MANAMA, 30 May 2008 — Bahraini human rights groups yesterday denounced the authorities' move to halt work permits for tens of thousands of Bangladeshi laborers after a fatal stabbing incident in the country.
The Interior Ministry in Manama on Monday issued a directive saying work permits would no longer be issued for Bangladeshis after a Bahraini citizen was stabbed to death last week during an argument with a mechanic from Bangladesh over a payment.
The move could lead to the expulsion of the about 90,000 Bangladeshis working here, mostly in construction.
Local media have been divided over the issue, with some columnists backing the government move and calling for the expulsion of the Bangladeshis, while others condemned it, saying it went against the UN human rights charter, which Bahrain has signed.
Activist Nabeel Rajab of the Bahraini Human Rights Center denounced the government move as "racist" and said it was "unfair" to punish an entire community for a single crime. Rajab added that to deny the Bangladeshis permission to work would also violate "our Islamic principles."
The National Democratic Action Society, said there were "other ways" to deal with crimes in any country. "The Society condemns the calls for expelling Bangladeshi laborers and considers these calls as racist," it said in a statement.
"This expulsion will lead to a humanitarian catastrophe for the Bangladeshi Muslim people who send money home to their families," it said.
The daily Alwasat quoted Nazar Al-Baharna, state minister of foreign affairs, as saying after a meeting with Bangladeshi Consul General in Manama Fais Al-Islam that he had instructed the Bangladeshi diplomat to make his community "aware of the laws and regulations" of the country.
Jewish Woman Named Envoy to US
King Hamad has appointed a Jewish woman lawmaker as Bahrain's envoy in Washington, the official Bahrain News Ngency reported yesterday.
Houda Nonoo, a 43-year-old mother of two boys, was appointed as an ambassador in a royal decree issued on Wednesday. The decree did not say where she would be posted. But Nonoo confirmed she will be Bahrain's ambassador to the US.
She said she was proud to serve her country "first of all as a Bahraini," adding she was not chosen for the post because of her religion. Nonoo has served in Bahrain's all-appointed 40-member Shoura Council for three years.
