Qataris Still Denied Their Rights in Saudi
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BUSINESS | Page 1 SPORT | Page 8 Nine-man Chelsea stunned INDEX DOW JONES QE NYMEX QATAR 2-5, 20 COMMENT 18, 19 REGION 6 BUSINESS 1–4, 14-16 by Qatari, Turkish fi rms 21,848.00 9,313.49 48.82 ARAB WORLD 6 CLASSIFIED 5-13 +12.00 -156.10 +0.23 INTERNATIONAL 7–17 SPORTS 1–8 sign 15 agreements Burnley +0.05% -1.65% +0.47% Latest Figures published in QATAR since 1978 SUNDAY Vol. XXXVIII No. 10544 August 13, 2017 Dhul-Qa’da 21, 1438 AH GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals Former foreign and justice Our Say minister: Comoros move to cut Qatar ties unjustifi able O His Highness the Father Ibrahim has earlier served as Min- ister of State for Foreign Aff airs and Emir was the first head Co-operation in charge of the Arab of any Arab state to visit World and then as Minister of Justice, Comoros in charge of Public Administration of By Faisal Abdulhameed O A lot of Comorians were Islamic Aff airs and Human Rights, a al-Mudahka position he kept from May 30 2016 to agitated by the president’s July 19, 2017. Editor-in-Chief decision to sever ties with In a recent reshuffl e of the Cabinet , Ibrahim alongside two other ministers Qatar from his Juwa Party, was dismissed for The road to the their support for the cause of Qatar and Comoros and By Ahmed al-Qudah and Ayman Adly rejecting the decision of the President Doha Azali Assoumani to cut ties with Doha. In an exclusive interview with Gulf the petrodollar Fahmi Said Ibrahim, former foreign and Times, Ibrahim termed his country’s former Comorian minister who justice minister of Comoros. decision to sever relations with Qatar n June 5, 2017, the Comoros’ was dismissed from his position as illogical. “Nothing explains in a con- former coup leader Azali As- A for his opposition to the govern- cently on a visit to Doha to express his vincing way the president’s decision Osoumani sided with the Saudi ment’s decision to sever ties with Qatar personal friendship, stressed he had to cut relations with Qatar. Wisdom and UAE-led blockade of Qatar and has hoped wisdom would prevail and not supported the Comorian presi- assumes that Comoros should take a announced severing of relations with the relations between the two countries dent’s decision to cut diplomatic rela- neutral position and follow on the foot- His Highness the Father Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani with former Doha. The exact reason as to why As- would get back to normal soon. tions with Qatar in the wake of the cur- steps of Kuwait and Morocco with re- Comoros president Ahmed Sambi in Moroni. His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa soumani favoured the blockaders is Fahmi Said Ibrahim, who was re- rent GCC crisis. gard to the crisis,” he said. To Page 20 al-Thani was the first head of any Arab state to pay a visit to the Comoros. unclear; however, it is crystal clear that Qatar has always looked after the development of the African country. In March 2010, Doha hosted a Con- Call to ease curbs on Qatari Haj pilgrims ference in Support of Development and Investment in the Comoros to help launch infrastructure projects Saudi Authorities should ease the in energy, water, roads, airports, restrictions imposed on Qatari Haj buildings, bridges, and agricultural pilgrims as soon as possible as reclamation in that country. Doha NHRC: Qataris this constitutes a clear violation of contributed to the advancement of the rights to religious practice, the the economic development of the National Human Rights Committee Comoros, creating jobs and support- (NHRC) chairman Dr Ali bin Smaikh ing initiatives to establish projects al-Marri said yesterday. for individuals and companies. Qatar “Only a few days remain for pilgrims helped fund the Sea Fishing Company from Qatar to perform Haj and things are and other companies like the Agricul- still denied their not clear due to Saudi’s unclear stand ture and Livestock Company, Tourism on this. Only eight days are left for Haj Company, and a Development Bank. registration by land and the deadline for Qatari funded projects in the Haj by air is set for August 26. Comoros include Imam Al-Shafei “The Saudi authorities have not NHRC chairman Dr Ali bin Smaikh College, Alparlaman, Retaj Moroni given until now any real assurance al-Marri Hotel, Mineral Water Plant, Sheikh for the safety and well being of Jassim bin Jabor al-Thani Hospi- rights in Saudi Qatari pilgrims. NHRC also received 459 domestic helpers in Saudi Arabia tal, Sea Fishing Project, Al-Iman complaints from Haj companies sponsored by Qatari employers, and Schools, a wireless telecommunica- Qatari students studying in Saudi Ara- ple of the region denying them some regarding hardships and diff iculties in their situation is becoming diff icult By Ayman Adly as the residency permits of some are tions network, Muhaili Government Staff reporter bia to continue their education, there of their basic human rights such as the organising trips from Qatar.” Building and Moroni University Am- is not yet any clear strategy for imple- right to free movement and ownership. The NHRC chief denounced the Saudi going to expire, making them liable to phitheater. Qatari Education Above menting such positive steps and it is Starting from June 11, the NHRC claims that Qatar is internationalising hefty penalties. All foundation helped in provid- hough Saudi Arabia has allowed left to the estimation of the Saudi bor- asked the blockade countries to open the issue of Haj. Dr al-Marri pointed The NHRC chairman these domestic ing classrooms for 25,000 primary its nationals holding Qatar resi- der offi cers. the borders and airways to the people out that the issue was only raised at helpers are having very diff icult living schoolchildren. Tdency to remain in Qatar, Qataris “The situation with the UAE and of the region, especially the common the Arab League, the Organisation of conditions and their Qatari employers Doha donated around $130mn in aid having Saudi Unifi ed National Number Bahrain remains the same with no families of the GCC countries. “We Islamic Co-operation (OIC) and United are denied any access to help them. for development of economic, edu- are not allowed to return to Saudi, the positive development. Qataris are still asked that there should be a clear de- Nations High Commissioner for Accordingly, the ambassadors of cational, and health projects. The Sea National Human Rights Committee denied access to their property, busi- cision regarding the situation of those Human Rights demanding opening their countries, in particular India and Fishing Project alone secured jobs for (NHRC) chairman said yesterday in nesses and interests in these countries. families,” he stressed. direct flights and land borders for Nepal, have been contacted to discuss about 4,000 people. Comorian stu- Doha. There is still discrimination against He said that communications have Haj, in addition to guarantees for the the issue with the Saudi Authorities, dents were enrolled in Qatar University “Many such Qataris have business Qatari students in the UAE in particular been made with senior GCC offi cials safety of Qatari Haj pilgrims. but there have been no positive and at the Nursing College at Qatar and properties in Saudi Arabia,” Dr Ali as, at least one case has registered for a in this respect and other related rights, Dr al-Marri also revealed there are developments yet. Foundation. Hundreds of Comorians bin Smaikh al-Marri told a press con- Qatari student denied registration just but it seems “they have been on open are employed by security companies ference convened to brief about the for being a Qatari citizen,” the NHRC leave, including the GCC Secretary in Qatar. All have been done for raising consequences of the blockade on hu- chief pointed out. General.” UAE and 27 in Bahrain. The number of involved human rights complaints at the Comorians’ living standards. man rights. Kuwaiti and Omani citizens are still Regarding the support off ered to complaints regarding property rights the Arab League and received an as- The above is a mere synopsis of the “Some of the Saudi citizens residing denied crossing from Saudi Arabia to the Qatari students harmed due to the amounted to 1008, with 616 in Saudi surance that the issue will be discussed contribution by Qatar with regard in Qatar have jobs in the private and the Qatar through the land border. As many blockade, Dr al-Marri pointed out that Arabia, 344 in the UAE and 48 in Bah- with the Arab League Secretary Gen- to the development of the Comoros, public sectors. They can also cross the as 3,269 complaints have been received both Qatar University and the Educa- rain. eral. But there has been no clear devel- and it has been rewarded with the land border between Qatar and Saudi by the NHRC regarding various viola- tion City have given them great support NHRC also registered various com- opment yet. severance of relations! The Comoros, Arabia,” he explained. tions of human rights due to the block- and eased the procedures for them to plaints regarding the rights of people Dr al-Marri added that there is though a poor country, is rich in its Saudi authorities have also allowed ade since the issue started on June 5. Dr continue their education. with disability though the Saudi have a co-ordination with Compensations wonderful and loving people. its nationals studying in Qatar to re- al-Marri stressed that human rights- The number of such students who system in place where such category of Claims Committee and the interna- In 2017, the Comoros was usurped main in the country, according to him.