The Citizenship and Passports Affairs General Department has allegedly suspended the issuance and renewal of Article 17 passports for Bedouns until further notice without justifying the decision, reports Alam Al-Yawm daily quoting sources.

Sources revealed Director General of the department Major General Sheikh Faisal Al-Nawaf Al-Sabah issued the directive because he purportedly intends to take certain steps.  Sources said a Bedoun was shocked when he visited the department recently to renew his passport for Omrah because the staff informed him about the decision, making him wonder if the interim government announced decisions in favor of Bedouns only to calm down protesters.

Meanwhile, sources confirmed the Central System for Remedying the Status of Illegal Residents (CSRSIR) is currently contemplating on the possibility of reviewing the new labor law in the private sector, along with the concerned ministries.  Sources said many Bedouns sought jobs in the private sector when some public institutions rejected their applications, adding the CSRSIR intends to issue a law to punish private companies that hire Bedouns because they fall under the category of illegal residents.

Sources added a joint committee, consisting of representatives from the ministries of Interior, Commerce and Industry is allegedly preparing ground to make things difficult for Bedouns.  They said the next step will be more decisive to force Bedouns to regulate their status.