NEW QATAR LABOR MINISTER PLEDGES COOPERATION ON

UNCLAS DOHA 000922

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/ARP, G/TIP, DRL/ILCSR, IO
LABOR FOR ILAB

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL ELAB QA
SUBJECT: NEW QATAR LABOR MINISTER PLEDGES COOPERATION ON
LABOR ISSUES



1. (SBU) Summary. State Department Special Representative
for Social Issues Ambassador Grover Joseph Rees used his
visit to Qatar September 4-8 to engage GOQ officials on the
issue of forced labor and trafficking-in-persons (TIP) among
the large migrant worker population. During a meeting with
the new Labor Minister, he stressed that education is
important to prevent TIP, and that only criminalization of
TIP practices will deter it. Both sides pledged closer
cooperation on labor issues. End Summary.

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Forced Labor/TIP
--------------


2. (SBU) Special Representative for Social Issues Ambassador
Grover Joseph Rees met September 5 with Sultan Al-Dhabit
Al-Dousari, the Minister of Civil Affairs and Housing and
Acting Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs. (Note: The
Ministry of Civil Affairs and Housing will transition into
the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs October 1. Minister
Al-Dousari will retain his position in the new Ministry.)
The discussion focused on migrant worker rights and forced
labor/TIP in Qatar. Ambassador Rees emphasized that laws
must be strengthened and enforced in order to effectively
begin to combat TIP. Al-Dousari responded that the GOQ was
in the process of issuing new laws in this regard. He noted
that a new law, already endorsed by the Cabinet, will state
that the employer has no right to hold the employee's
passport and travel documents. They will remain with the
employee unless written permission is granted by the
employee. (Note: A subsequent conversation with the Chairman
of the Qatar National Human Rights Committee (NHRC),Dr.
Khalid bin Mohammed Al-Attiyah, noted that the clause
allowing for written permission by the employee has been
stricken from the draft.)

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Labor Complaints
--------------


3. (SBU) Al-Dousari told Ambassador Rees that the Ministry
has received explicit instructions from the Amir and the
Prime Minister to focus on the guarantee of rights for both
employers and employees. As such, Al-Dousari told Ambassador
Rees that the Labor Department within the Ministry normally
takes care of labor issues between sponsors and workers
within seven days. If not resolved, the cases are referred
to the Labor Court. "Considering that there are 700,000
foreign laborers in the country," Al-Dousari told Ambassador
Rees, "the Labor Department has received only 100, 200, maybe
500 complaints, and 80 percent or more of the cases are
solved by the Department before referring the cases to the
Labor Court." (Note: The Director of the Labor Department
reported on Qatar Radio April 13 that the Department receives
between 8-13 complaints per day, sometimes more. As such,
the Department receives at least between 2,080-3,080
complaints per year. The caseload at the two Labor Courts
has resulted in delays of hearings of up to 8-12 months. As
such, a third court is expected to open in October.)

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"Criminalization"
--------------


4. (SBU) Al-Dousari noted on several occasions that the Labor
Law of 2004 "criminalizes" violations of workers rights.
(Note: In fact, the Labor Law does not stipulate any criminal
sanctions for labor violations. Any violations are handled
within the labor court system as civil cases.) He told
Ambassador Rees that the Inspections Department regularly
carries out health and safety inspections of labor camps,
inspections of wages and contracts, and safety inspections of
work sites.

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Domestic Worker Rights
--------------


5. (SBU) Al-Dousari remarked that a new law protecting the
rights of domestic workers was in the process of being
approved by the cabinet. The new law will be issued in
conjunction with all members of the Gulf Cooperation Council
(GCC). All GCC members are expected to issue the law
simultaneously.

--------------

Legal Cooperation
--------------


6. (SBU) Al-Dousari expressly asked Ambassador Rees for
assistance on legal issues related to labor. He noted that
if the United States has laws to assist the GOQ on labor
issues, they would gladly review those laws. He also invited
comment on Qatar law from U.S. legal experts.

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TIP Report
--------------


7. (SBU) Specifically regarding the Department of State TIP
Report, Al-Dousari stated that prostitution in Qatar was not
a big problem. "Because it involves personal freedoms," he
added, "the Government does not investigate." He also asked
for closer U.S. coordination with the Ministry before the
drafting and release of the TIP Report. He cautioned against
relying solely on media for its information. (Note: Post
regularly consults with Labor Department officials during the
year regarding labor statistics and conditions and uses a
myriad of confirming sources in its investigation of TIP.)
In closing, Ambassador Rees emphasized the GOQ must educate
potential victims of TIP and that prevention of the crime is
important. He stressed that criminalization of TIP is
essential for deterrence.

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Comments
--------------


8. (SBU) Al-Dousari is well-respected by the ruling family.
Establishing and reorganizing the Ministry of Labor and
Social Affairs with Al-Dousari as the Minister bodes well for
an increased emphasis on labor issues in Qatar. Although he
at times deliberately downplayed the negative aspects of the
labor situation in the country during his meeting with
Ambassador Rees, he left the door open for closer cooperation
with the USG on labor matters. We view the realignment of
the Ministry under Al-Dousari as an opportunity to be seized
on workers' rights and TIP issues and will engage accordingly.


9. (U) Ambassador Rees did not have the opportunity to clear
this cable.
RATNEY