Intifada Kashmir
Monday, June 30th, 2008
BBC: More protests in Kashmir land row
Archive for the 'Not Bahrain' Category
Women’s Day
Wednesday, March 7th, 2007
Some Urdu poetry.
A couplet from Asrar ul Haq Majaz:
This scarf that covers you is beautiful indeed
It would be better if you made it into a flag of revolt
and a reality check from Kishwar Naheed:
It is we sinful women
Who, when we emerge carrying aloft the flag of truth
Find highways strewn with lies
Find tales of punishment placed at every doorstep
Find tongues which could have spoken, severed.
Wham, Bam, Thank you Baboo
Tuesday, November 14th, 2006
If anyone still doubts that the UAE is an unbercapitalist's fantasy dreamland, you can stop doubting now.
Unskilled workers to be limited to six-year stay
Abu Dhabi: A draft of the modified labour law includes an article that stipulates a maximum six-year stay for unskilled workers, according to an official.
[...]
Under the rule, unskilled foreign workers and domestic help will be allowed a maximum stay of six years in the country. It will be applicable to a total of two million unskilled workers.
This proposal was discussed at a GCC meeting a while ago, but thankfully they never went ahead with it. However the
Not good
Sunday, May 7th, 2006
Alaa, of the Manal & Alaa blogtivist duo, was arrested at a protest in Cairo today. Not good. Read more here. If you are in the US then please bombard this email address with complaints: embassy@egyptembdc.org , and address it to Ambassador Nabil Fahmy.
More on migrant labour action
Sunday, April 16th, 2006
I know I've been spending alot of time highlighting the recent migrant labour actions around the Gulf, but it is just so interesting. (See my previous posts: Migrant workers get organized, Labour news, and Getting organized?).
Right here in Bahrain the GDN reported that yesterday almost 1,000 labourers, employed by the Consolidated Contractors Company working on a Bapco project, protested and threatened to strike. They allege that one of their colleagues, Indian carpenter Mohammed Asghar Ali, was beaten in an attempt to coerce him to move to another work site in Qatar, in violation of his contract. Company officials denied beating
Migrant workers get organized
Monday, April 10th, 2006
Photo source: AFP
When I posted about the Skyscraper Strike in Dubai three weeks ago (and the subsequent post), I questioned whether there is some behind-the-scenes organisation and coordination taking place among workers, rather than just spontaneous outbreaks of protest by the workers. My suspicions have been confirmed.
The Dubai authorities are beginning to become aware of this coordination, according to this article in the Gulf News:
The Permanent Committee of Labour Affairs in Dubai warned that an organised section of workers is deliberately provoking fellow workers to protest against their conditions even though such issues can be resolved through other means, says
Labour news
Saturday, April 1st, 2006
Some interesting things have happened since last week's high profile protests by migrant workers in Dubai. There have been at least two more protests (not directly related) demanding unpaid wages: one by workers on The Palm, Jumeirah project and the other at Al Jaddaf Port. Unfortunately, these two protests did not gather much attention because, it would seem, they were peaceful and did not involve overturning cars and smashing office property.
Amongst the international coverage of the skyscraper strike was a critical article printed in the Independent. It observes, quite correctly, that:
[...] the problems have continued with a series of demonstrations
Getting organized?
Thursday, March 23rd, 2006
In case you missed this story from Dubai:
A violent protest by over 5,000 workers over alleged mistreatment by their supervisors, arbitrary salary deductions, non-payment of overtime, and lack of medical facilities at the worksite has seriously disrupted the project of two prestigious construction project in Dubai — the Burj Dubai and the new terminal of Dubai International Airport.
The protest by employees of Al Naboodah Laing O'Rourke, which began on Tuesday evening, turned violent as infuriated workers damaged nearly two dozen company vehicles, smashed office property at the Burj Dubai project site, and destroyed several machines and official documents. The agitation
Farewell Wali Khan
Thursday, January 26th, 2006
Pakistani politician Khan Abdul Wali Khan passed away today, at the age 89, after suffering from a stroke three days ago. Wali Khan was one of the very few Pakistani politicians who was truly committed to his principles of democracy, human rights and press freedom, within a progressive secular framework. He was involved in the anti-British Quit India movement, as well as movements opposing various dictators after the creation of Pakistan. For this he served several terms in jail throughout his career. Yet he was respected by both the urban intelligentsia as well as rural peasants, by his fellow politicians
ShawarmaBoy the celebrity journalist
Thursday, January 26th, 2006
Our shawarma-loving friend CerebralWaste is hoping to possibly have celebrity interviews as a regular feature of his blog. His first interview is with Dougie Maclean so I'm plugging it for him. Now, when do we get an interview with our resident niqabi celebrity ??
RIP
Thursday, January 12th, 2006
انا لله وانا اليه راجعون
345 (and counting) killed at the Hajj pilgrimage
The King's son, Shaikh Faisal bin Hamad, killed in a car accident today.
الله يرØمهم
Eid mubarak
Friday, November 4th, 2005
Eid mubarak (and a happy Diwali) to you all! I hope Ramadan has been a fulfilling month for everyone.
While sending your Eid greetings to friends and family via SMS, please also spare something for the victims of the Kashmir earthquake. Send a blank SMS to 99292 to automatically donate BD1 towards the cause from your mobile phone account. Thanks to Batelco for all their help. Read this list for other ways you can donate. The death toll now stands at over 73,000 while over 3 million people remain homeless as the Himalayan winter begins to arrive.
Earthquake relief
Monday, October 10th, 2005
I'm sure at this stage everyone is aware of the devastation created by the earthquake that hit Kashmir on Saturday. I just want to encourage everyont to help out in whatever way you can.
In terms of cash, I would strongly recommend making an online donation to the Edhi Foundation via the the Association for the Development of Pakistan (ADP) website. The Edhi Foundation is the most trusted welfare organization in Pakistan, with a wide network of experienced individuals and facilities (and an extremely humble and dedicated leader) .
Otherwise you can donate to one of the various international relief agencies (International
Migrant workers on the march, again
Tuesday, September 20th, 2005
Photo source: Emirates Today
Yet another case of migrant workers in the Gulf taking collective action to protest about not being paid wages. In Dubai yesterday morning, some 800 Indian and Pakistani workers of Al Hamed Development & Construction marched down part of Shaikh Zayed Road in their blue overalls to demand several months worth of unpaid wages, according to the Gulf News.
Photo source: Diaa Hadid/Gulf News
This protest however seems to have achieved its purpose:
The ministry sent labour inspectors to meet the workers and Dr. Ali Bin Abdullah Al Ka'abi, the minister, ordered the company to pay salaries within 24 hours.
The
Katrina help
Wednesday, August 31st, 2005
Strav has asked me to post a link to the Hurrican Katrina Help Wiki. Check in over there to find out how you can help, and do spread word of the site to others.
