SUBSCRIPTION WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2014 SAFAR 11, 1436 AH www.kuwaittimes.net Palestinian In Hezbollah ‘Comfy Slippers’ Leonard envoy hails kids’ mag, book signing leads Spurs ties with not fairies held at The over 76ers Kuwait2 but14 fighters Yoga39 Center 109-10320 Kuwait warns it may halt Min 06º Max 23º recruiting Indian workers High Tide 09:37 & 21:16 New expat fees mulled • Mudej grilling delayed • Sheikh Talal loses posts Low Tide 03:12 & 15:10 40 PAGES NO: 16361 150 FILS By B Izzak and Agencies KUWAIT: The National Assembly yesterday voted to give its health and labor panel one month to complete a draft law on the establishment of a company for the recruitment and employment of domestic workers. The vote comes amid controversy over an Indian decision demanding a $2,500 (KD 730) bank guarantee from those wanting to employ Indian domestic helpers. The head of the residency and passports department Maj Gen Mazen Al-Jarrah Al-Sabah was quoted as saying yesterday that Kuwait may consider halting recruitment of manpower from India in retaliation for the Indian bank guarantee move. The Indian decision infuriated a number of MPs who blasted the Indian embassy and called for retaliatory actions against New Delhi, including halting recruitment of manpower from India. MP Khalil Abdullah yesterday joined KUWAIT: HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al- those MPs by describing the Indian decision as a breach of Jaber Al-Sabah (right) is welcomed at the airport by the law, diplomatic norms and the Kuwaiti law and consti- HH the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al- tution. The lawmaker said that preserving the rights of Jaber Al-Sabah after the Amir returned home yester- Kuwaiti citizens, expatriates and foreign workers in Kuwait day following a private visit to Morocco. — KUNA is the duty of the Kuwaiti government and not the Indian embassy. He said the decision is a flagrant interference in the sovereignty of the state of Kuwait, warning that accept- conspiracy theories ing the decision would encourage similar measures by oth- er embassies. Along with the government’s moves to increase petrol Guarantee is and cooking gas prices next year, another move is to increase the fees collected on expatriates’ transactions such no guarantee as issuing work permits and companies’ computerized pay- roll lists, reported Al-Watan. KUWAIT: Commerce and Industry Minister Abdulmohsen Al-Mudej (center) is seen during a session at the Continued on Page 13 National Assembly yesterday. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat By Badrya Darwish Lebanon detains wife of IS leader [email protected] Saudi supporters claim they shot Danish man BEIRUT: The Lebanese army detained a arrest was “a powerful card to apply pres- was found with a fake passport, officials read the news about the Indian government’s wife and daughter of Islamic State leader sure” in negotiations to secure the release said. Investigators were questioning her decision to require a bank guarantee of around Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi as they crossed of 27 members of the Lebanese security at the Lebanese defence ministry. IKD 730 ($2,500) for every Indian domestic helper from Syria nine days ago, security officials forces captured by Islamist militants - a US officials said they were looking into you recruit in Kuwait, be it a driver, cook, nanny or said yesterday in a move seen as likely to view shared by other Lebanese officials the reports from Lebanon. One official maid. This prompted a senior Kuwaiti official yester- put pressure on the Islamist chief. The who confirmed the arrest. A senior said that if one of Baghdadi’s wives or day to warn the state may halt recruiting manpower woman was identified as Saja Al-Dulaimi, Lebanese security official said Baghdadi’s children were detained, the US believes it from India. an Iraqi, by a Lebanese security official wife had been travelling with one of their could positively identify them, though What pushed the Indian government to take and and a senior political source. The daughters, contradicting earlier reports the official would not say how. There was implement such a decision? Of course we cannot Lebanese newspaper As-Safir reported that it was his son. DNA tests were con- no immediate reaction from Islamic State deny that many domestic helpers have been ill-treat- she had been detained in coordination ducted to verify it was Baghdadi’s child, websites, although some supporters ed in Kuwait unfortunately by some people. Not all with “foreign intelligence”. the official said. They were detained in rejected the report. people or employers are bad, but it takes only one Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi A Lebanese security source said the northern Lebanon after Baghdadi’s wife Continued on Page 13 bad apple to spoil it for all. And no one ever talks about the people who do so much to help their maids, and instead talk about the bad ones. The issue is bigger than the KD 730 guarantee and it needs to be approached in a totally different way. Shabaab kill 36 Kuwait lacks a law regulating domestic labor rights. If the government was stricter with people who mis- treat their servants and if there was no room for Kenya workers wasta or connections and the law was applied even- ly, people would be afraid and abide. Because people are people be they in London or Lebanon. The other day I was watching a Lebanese TV pro- Security chiefs ousted gram also discussing setting rules for domestic NAIROBI: Somali Al-Shabaab militants and says it will keep up the violence to helpers who come from wherever to Lebanon, as killed 36 non-Muslim workers at a quarry persuade Kenya to pull its troops out of some are being abused. The most interesting part in northeast Kenya yesterday, prompting neighbouring Somalia, where its forces was when the broadcaster told a story of an the president to sweep out his top secu- have joined African troops battling the Ethiopian maid who on her way back home was rity officials to tackle a relentless wave of militants. stopped at the airport by the customs officer when violence. Kenyans have grown increas- In yesterday’s attack, gunmen crept he noticed she had a stack of receipts with her. He ingly critical of President Uhuru Kenyatta up on dozens of workers sleeping in asked her why was she carrying these receipts in for failing to do more to defend the tents, a resident said, in the same area Arabic, since she cannot read Arabic. The maid nation from the incessant militant near the Somali border where a bus was explained that these were the receipts from her attacks, which have killed well over 200 hijacked just over a week ago and 28 sponsor for the money he sent to Ethiopia every PARIS: Leftwing members of parliament applaud after French lawmakers voted people since 2013. Shabaab has claimed passengers killed. month. The customs guy felt very bad and sympa- in favor of recognizing Palestine as a state yesterday at the French National responsibility for much of the bloodshed Continued on Page 13 thized with her, explaining that what she had were Assembly. — AFP not bank records but electricity bills of the house where she worked. She had been robbed for two years. French MPs vote to So stories like this or worse than this happen in every country. But the difference between us and the West is that rules and regulations there are strictly recognize Palestine enforced on the employment of domestic helpers - for both employer and employee. And this is what PARIS: French lawmakers voted yesterday further, officially recognising Palestine as a we need in Kuwait. in favor of recognizing Palestine as a state, state in a controversial move that prompt- There is no use to put a bank guarantee of KD 730 sparking an immediate angry reaction from ed Israel to recall its ambassador. But the or KD 150 or whatever. It’s not going to solve the Israel which said such “unilateral measures” French vote result still prompted a swift and problem. Actually when you talk money, it becomes would harm efforts towards Middle East angry response from Tel Aviv, which said it like human trafficking. First of all, those who should peace. Following hot on the heels of similar would send the “wrong message” to the be put under the microscope are the recruiting agen- votes in Britain and Spain, French MPs vot- region and would be counterproductive to cies in both countries. Be it India-Kuwait or ed 339 to 151 in favor of a motion urging the drive towards peace. “Israel believes Philippines-Kuwait or Timbuktu-Kuwait or whatever. the government to recognize the state of that the vote in the National Assembly... will Most of these agencies are corrupt in both countries Palestine as a way of achieving a “definitive reduce the possibility of achieving a deal and with the blessing or the blind eye of the govern- resolution of the conflict”. The vote - which between Israel and the Palestinians,” its ments and officials. is non-binding on the government but embassy in Paris said in a statement. So if you solve this problem, no need to pay any highly symbolic - comes as European coun- A solution to the conflict will be guarantee. Because paying this guarantee is a kind of tries seek alternative ways to restart the achieved “only with honest and direct talks corruption. MANDERA, Kenya: Bodies are seen of some of the victims of an attack on quarry stalled Middle East process. between the parties and not by unilateral workers near this town in northern Kenya along the border with Somalia.