ISO 9001:2008 CERTIFIED NEWSPAPER Home | 2 Business | 17 Sport | 28 QC launches Greece submits Mustafizur new donation fresh plan on grabs six as service on its eve of European Bangladesh seal website. Union meet. the series. MONDAY 22 JUNE 2015 • 5 Ramadan 1436 • Volume 20 Number 6469 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 4455 7741 | Advertising: 4455 7837 / 4455 7780 OPINION International Yoga Day Confronting More Qatari armed militias women in ut of the frying pan into Othe fire. This private sector aptly describes the cur- Qatar has highest share of expats rent political DOHA: The number of Qatari these workers are excluded from situation women employed in the pri- the labor law of 2004, they do not in Iraq vate sector has gone up more have access to the department of which is than six times in 12 years, as the Ministry of Labor and Social reeling Dr Khalid Al Jaber their ratio has grown from 2.1 Affairs where they could lodge under percent in 2001 to 14.7 percent complaints and seek redress of sectar- in 2013. their woes. ian and ethnic conflicts Conversely, their ratio in gov- There is a proposal as part of among Sunnis, Shias, Kurds ernment jobs has decreased in the NDS (2011-16) to set up a spe- and Arabs. Extremists and above period, from 89.1 percent in cial fast track labour tribunal to fanatics are facing even more 2001 to 68.2 percent in 2013. expedite routine cases within a People take part in a mass yoga session to mark International Yoga Day at Campidoglio Square in Rome powerful extremists and ter- A Report on Qatar’s National specified time period. yesterday. Some 192 countries took part in the event. See also pages 3, 8 & 13 rorists, like the ISIS and the Human Development 2015 Ensuring effective access of Sunni extremists confronting released by the Ministry of workers to the tribunal would Shia armed militias such as Development Planning and necessitate providing information Badr brigade, Al Mahdi Army, Statistics attributed the increased in multiple languages and that Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq (League representation of Qatari women interpreters are available and no Arab League slams anti-Qatar campaign of the Righteous), Mukhtar in the private sector to the gov- fee is charged to workers. Army, Abou El Fadl Al Abass ernment’s Qatarisation policy. Mechanisms to ensure that the Brigade. All these militias are This was the Fourth such tribunal’s decisions are enforced CAIRO: The Arab League “The Arab League endorses Qatar”, and GCC foreign min- as extremist as ISIS or even Report and titled ‘Realizing Qatar must also be put in place. yesterday condemned what it the resolution issued by isters issued a strongly-worded worse than them, and they National Vision 2030—The Right The Report says that accord- called the “hateful campaign” the Organisation of Islamic statement on June 11 affirming enjoy financial and military to Development’ released by the ing to United Nations’ estimates, against Qatar’s hosting of the Cooperation (OIC) and the Gulf their solidarity with their mem- support and also manpower, Ministry. Qatar tops the list of countries 2022 World Cup, amid a corrup- Cooperation Council (GCC) con- ber state. media support and religious There is a reference in the with the highest share of foreign tion scandal rocking football’s demning the hateful campaign Swiss judicial authorities have cover from Iran. Report also to the sponsorship population relative to the total governing body FIFA. that attempts to question Qatar’s launched an investigation into the The coalition comprising and exit permit rules for for- population — non-Qataris account The League’s General Assembly right to host the 2022 World awarding of the 2022 competition the US, Europe and Arab eign workers. The Report briefly for about 87 percent of the total in a statement declared its “full Cup,” the Cairo-based League and the tournament in Russia and other countries is cur- recalled that in 2014 it was offi- population. support” for Qatar’s hosting of the said. four years earlier. rently focusing on one ter- cially announced that the existing “Most of the non-Qataris are tournament, which would be the On Thursday, the OIC Qatar has maintained that its rorist organization and there ‘kafala’ system would be replaced expatriate workers whose very first World Cup held in an Arab denounced “biased Western media bid remains unaffected by the lat- is no disagreement on con- with a “simplified and much presence indicates the signifi- country. campaigns against the State of est allegations. AFP fronting this organization, improved contractual system in cant contribution they make to but at the same time they 2015”. The Report also talks of economic growth and to national are ignoring the Iranian the need to regulate the work development.” Between 2004 and militias which are parallel of domestic helps through a law, 2013, the total number of expatri- terrorist groups — against saying that cases of rights abuse ate workers has increased from the IS which is raising the of domestic workers, including 400,000 to 1.4 million, represent- Nine new Woqod Sunni banner. non-payment of wages, excessive ing a growth of 14.7 percent annu- Kuwait jails female The ultimate victims in working hours, no leave days, ally. Men account for 89 percent fuel stations such a situation are the ordi- physical, mental and sexual abuse, of the total expat population. nary people of Iraq belonging are not infrequent. Continued on page 3 by year-end to all sects, ethnic, political The Report says that since THE PENINSULA rights activist and cultural factions. DOHA: Woqod is currently In a recent interview with KUWAIT: A Kuwaiti court aloud as a symbol of solidarity by working to set up 20 new fuel the London-based Asharq sentenced a prominent female his supporters and rights activ- stations across the country and Al-Awsat newspaper, David Iftar in Riyadh human rights activist to three ists, including Sadoun in a video nine of them are expected to be Petraeus, the former com- years in jail on charges of insult- uploaded online in 2013. complete by the end of this year, mander of US Central ing the country’s ruler yester- Sadoun is a founder of a senior official has said. Command, said that “the day, newspapers in the country the National Committee for Work on the remaining 11 sta- Shia militias are the most reported. Monitoring Violations, an organ- tions is scheduled to be complete dangerous to the unity of Iraq “The Criminal Court today isation which observes protests, by the end of next year, accord- compared to IS”. sentenced Rana Al Sadoun to publishes details of arrests and ing to Sheikh Hamad bin Saud Al In a similar interview with three years with hard labour in puts people in touch with lawyers. Thani, acting CEO of Woqod. the BBC, the director of the the case of her repeating a speech In a video statement posted He said the new facilities, once intelligence in Kurdistan by Musallam Al Barrak,” Kuwaiti online in March, Sadoun said she operational, will reduce the rush expressed his concern about newspaper Al Qabas said. did not intend to insult the Emir at existing fuel stations, Al Sharq the role of Shia militias Her supporters online said she or show support for Al Barrak. reported. The nine stations to be backed by Iran and their currently resides in Lebanon. “I didn’t repeat the speech opened this year are in addition to fighting alongside Iraq armed Musallam Al Barrak, a former because I agreed with what was the Jumailiya and Al Wajba sta- forces. member of parliament, this year said or who said it, but rather to tions opened early this year. Continued on page 3 began serving a two-year term support people’s right to express In a letter sent to the Central for a 2012 speech criticising an themselves,” she said. Municipal Council (CMC) in election law which he and other A court last week sentenced 21 response to complaints about opposition politicians said was people, including nine former par- crowding at Al Shahania petrol intended to prevent them getting liamentarians, to two-year sus- station, Sheikh Hamad said that power. While Kuwait allows more pended jail terms for repeating the rush was caused by the recent freedom of speech than some the speech. Kuwait, a Western- closure of two neighbouring petrol other Gulf Arab states, the coun- allied oil exporter, avoided seri- stations in Bani Hajr and Shaqab. try’s Emir, H H Sheikh Sabah Al ous unrest during the 2011 Arab Continued on page 3 Ahmad Al Sabah, has the last say uprisings when some rulers in THE PENINSULA in state affairs. the region were overthrown, but Addressed to the Kuwaiti ruler, citizens held large street pro- RAMADAN Al Barrak’s so-called “We will not tests in 2012 over changes to the Muslims break their fast during the holy month of Ramadan yesterday at allow you” speech has been read electoral law. REUTERS TIMING Turki bin Abdulaziz grand mosque in the Saudi capital Riyadh. Ramadan Today’s Iftar: QUIZ 06:30pm Answer a Simple Question Win a Gold Coin everyday Tomorrow’s Imsak: See page 15 03:05am Turkish president warns of early elections ISTANBUL: Turkish President first time since it came to power in constitution and call early elec- the only recourse to resolve this,” Recep Tayyip Erdogan yester- 2002, in a major blow to Erdogan. tions. “It’s possible this process he said, referring to possible early day urged the swift formation of Newly elected lawmakers will may take until the middle of elections.