KUWAIT CITY, June 20: The US State Department tackled a number of issues on human trafficking and human rights, which some people would rather not discuss, in its latest report, reports Al-Seyassah daily quoting Head of the Social Committee at Kuwait Centre for Communities’ Rights Hanan Mulla Husain.
Husain pointed out, “The US State Department did not put Kuwait on the black list randomly, because the list was based on facts that we cannot deny. It is our duty, whether we are in the public sector or civil society institutions, to admit our mistakes as a primary step to address human trafficking and human rights issues.”
Stating that the first step towards the implementation of genuine reforms is the approval of a draft bill on incriminating human trafficking, Husain also underscored the need to approve the proposed establishment of a public authority for combating human trafficking. “It is unacceptable that these important proposals, which are aimed at protecting the reputation of Kuwait in the international community, have been left pending in the National Assembly for many years,” she added.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Social Affairs and Labor, Dr Mohammad Al-Afasi, has criticized the US State Department report on human rights, which puts Kuwait in the blacklist, reports Al-Seyassah daily.
Dr Al-Afasi made the revelation after returning from Geneva, where he represented Kuwait at the International Labor Organization Conference. He noted the report is merely a dictation with some facts, which failed to address the positive achievements by Kuwaiti government in that regard.
He said the report depicts Kuwait like a jungle, without the Constitution guiding its activities. He wondered why the US did not change the status of Kuwait irrespective of everybody at that conference, including the US report, appreciating efforts exerted by Kuwait in that aspect.
He declared the report ignored the decision to protect workers from working under severe heat in the afternoon, transfer of sponsorship without release from the current sponsor, provided the worker has stayed with the sponsor for three years, and expansion of the refugee shelter, plus the new Private Sector Labor Law.
“We are not happy the report ignored the decision to severely punish certain actions on discrimination, and the principle of equality with the law. Kuwait is signatory to a new ILO convention that prohibits and criminalize child abuse, which is expected to be eradicated by 2016,” the minister briefed.
In the meantime, a number of lawmakers might request for a special parliamentary session to discuss a report on civil and social rights of stateless residents (Bedouns), reports Al-Anba daily.
The first article of the draft law on stateless people defines a stateless person as any person residing in Kuwait illegally. The second article stipulates the Ministry of Interior to make a list of all stateless people within three months of endorsing the draft law. The third article states that all those included in the ministry’s list be granted a renewable civil identification card valid for five years along with other necessary documents like birth and death certificates, licenses and passports. The fourth article states that anyone presenting false information be imprisoned for one year or/and fined KD 1,000.
The fifth article states that the executive regulation of the law will be released following a Cabinet decision. The sixth and the final article states that any rule violating the above-mentioned rules be annulled.