What A Parade!

Badrya Darwish

Well done, Ministry of Interior! I congratulate you for doing your work by catching and handcuffing criminals or for catching traffic violators who endanger lives on the roads whether by speeding, crossing red lights or zooming over pedestrian walkways. You guys are protecting us and our families day and night. We depend for our security and safety on you. This is what the ministries of interior in the world are for. You should be proud when you nail down wanted criminals and announce it in the media in a proper fashion and decent display. This is in line with human rights. But, but, but.

Yesterday, I saw pictures displayed on front pages of local newspapers and I am sure other media sources covered the story too. Your officers have nailed down over 2,000 residency violators. Meaning, this is somebody whose residency or work visa has expired and was not renewed for 101 reasons. These are mainly blue-collar workers with low wages or no wages at all, sometimes depending on the will of the kafeel. It is great. We should not have illegals around us because you do not know what their reactions and behavior could be. They might steal or join gangs if they are roaming around illegally and cannot find proper job. But displaying them in the way I saw it, this opposes our Islamic rules. It is humiliating.

You parade them in a human chain and allow photographers to enjoy snapping pictures of them. They look as if they are war prisoners or a gang of rapists and criminals in heavy detention. These images reminded me of the Gitmo detainees. This is a different story. Residency violators are not prisoners. They are residency violators only. Check out why they are violators. Maybe you can catch the kafeel (sponsor) who brought them and refused to renew their residency unless they pay another bountiful amount, which if they cannot pay they are lost. I am speaking from experience.

Many workers shared stories with us how kafeels suck the blood out of their veins and all the dinars from their wallets. One woman who recently spoke to me had to pay her kafeel money for everything otherwise she was constantly threatened that her iqama (residency) will not be renewed. This is how she could end up on the front page of the media as part of the human chain images. Such residency violators should not be displayed in that manner. It is inhumane and against their dignity. This is not an accomplishment the Ministry of Interior should be proud of. There are big thieves in my country and nobody dares point a finger at them let alone expose them on the front pages of leading newspapers.

By Badrya Darwish
badrya_d@kuwaittimes.net
http://twitter.com/badryad

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