes to Labour Law 15 May 2014

CNN International – FIFA Welcomes Workers’ Welfare Measures Announced Today By the State of Qatar – 15 May 2014

BBC News – Qatar: Foreign Worker Restrictions ‘To Be Eased’ – 14 May 2014

FIFA – FIFA Welcomes Workers’ Welfare Measures Announced Today By the State Of Qatar – 14 May 2014

The Guardian – Laws after Outcry over ‘World Cup Slaves’ – 14 May 2014

Threats Build and Allegations Linger as Police Seek to Solve Decades-Old Murder

By Ben Kopp
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

DUBLIN, Ireland – In 1972, Irish Republican Army (IRA) members abducted and killed widow Jean McConville, who the group believed to be a spy for the British.

Police held Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams for questioning related to the 1972 kidnapping and murder of Jean McConville. (Photo courtesy of the Guardian)

On 4 May 2014, Northern Ireland police released Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams without charge. Police suspected that Adams had some connection to McConville’s death, though Adams has long denied having any role. Adams further denied being a member of the IRA.

“When the war was on I did politically support the use of armed action by the IRA as a legitimate response to British repression and British military occupation of a part of my country, Adams said, “Of course I disagree with many of the issues and many of the things that the IRA did, including the killing of Mrs McConville and the way that her ten children were left.”

Police kept Adams in custody for four days. Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny expressed concern for McConville’s children. Some believe they might be killed for passing along the names of the IRA unit which they said kidnapped and killed their mother.

“I reject absolutely any allegation made against me,” Adams said. “I am innocent of any involvement whatsoever in any conspiracy or of any of the events including the abduction, the killing, or the burial of Mrs. Jean McConville. When this became a matter of public speculation two months ago I contacted PSNI through my solicitor and said I was available to talk to them.”

Adams further stated that the allegations have been part of a “sustained, vicious, untruthful and sinister malicious campaign” against him for “some considerable time.” He claimed that two IRA members, since deceased, implicated him as part of the Belfast Project, which took place at Boston College. The project recorded former IRA member testimony, and laid the groundwork for questioning Adams, who referred to those behind the project as “disaffected, and very, very hostile, anti-peace process former IRA activists.”

Gerry Adams also questioned the timing of his interrogation by the police. “I contacted them two months ago,” he said. “They waited until we were in the middle of an election before they made this very dramatic intervention, so I reject absolutely any allegation no matter who it’s coming from or any assertion no matter who it’s coming from, it’s ridiculous.”

Adams stated that Michael McConville should give the names of those who abducted and killed his mother if he wants to because “that’s entirely his right.” However, McConville claimed that he was recently threatened by the IRA, and Adams himself, who denied any such threat.

For further information, please see:

CNN International – EXCLUSIVE: Gerry Adams Tells Amanpour He Is Innocent – May 5, 2014

Telegraph – Gerry Adams Receives Death Threat after Release from Police Custody – May 5, 2014

Washington Post – Gerry Adams Freed as Northern Ireland’s Unity Government Faces Challenge – May 4, 2014

Guardian – Ireland’s Taoiseach Urges Gerry Adams to Cooperate with Police – May 3, 2014