Iraqis cast their vote amid fears of arrest, documentation woes

Monday, March 08, 2010

BEIRUT: Iraqi refugees and expatriates in Lebanon took to the polls over the weekend to participate in their country’s parliamentary elections, despite fears of crackdowns by Lebanese security authorities on those lacking legal status in the country.

The elections in Lebanon – which took place between Friday and Sunday in four polling stations across the country – were organized by Iraq’s Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) to enable Iraqis abroad to vote in the hotly-contested Iraqi parliamentary polls. IHEC also coordinated elections for Iraqis abroad in 15 other countries with significant Iraqi populations.

“This election is very important for everyone in Iraq. I voted because I want the situation to change, to make the situation safer,” said Taha Dewara, an Iraqi student in Beirut whose views echoed debates that the polls could mark a turning point in improving the security situation for the still volatile country.

While many voters were optimistic about the elections, the voting process was not without incidence.

Voters faced fears of arrests, and some were turned away from polling stations after lacking proper documentation.

Many of Lebanon’s estimated 50,000 Iraqi refugees reside in the country illegally, without the consent of the state. This has lead to crackdowns where refugees have been imprisoned and deported back to war-torn Iraq.

Refugees arriving at the Beirut southern suburb of Haret Hreik voting station on Saturday said they were afraid that Lebanon’s security forces would use the elections as an opportunity to arrest those in the country illegally.

“I’m afraid to vote because the Lebanese police will catch me and make me go back to jail” said Ahmad Fathi Abdallah, a 37-year-old Iraqi refugee who spent over a year in Beirut’s notorious Roumieh prison after entering Lebanon illegally.

While information concerning Iraqi refugees in Lebanon is inconsistent at best, it is widely believed that most Iraqis in the country live in the Hizbullah-controlled south Beirut suburb of Dahiyeh – in which Haret Hreik is located – where they have minimal contact with Lebanon’s security forces, and therefore a lesser chance of ending up behind bars or facing deportation. For this reason, the Haret Hreik voting station was expected to be the most frequented station in the country.

“People who are afraid of the authorities would rather stay in the area where they live and vote there, because the route to other voting stations could have [security] checkpoints,” said Mustafa al-Tamimi, a young IHEC official at the Haret Hreik polling station.

IHEC head in Lebanon Mohamad Ghazee al-Sabwee, however, said that refugees who are in the country illegally need not fear the Lebanese security forces when casting their ballots, as his organization had reached a deal with the Lebanese Interior Ministry. By the terms of the arrangement, according to Sabwee, Lebanese security forces would abstain from arresting Iraqi refugees who do not have legal status in Lebanon, for the duration of the polls.

“The Lebanese government has provided a lot of help – especially the Interior Ministry,” said Sabwee.

Despite this pledge, Ahmed al-Moussawi, an election monitor for former Iraqi Premier Ibrahim al-Jaafari claimed that an Iraqi refugee had been briefly arrested near the polling station in Hamra, Friday, after failing to produce proper documentation.

IHEC officials downplayed fears that authorities would crack down on refugees, pointing instead to what they believed were more poignant obstacles facing voters.

“The problem is not that Iraqis here [illegally] fear the Lebanese government. It is that many Iraqis here don’t have the proper accreditation to vote.” said Sabwee.

Iraqis wishing to cast ballots had to present multiple documents as definitive proof that they were Iraqi subjects, with at least one mentioning from where exactly in Iraq they originated. Passports and refugee papers issued by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees alone were not enough to gain entry into polling stations.

The stringent regulations on documentation caused problems for some, resulting in refugees being turned away from voting centers across the country. Ghadeer al-Obaidi, an observer for al-Iraqiyya – the party of former Iraqi Premier Iyad Allawi – estimated that some 10 percent of potential voters were unable to participate as a result.

“They [IHEC] are asking for too many documents that aren’t needed. These people are refugees – they only have their passports.” said Ali Ismail, an Iraqi student at Beirut’s Lebanese Arab University who was observing elections in Herat Hreik.

Sabwee stressed IHEC’s commitment to these guidelines, mentioning that even he had not cast his ballot yet as he was waiting for additional required documents to be “Fedexed” to him from Iraq. IHEC officials also insisted that the measures were necessary to prevent voter fraud – which according to reports has been rampant in Iraq.

While the elections were highly anticipated, polls across Lebanon suffered a lack of voter turnout. At the Herat Hraik polls, an election observer who wished to remain anonymous said that while the precinct had expected at least 2,000 Iraqis to vote, as of late Sunday the number was just some 500.

Early Sunday, meanwhile, election monitors said that al-Iraqiyya voters clashed with supporters of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki – also an incumbent – at the Haret Hreik precinct after the former group displayed three-starred Iraqi flags, which symbolize the country’s Baathist era to many.

Since the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, millions of Iraqis have fled to neighboring countries and many more have been displaced within Iraq.

Iraqis voting abroad are to be allocated 10 seats in the Iraqi Parliament, and experts have speculated that their votes could potentially play a decisive role in the country’s tight parliamentary polls. Commentators have also speculated that Iraqi refugees would generally support opposition candidates to protest a stagnation of efforts on the part of the Maliki government to alleviate the plight of Iraqi refugees worldwide.

Oscars under way with new look

(AFP) 8 March 2010, 6:38 AM

HOLLYWOOD - The 82nd Academy Awards got under way here Sunday with show producers opting for a new look start to the annual movie industry extravaganza.

In a break with tradition, the show began with a formal introduction of the 10 nominees in the best actor and actress categories before American actor Neil Patrick Harris led off a song and dance routine.

That was followed by the introduction of show hosts Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin, who arrived on stage from the ceiling of the Kodak Theater in a mechanical platform surrounded by angels.

Baldwin and Martin then warmed up the star-studded audience with an opening double act, cracking jokes and introducing other nominated stars sitting in the audience including the record nominee Meryl Streep.

“Meryl Streep holds the record for most nominations or as I like to put it, most losses,” Martin quipped before spotting “The Hurt Locker” director Kathryn Bigelow, nominated for best director alongside ex-husband James Cameron.

“She was so pleased to be nominated with (Cameron) she sent him a gift basket with a timer,” Martin said.

Al-Qaida calls on US Muslims to attack America

(AP) 7 March 2010,

CAIRO - Al-Qaida’s American-born spokesman on Sunday called on Muslims serving in the U.S. armed forces to emulate the Army major charged with killing 13 people in Fort Hood.

In a 25-minute video posted on militant Web sites, Adam Gadahn described Maj. Nidal Hasan as a pioneer who should serve as a role model for other Muslims, especially those serving Western militaries.

“Brother Nidal is the ideal role-model for every repentant Muslim in the armies of the unbelievers and apostate regimes,” he said.

Gadahn, also known as Azzam al-Amriki, was dressed in white robes and wearing a white turban as he called for attacks on what he described as “high-value targets.”

Gadahn grew up on a goat farm in Riverside County, California, and converted to Islam at a mosque in nearby Orange County.

“You shouldn’t make the mistake of thinking that military bases are the only high-value targets in America and the West. On the contrary, there are countless other strategic places, institutions and installations which, by striking, the Muslim can do major damage,” he said, an assault rifle leaning up against a wall next to him.

Gadahn has been wanted by the FBI since 2004 and two years later was charged with treason. There is a $1 million reward for information leading to his arrest or conviction.

He has in the past posted videos and messages calling for the destruction of the West and for strikes against targets in the United States. His location is unknown, but he is believed to be somewhere along the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Hasan has been charged in the Nov. 5 shooting that killed 13 people at Fort Hood, Texas. The 39-year-old Army psychiatrist remains paralyzed from the chest down after being shot by two civilian members of Fort Hood’s police force.

“Nidal Hasan is a pioneer, a trailblazer and a role-model who has opened a door, lit a path and shown the way forward for every Muslim who finds himself among the unbelievers,” Gadahn said.

In the latest video, Gadahn said those planning attacks did not need to use only firearms like Hasan, but could use other weapons. “As the blessed operations of September 11th showed, a little imagination and planning and a limited budget can turn almost anything into a deadly, effective and convenient weapon.”

Gadahn said fighters should target mass transportation systems in the West and also wreak havoc “by killing or capturing people in government, industry and the media.”

He recommended finding ways to shake “consumer confidence and stifle spending” and noted that even unsuccessful attacks, such as the failed attempt to bomb a U.S. airliner on Christmas Day, can bring major cities to a halt.

“I am calling on every honest and vigilant Muslim in the countries of the Zionist-Crusader alliance in general and America, Britain and Israel in particular to prepare to play his due role in responding to and repelling the aggression of the enemies of Islam,” Gadahn said.

Biden to try to boost Middle East peace prospects

(Reuters)

7 March 2010,

WASHINGTON - U.S. President Barack Obama dispatches his vice president to the Middle East on Sunday to try to build support for reviving Israeli-Palestinian peace talks despite deep scepticism on both sides.

Iran is also a top issue for Israelis, many of whom see Obama’s focus on diplomacy and targeted sanctions to curb Tehran’s nuclear programme as wishful thinking.

An Israeli cabinet minister, commenting on Joe Biden’s visit, pointed to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s description of the Sept. 11 attacks in the United States as a “big fabrication” as cause for concern.

“What we have here is a madman, and crazy people can do only crazy things,” Industry and Trade Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer told Israel Radio. “The Americans ... must see how they can create a reality in which they stop the madman.”

An Israeli political source said Israel expected Biden’s main message would be “don’t bomb Iran”, a cautionary note Washington has sounded before in contacts with Israeli leaders.

Biden will meet Israeli, Palestinian, Egyptian and Jordanian leaders starting on Monday, but a main component of his trip will be public diplomacy. That means reassuring anxious Israelis about Obama’s commitment to their security while explaining why they should be willing to make concessions for peacemaking.

Biden was not expected to take part in indirect Israeli-Palestinian talks that would be spearheaded by Obama’s special envoy, George Mitchell, and could be announced during his visit, although he will be briefed on them.

TOUGH SELL

The vice president, who will be the most senior American official to visit Israel since Obama came to office in January 2009, faces a tough sell, Israeli officials and analysts say.

Many Israelis are distrustful of Obama’s outreach to the Muslim world, a priority he highlighted with high-profile visits to Egypt and Saudi Arabia, and, later this month, to Indonesia.

“If Israel is supposed to make sacrifices for a peace deal, the Israeli public has to be convinced it is receiving sufficient support from the United States,” an Israeli official said, calling Biden’s visit the beginning of that process.

U.S.-Israeli tensions flared over Obama’s early push for a complete Jewish settlement freeze, although his administration has at least temporarily backed off, embracing a more limited, 10-month moratorium on new building announced in November.

Other differences remain over next steps and the scope of renewed talks with the Palestinians.

Before Biden’s visit, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, made the case to Israel against taking military action against Iran.

“A strike could be as destabilising as Iran getting a nuclear weapon,” one U.S. official said. An Israeli official said Washington made clear Israel “doesn’t have a military option without U.S. clearance, and we don’t have clearance at this time”.

U.S. and Israeli officials said the main source of discord on Iran for the time being was over the scope of future sanctions, rather than the pros and cons of military action.

The Israeli official said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who will meet Biden, was “disappointed” by sanctions proposed thus far by the United States. “This is not what we’ve been promised”, he said.

Asked if that meant Netanyahu would seek a U.S. green light for striking Iran, another senior Israeli official said: “We’re not there yet. ... This is the time to act on sanctions and it is premature to discuss anything else.”

Israel has called for “crippling” sanctions. Washington wants them to be targeted against hard-liners and is wary of broad-based penalties that could destabilise the Iranian economy as a whole and alienate its people.

Suleiman calls for Arab  reconciliation

Mar 8, 2010

RIYADH: Lebanese President Michel Suleiman has underlined the need for "Arab reconciliation and solidarity" to settle regional problems and ensure comprehensive peace and security in the Middle East.

Suleiman also emphasized the threat posed by Israel during a speech he delivered to Lebanese expatriates in Riyadh on Sunday before leaving for Jeddah.

The president, who visited the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology on Sunday, was keen to promote cooperation between the Kingdom and Lebanon in different fields.

In his speech, Suleiman expressed appreciation for the role and support of the Kingdom in solving regional issues vital for the restoration of peace and security in the region. He said his discussions with Saudi leaders focused on bolstering bilateral relations in addition to improving inter-Arab ties.

"The Lebanese president also met with Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal on Saturday night," said Osama Nugali, spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

On domestic issues, Suleiman spoke about changes in Lebanese electoral laws, support for Lebanese expatriates, citizenship and voting rights for expatriates. He said Lebanon's Cabinet has approved changes in municipal electoral laws, which will be submitted to Parliament for approval after the government concludes discussions on the formation of a supervisory commission for the electoral system.

The reforms include proportional representation in all districts of Lebanon, direct election of mayors and their deputies, a 20 percent quota for women and introduction of new ballot papers.

The proposal would allow expatriates the right to vote. According to some estimates, up to 15 million people of Lebanese origin live outside the country, a large number of them in Saudi Arabia.

Qatar tops salary list as UAE payrises fall

March 07. 2010

The Doha Securities Market. Qatar's financial sector is expected to create 5,200 jobs this year. Fadi al Assaad / Reuters

Professionals in Qatar make more money than their counterparts in any other country in the Middle East, knocking the UAE off the top spot it has commanded for the past year.

More than a third of Qatar’s white-collar workers, or 39 per cent, earn between US$3,001 (Dh11,000) and $8,000 each month, higher than the UAE, where 37 per cent earn between those levels, according to research by the employment website Bayt.com, in conjunction with the polling company YouGov Siraj.

Qatar also has the highest number of professionals earning top-tier salaries. Twelve per cent of respondents in the country said they earned more than $8,000 a month, compared with 10 per cent in the Emirates.

“Qatar has lots of opportunities in the jobs market,” said Jennifer Campori, the managing director for the Middle East and Europe at Charterhouse Partnership, a recruiting company. “People who are leaving for Qatar are going for 10 to 15 per cent more money than elsewhere.”

In general, Miss Campori said she did not see significant differences between salaries in Qatar and the UAE.

Last year, professionals in the UAE commanded higher pay than colleagues elsewhere in the region with a total of 20 per cent earning between $5,000 and $10,000 a month, and 7 per cent earning $10,000 and above.

Qatar is striving to build its financial services industry, with 5,200 jobs expected to be added in the sector this year, according to a report released last week by the executive search firm Kinsey Allen International.

Qatar’s economy is expected to be the region’s star performer this year with predicted GDP growth of 18.5 per cent, one of the highest globally.

Revenue from liquefied natural gas (LNG) bolstered the country’s economic prospects during the global financial crisis. Output from Qatar, the world’s top exporter of LNG, this year is expected to continue to grow.

Elsewhere in the region, it appears that the financial crisis is still taking its toll on salaries, the survey said.

More than half of the professionals in the UAE did not receive a pay rise this year – an indication, perhaps, that many companies remain focused on balancing their books after the downturn. Only 45 per cent of respondents said they received a pay rise, with just 4 per cent of those who did earn an increase happy with the level of the rise.

“Although redundancies have been made, companies are still consolidating and salary increases are unlikely,” said Ms Campori.

“In the financial sector, banking bonuses, which will start to come out later this month, will be the telltale signs of what will happen.”

Of those fortunate enough to receive a pay rise in the UAE, many felt the rising cost of living negated any benefit from the increase. Respondents said that living costs had risen by 22 per cent, while the average salary increase was just 6 per cent.

Across the Middle East, salary satisfaction dipped by 2 percentage points compared with the same survey last year. In line with the regional average, just 5 per cent of those surveyed in the UAE said they were highly satisfied with their pay. Qatar was again the regional leader in this section of the survey, with 7 per cent of respondents highly satisfied with their salary.

Despite widespread unhappiness with pay increases, 42 per cent of respondents in the UAE felt they were better off than others, with 40 per cent saying they were about average.

“Many of the region’s professionals feel they are doing better than others in terms of their quality of life,” said Joanna Longworth, the chief marketing officer at YouGov. “This demonstrates while they may be unhappy with their pay rise or the current economic conditions, in reality they still feel in a relatively good position.”

Data for the salary survey was collected online last month, with 10,699 respondents from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria.

The Abu Dhabi International Book Fair

10 million book fair hailed as a triumph

March 7. 2010

The Abu Dhabi International Book Fair at Adnec was a treasure trove for bookworms. Lauren Lancaster / The National

ABU DHABI // It was an event for publishers and authors of renown, but also for children filling book bags and bookworms stocking libraries.

The Abu Dhabi International Book Fair was a kaleidoscope of literary activity during its six-day run, which ended yesterday, and if a many-faceted event is a mark of quality, the celebration of reading at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre was a triumph.

“So many things went well,” said Monika Krauss, the general manager of Kitab, the fair’s organiser. “I have only had good feedback.”

Organisers are calling the 20th year of the book fair the biggest ever, with 236,000 visitors, 840 publishers from 63 countries and Dh37 million (US$10m) in total sales.

Ms Krauss cited the first-time presence of a number of art-book publishers and the increased number of visitors as highlights of the event. Meeting the Algerian writer Anouar Benmalek, one of her favourite authors, was a personal one for her.

“This is my first full run through the book fair and now I have to sit down with my team and go over what we liked and didn’t like and what we can do better next year. But apart from working on little things I am pleased overall,” she said.

Earlier in the week, twofour54, Abu Dhabi’s media zone, signed a global publishing deal with Macmillan Children’s Books to create a series of Driver Dan’s Story Train books in Arabic and English. The first independent distribution company for Arabic books was also launched.

Kitab also unveiled a private members association for the literary community the Abu Dhabi Literature and Publishers Club.

Conceived by Ms Krauss, the club will hold regular meetings for author readings, panel discussions and exhibitions related to books.

It “is part of our long-term strategy”, said Ms Krauss. “We want to develop a community of book-lovers and readers here in the Emirates. We want Abu Dhabi to become a hub for books and culture and think the club can be an important part of the transformation.”

Qalam, a platform specifically for Emirati writers, was also given a boost. The Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage initiative aimed at encouraging and publishing Emirati novels and works had 20 titles published for the book fair, all from new authors.

Ali Abu al Reesh, the director of Qalam, said the titles had been well-received. “They have had a good reception from everyone that visited the stand during the fair,” he said. “People are very interested in new novels from Emirati writers, especially as the general perception is that we don’t have any novelists.”

Mr al Reesh, who is a daily columnist for Al Ittihad newspaper and a published novelist, said many aspiring writers had approached the stand. “We’ve have many young people, especially girls, visit the stand and ask about Qalam,” he said. “Writers usually don’t want to deal with government establishments but Qalam is breaking down those boundaries; we are getting through to them.”

The books will be available via the emirate’s mobile library service Kitab Bus and at Marina Mall, Abu Dhabi Co-op and Al Wahda Mall.

Ms Krauss said she hoped that next year there would be even more educational material for children and more diversification of cultural and social events.

“We want to work on the Creativity Corner, moving away from entertainment and focusing more on education,” she said.