Kuwait
Violates Human Rights of Its Slave Laborers

Kuwaiti Officials Beat and Torture Foreign Workers

By Mezba, Global Voices

Most of the Muslim Student Associations in universities in
North America have a very vocal content about supporting Palestine issues. Many of them also have a
strong pro-Arab camp, where they harp on supporting the Arab countries against Israel on many
issues, and whenever Arabs are mistreated or discriminated against, it is
painted as an "Islamic" issue. Many converts to Islam here also have
an idolized view of the Arab lands.

Having lived in the Middle East before, I have
a different view on these issues. Here's something I caught on the news
recently.

Some time ago Bangladeshi workers in Kuwait went on strike because they
had not been paid by the Kuwaiti authorities for more than 3 months. These are
already dirt poor people doing menial jobs saving whatever scraps they can to
help their families back in Bangladesh.
So what did the Kuwaitis do?

They beat up the striking workers, locked many of them up and deported them all
to Bangladesh.
There were also tales
of torture when those deported people reached Bangladesh.

Today, I found a letter in Kuwait
Times where one resident writes "Bangladeshi cleaners, Thank you."

I would to thank all the Bangladeshi cleaners who used to
collect the garbage from sunset until sunrise, to clean up the dirt and the
leftovers of mine and of all residents of Kuwait. They were, in fact, doing a
great job and excellent work.
.
.
.
While we enjoyed the luxury of new, clean clothes every day, the dirty, yellow
dirty uniform was the costume that they lived, ate and maybe even slept in.
.
.
.
Salaries: Why do you work? This is not a new topic, it's an old one and a
natural request. Why do any of us go to work and how many of us would work for
free?

Meanwhile, now Kuwait, probably hit by the garbage
on the streets, have admitted
responsibility (where have we heard this before?).

I have said it before and I have said it again, the problem lies in governments
of countries like Bangladesh
and Sri Lanka
making no attempt to ban their citizens from working in slavery-conditions in
these countries. Blind by the lure of foreign currency and cash these workers
bring, they have trampled on their welfare and rights.

Next time an Arab supporting MSA comes around to ask me for support against
Israeli oppression against Palestinians, I am going to ask, "how are you
any better".

Posted by mezba at 8:18 PM