United States list of worst human trafficiking countries includes Qatar
The United States added Kuwait, Malaysia, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Iran to the tier 3 (worst human trafficking countries). They said these are the coutries that are destinations for trafficking victims who are exposed to sexual exploitation and forced labor.
These countries have 90 days to combat human trafficking or face penalties and sanctions
(Taken from cnn.com)
original url:
http://edition.cnn.com/2007/US/06/12/human.trafficking/index.html
The report from U.S. state Department
(it is big 22 MB)
http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/82902.pdf
Report in html
http://www.state.gov/g/tip/rls/tiprpt/2007/index.htm
Full Report on Qatar
QATAR (Tier 3)
Qatar is a destination for men and women trafficked for the purposes of involuntary servitude and, to a lesser extent, commercial sexual exploitation. Men and women from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Ethiopia, Sudan, Thailand, Egypt, Syria, Jordan, and People's Republic of China (P.R.C.) travel to Qatar as laborers and domestic servants, but some subsequently face conditions of involuntary servitude. The most common forced labor offense is forcing workers to accept worse contract terms than those under which they were recruited. Other forced labor conditions in Qatar include instances of: bonded labor; job switching; visa swapping; visa selling; withholding of pay; charging for benefits for which the employer is responsible; restrictions on freedom of movement, including the confiscation of passports and travel documents and the withholding of exit permits; arbitrary detention; threats of legal action and deportation; false charges; and physical, mental, and sexual abuse. Workers are generally forced to accept worse contract terms than those under which they were recruited, and often suffer miserable working and living conditions. Nepalese men are reportedly recruited for work in Qatar as domestic servants, but are then coerced or forced into labor in Saudi Arabia as farm workers. Qatar is also a destination for women from P.R.C., Indonesia, the Philippines, Morocco, Sri Lanka, Lebanon, India, Africa, and Eastern Europe trafficked for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation, but it is unknown how many are trafficked.
The Government of Qatar does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so. Qatar continues to detain and deport victims rather than providing them with protection. The government also failed to meaningfully increase prosecutions for trafficking. Workers who complained about working conditions or non-payment of wages were sometimes penalized and prosecuted under false charges in retaliation. Qatar should develop a credible law enforcement effort against trafficking, and should take steps to ensure that victims are not punished for acts related to being trafficked.
Prosecution
The Government of Qatar made insufficient progress in prosecuting trafficking offenses during the reporting period. Qatar does not prohibit all acts of trafficking, but it criminalizes slavery, forced labor, and forced prostitution under sections 321, 322, and 297 of its Criminal Law, respectively. At the same time, provisions of the Sponsorship Law condone forced labor activities and slave-like conditions. The government banned the use of child camel jockeys in 2005. Qatar provided evidence of only two convictions in a trafficking case involving a domestic servant this year, despite reports that this practice is common; those convicted received five-year prison sentences. The government did not initiate prosecutions for any other trafficking crimes nor were any other persons convicted of trafficking offenses. A government committee trained police, prosecutors, judges, and legal educators on current anti-trafficking laws. Qatar should significantly improve its law enforcement response to trafficking crimes by increasing criminal prosecutions of trafficking offenses.
Protection
The Government of Qatar failed to adequately protect victims of trafficking during the reporting period. It does not systematically attempt to identify trafficking victims among vulnerable people, such as foreign workers awaiting deportation and women arrested for prostitution, and as a result, victims are often punished and deported without being offered protection. The Government of Qatar also commonly fines and detains trafficking victims for unlawful acts committed as a direct result of being trafficked, such as immigration violations and running away from their sponsors, without determining the underlying causes. Some victims remain in the deportation centers for years pending resolution of their cases, permission from their sponsors to leave the country, or in retaliation for seeking to recover unpaid wages or requesting a new sponsor. The government removed restrictions on victims' access to the government shelter and widely publicized the existence of the shelter and hotlines. In only a small percentage of cases, however, did the government encourage victims to assist in trafficking investigations or offer victims alternatives to deportation to countries in which they may face retribution. The shelter accommodated only 20 trafficking-related victims this year.
Prevention
Qatar's efforts to prevent trafficking in some areas improved over the reporting period. A committee conducted visits to camel racing tracks to ensure compliance with the government's ban on the use of child camel jockeys. Qatar also held a workshop for 42 recruitment agencies to raise awareness of trafficking. The National Office for Combating Trafficking in Persons led a government training seminar on legal, social and security dimensions of trafficking for police officers, Internal Security service officers, and others. Anti-trafficking training has been incorporated into the basic training curriculum for police officers. A media campaign highlighted sponsors' responsibilities, and resources available to victims. Qatar has not ratified the 2000 UN TIP Protocol
I remember reading the plight of a worker in Gulf-Times some time back. He had written in his letter that since the day he joined the company his employer has been continously harrassing him not sexually. He has been verbally abused all that time. Whatever he does just makes his employer angry and he said that he has been so much traumatized by this that he tried to commit suicide. this is just one of the stories in millions God know how many more are there. Not long ago one of my friend came from States to Qatar and I was showing her around in my car late at night when I was stopped by the CID and they demanded to know what is my relation with her. I tried to explain but for them every relationship that involves a guy and a girl has sex. So i was escorted to the police station and had to spend the night in the police station. My friend was sent to the women police station (Thank God). The next day the she called her embassy (U.S. embassy) and we were released from the dungeon. one unforgettable experience that i still remmeber.
Even though I didn;t do anything wrong I still had to spend the night in the police station and probably this thing is now in my CID record. If i had tried to argue I would have definitely been deported by the next flight. Dude this is just one of the stories. There are many stories who are languishing in jail just bcoz they are poor and they don't have the WASTA.
I remember the PM OF qatar telling that exit permit system is a slavery. It is a good thing to recognize the problems of expatriate people facing in this country. But i thnk there need to be proper action from qatar govt. to remove exit permit system. this is not happaning...
We As people who see every day plight of workers and may some of us victums of the system, how can we increase awareness internationally ?? So that some action will really hapen on ground Any ideas ??
May be these type of stories should be sent to international media regularly.
was a threat e64 started with a news item on this subject. couldnt find where I saw it, but DID find this article from yesterdays Peninsula
http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=local_news&month=june2007&file=local_news2007061223132.xml
I'm really good with posting old news, arent I? lol
Am feeling a tad slowed down this morning
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Edited by me!
I guess now they will close their airbase, remove their missiles and stop trading with Qatar ha ha ha
Hmmm. This is a joke. Sure Qatar is guilty of all these things and probably much worse, but do you really see the US imposing sanctions or actually doing anything about this. LOL. Never in a million years. NOrth Korea, Cuba and Iran will get all the sanctions.
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