'Kuwait respects expatriate workforce'
KUWAIT CITY, July 23: Deputy Premier, the Minister of Justice, Social Affairs and Labor Dr Mohammed Al-Afasi condemned report by the US State Department that places Kuwait among the worst human right violators for the fourth consecutive year based on failure by the country to issue laws for domestic laborers and against human trafficking, reports Al-Rai daily. Al-Afasi said the delays in taking those decisions does not mean "we are a country without legislation", stressing Kuwait respects the expatriate workforce while the Social Affairs Ministry has penal codes protecting the domestic labor, besides other decisions that protect the rights of the expatriate personnel. He stressed that law incriminating human trafficking and domestic labor law will be approved in the coming legislative term, indicating the Deputy Premier, Minister of Interior Sheikh Ahmad Al-Humoud has given confirmation in that regard.
Al-Afasi said report of the US State Department is unfair to Kuwait. "This is not new since it has been reiterated four consecutive years, even though the country has laws that guarantee the right of expatriate personnel". Earlier, US officials said the UN has praised Kuwait for keeping to international pacts on the protection of laborers. He added the International Labor Organization (ILO) lifted Kuwait from the black list, as it's committed to international conventions on labor. This confirms the US State Department report is not accurate. "This report only expresses a point of view, so we will prove the extent by which the country is committed to laws and transparency," Al-Afasi noted. He also disclosed that a committee has been formed to study the US report and face up to all allegations. He is of the view that the US violated human rights more than one occasion after the 11 September incidents when it restricted passengers at the airports and held prisoners in Guantanamo for many years in jail without trial.
© Arab Times 2011
