US embassy cable - 05KUWAIT1732

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 001732 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARPI, NEA/PPD, G/TIP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO, PREL, KISL, PHUM, PINR, KU 
SUBJECT: SPECIAL MEDIA REACTION: COLUMNISTS CALL FOR 
RESPECTING HUMAN RIGHTS OF THIRD COUNTRY LABOR FORCE 
 
 
1. Summary and comment: In the wake of an April 24 rampage 
by hundreds of Bangladeshi laborers who ransacked their 
Embassy to protest chronic nonpayment of wages (septel), 
both Liberal and Islamist columnists have called such 
nonpayment a national disgrace and urged their countrymen 
to do better by obeying the laws which regulate payment of 
third country labor and treating the labor force with 
respect. It is rare for Liberals and Islamists to publicly 
agree on any issue. Even more unusual is the public airing 
of opinion on such a normally shameful, taboo topic as the 
abuse of third country laborers. End summary and comment. 
 
2. Writing in Arabic daily Al-Watan on April 26, Salafi 
Islamist MP Dr. Walid Al-Tabtabae wrote: "The 'revolution' 
undertaken by a host of Bangladeshi workers represented by 
gathering and demonstrating and running riot in their 
Embassy in Kuwait has not developed from a vacuum. It was 
rather dictated by injustice and persecution practiced by 
the relevant workers' employers by not paying regularly 
their monthly salaries. Some of these workers have not been 
paid their salaries for over six months. Such maltreatment 
by the employers negatively reflects on the services 
extended to the facilities of the Ministry of Health  and 
the Ministry of Education, given the fact these workers 
have been contracted to work at these facilities. 
 
3. Writing in pro-government daily Al-Qabas on April 26, 
Former Minister of Education and Higher Education and MP 
Dr. Ahmed Al-Rubae wrote, "The unruly incident by 
Bangladeshi cleaning workers at their Embassy in Kuwait is 
natural in view of crimes committed by persons against this 
group of people and nobody has stirred a finger to stop 
these crimes. Needless to say we have among us what we can 
call 'ghastly beasts,' some influential people who are 
multimillionaires and those who still believe in slavery by 
trafficking in visas and illicit trade I respect and trust 
First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior 
Shaykh Nawaf Al-Ahmed and I also respect and trust the 
Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Faisal Al-Hajji. 
However, I hold them accountable for this national 
catastrophe and appeal to them to move as swiftly as 
possible to counter this catastrophe based on their 
constitutional, legal and moral duties to bring an end to 
this slavery in our country." 
 
4. Writing in independent daily Al-Rai Al-Aam on April 26, 
Islamist Dr. Wael Al-Hussawi wrote, "The meager salaries 
and poor living conditions allocated for this group of 
people is a big topic of discussion which must be handled 
by human rights organizations. Our country has a unique 
record in the files of human rights and although we have a 
society for human rights in addition to the National 
Assembly's Human Rights Committee which day and night 
boasts about human rights, unfortunately the reality says 
the contrary and this can be attributed to the fact that 
the 'hamours' (influential people) in our country consider 
themselves above the law. In this case the best way to 
solve this problem is to put behind bars the 'hamours' and 
close their establishments. If this happened, the situation 
in the country can be reformed within a few days and the 
problem will vanish for good." 
 
5. An unsigned front-page editorial in pro-government daily 
Al-Qabas (note: unsigned editorials are used infrequently 
by Kuwaiti dailies to convey an opinion with more force and 
emphasis than that carried by a single, named columnist. In 
this case, the editorial was likely written by Al-Qabas 
editor-in-chief Walid Al-Nisf. End note.) on April 26 
entitled "Let Us Remove The Mark Of Disgrace Off Our 
Foreheads" said, "The violent protest by hundreds of Asian 
workers on Sunday reminded us of the problems that face 
foreign workers, and the violations of human rights that 
surround their living conditions in our country.  This is a 
reoccurring problem that affects hundred of thousands of 
foreign laborers who live among us, and who have come to 
this country through legal channels seeking lawful 
employmentThis is also a good time to mention the various 
mistreatment practices against foreign workers in the 
domestic help sector.  It is unacceptable for the law to 
over look the inhumane employment conditions for many of 
these workers. The events on Sunday have affected our 
international reputation, and revealed to the entire world 
that we do not take law enforcement seriously.  This is a 
violation of international accords that Kuwait has signed. 
It is our duty to use this incident to correct all past 
mistakes, face the new challenges, and prove to the world 
that we are responsible enough to deal with the problem. We 
must give the weak an assurance that the law protects his 
rights. 
 
******************************************* 
Visit Embassy Kuwait's Classified Website: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/ 
 
You can also access this site through the 
State Department's Classified SIPRNET website 
********************************************* 
 
LEBARON