Corruption and inadequate Housing in Bahrain
At the Meeting of Human Rights Council
12 June 2007
Abdulhadi Alkhawaja, president of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, addressed today the meeting of the Human Rights council in Geneva regarding inadequate housing in Bahrain, which he said is the result of corruption and acquiring most of the country lands by members of the ruling family.
In his speech before representatives of Governments and NGO’s from around the world, Alkhawaja criticized the “United Nations Human Settlements Programme” for giving the prime minister of Bahrain an award related to achievements in human settlements. He said that the Bahrain Center for Human Rights has addressed the UN Secretary General to review the criteria and nomination procedures for such award to make sure that it is not given to officials who are well known for corruption and human rights abuses.
Find below:
· Mr. Alkhawaja’s Speech at the Human Rights Council
A copy of BCHR’s letter to the UN Secretary General
Corruption and Inadequate Housing in Bahrain
An Oral Intervention By:
Bahrain Centre for Human Rights
Human Rights Council – Fifth Session – 11-18 June 2007
Mr. President,
Until January, 1997, half of the Arab states have signed and ratified the United Nations Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. The kingdom of Bahrain is in the process. However, respect and implementation of this covenant is under question.
In regard to international bodies and organizations they deal differently with countries that have high income such as the Gulf oil countries. There is no support or checks, despite the existence of housing problems in some of theses countries.
In Bahrain, as an example, more than half of the people lack adequate housing as a result of corruption and unjust distribution of wealth and land. Migrant workers suffer even more. They live in unhealthy crowded houses as a result of poverty and low income.
As for housing development in Bahrain, the budget spent on housing projects by the government is very small compared to the national income and the need of the people. That is why the housing issue remains one of the main problems in the country despite the boom in national income as a result of the raise in oil prices.
According to the Ministry of housing, 44 thousands Bahraini low-income families have been on the waiting list to get loans or subsidized houses. The number could be increased to 80 thousands in the coming years[1]. Some of these applicants have been waiting for as long as 12 years[2].
Moreover, there are thousands of families who cannot even apply for loans and subsidized housing because they do not have stable income. Since the average family in Bahrain consist of six persons, the total number of effected citizens can be estimated as more than half of the total number of Bahrainis.
According to the assistant undersecretary at the ministry of housing, shortage of lands is the main obstacle for housing projects currently and in the future, while 90% of Bahrain lands, is privately owned[3]. The ministry did not mention that these lands are mainly seized by the royal court and members of the ruling family.
As in other countries in the region, the problem of transparency and engagement of civil society remain as main concerns. That results sometimes in misleading information even in reports by UN bodies.
We applaud the initiative by the “United Nations Human Settlements Programme” to assign an award related to achievements in human settlements. Surprisingly, this award will be given this year to the prime minister of Bahrain.
The Bahrain Center for Human Rights and other NGO’s have addressed the UN Secretary General to review the criteria and nomination procedures for such award to make sure that it is not given to officials who are well known for corruption and human rights abuses.
Finally,
We highly applaud the work of the UN Special Rapporteur on adequate housing and call upon him, and other related UN Bodies, to be more engaged in reporting on housing issue in Bahrain and the Middle East and to develop dialogues with Governments and civil society that will help identify possible policy suggestions from a housing rights perspective.
Thank you Mr. President.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[1] Minister of Housing, Akhbar-Alkhaleej, 12 May 2004.
[2] According to an MP, Alwasat, 12 May 2004
[3] Assistant undersecretary at the ministry of housing, Alwasat newspaper.
H. E. Ban Ki-moon,
Secretary General,
The United Nations, New York, USA.
Subject: UN’s Award To The Prime Minister Of Bahrain Sends A Wrong Message To Oppressors And Corrupt Officials Around The World:
It came to our knowledge through the Bahrain press , that on July 2, 2007, your excellency, as the secretary general of the United Nations, is going to award the prime minister of Bahrain, Shaikh Khalifa Bin Salman Alkhalifa, the UN award for habitat and housing development during the meeting of the UN Economic and Social Council.
Since the independence of Bahrain in 1971, the ever-since powerful prime minister has been THE symbol of corruption and oppression in Bahrain and the Gulf region. Therefore, to be awarded by the United Nation is a clear contradiction with UN ethics and norms, a disappointment for the disadvantaged and a wrong message to oppressors and corrupt officials around the world.
The prime minister of Bahrain played the major role in abolishing the national assembly in 1975 and ruled the country for 25 years, with his brother the late Emir, by decrees in total absence of democracy and under the rule of State Security Measures. During that period the united Nations itself has documented gross human rights violations including extra-judicial killings, systematic torture, arbitrary detention and sectarian discrimination. All these cases has never been investigated by the authorities and thousands of victims were denied legal rights and redress. Despite recent political reforms declared by the new king, security apparatus, is systematically targeting activists and human rights defenders using harassment, physical assault, arbitrary detention and unfair trials . Furthermore, during the period in post as prime minister, he has become among the wealthiest persons in the region as a result of misuse of power.
As for housing development, the budget spent on housing projects by the government is very small compared to the national income and the need of the people. That is why the housing issue remains one of the main problems in the country despite the boom in national income as a result of the raise in oil prices especially in the seventies and recent years. According to Ministry of housing, 44 thousands Bahraini low-income families have been on the waiting list to get loans or subsidized houses. The number could be increased to 80 thousands in the coming years . Some of these applicants have been waiting for as long as 12 years . Moreover, there are thousands of families who cannot even apply for loans and subsidized housing because they do not have stable income. Since the average family in Bahrain consist of six persons, the total number of citizens can be estimated as 360,000 out of 450,000 which is the total number of Bahrainis.
According to the assistant undersecretary at the ministry of housing, shortage of lands is the main obstacle for housing projects currently and in the future, while 90% of Bahrain lands, is privately owned . mainly seized by the royal court and members of the ruling family. The prime minister himself seized vast areas of land all around the country, including his huge palaces, the land abstracted from Zayed city (north of ministry of labor), lands in Al-Seef business area and the land on which the huge Financial Harbor project is under construction. He also seized for himself one of the large islands “Jedah” on which no citizen can put a foot. The total area of land seized by the prime minister is larger than all lands allocated for housing projects .
Based on the aforementioned, we call upon your excellency:
• To conduct a quick research on the allegations of corruption and Human rights violations against the prime minister of Bahrain,
• to review the reward decision and call off the ceremony, or as a way out, to reduce the level and size of the ceremony and direct the reward to Bahrain as a country rather than to the prime minister as a person,
• To conduct a thorough investigation in the basis for the nomination and the intentions of the responsible UN stuff who nominated the prime minister of Bahrain for the award, and
• To review the standards and process of nomination for UN rewards in general.
Looking forward to hearing from your excellency, or from the relevant UN body, soon.
Abdulhadi Alkhawaja
President
Bahrain Center for Human Rights
Abdulhadi61@hotmail.com
Fax: +973 17 553445
At the Meeting of Human Rights Council
12 June 2007
Abdulhadi Alkhawaja, president of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, addressed today the meeting of the Human Rights council in Geneva regarding inadequate housing in Bahrain, which he said is the result of corruption and acquiring most of the country lands by members of the ruling family.
In his speech before representatives of Governments and NGO’s from around the world, Alkhawaja criticized the “United Nations Human Settlements Programme” for giving the prime minister of Bahrain an award related to achievements in human settlements. He said that the Bahrain Center for Human Rights has addressed the UN Secretary General to review the criteria and nomination procedures for such award to make sure that it is not given to officials who are well known for corruption and human rights abuses.
Find attached:
· Mr. Alkhawaja’s Speech at the Human Rights Council
A copy of BCHR’s letter to the UN Secretary General
Corruption and Inadequate Housing in Bahrain
An Oral Intervention By:
Bahrain Centre for Human Rights
Human Rights Council – Fifth Session – 11-18 June 2007
Mr. President,
Until January, 1997, half of the Arab states have signed and ratified the United Nations Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. The kingdom of Bahrain is in the process. However, respect and implementation of this covenant is under question.
In regard to international bodies and organizations they deal differently with countries that have high income such as the Gulf oil countries. There is no support or checks, despite the existence of housing problems in some of theses countries.
In Bahrain, as an example, more than half of the people lack adequate housing as a result of corruption and unjust distribution of wealth and land. Migrant workers suffer even more. They live in unhealthy crowded houses as a result of poverty and low income.
As for housing development in Bahrain, the budget spent on housing projects by the government is very small compared to the national income and the need of the people. That is why the housing issue remains one of the main problems in the country despite the boom in national income as a result of the raise in oil prices.
According to the Ministry of housing, 44 thousands Bahraini low-income families have been on the waiting list to get loans or subsidized houses. The number could be increased to 80 thousands in the coming years[1]. Some of these applicants have been waiting for as long as 12 years[2].
Moreover, there are thousands of families who cannot even apply for loans and subsidized housing because they do not have stable income. Since the average family in Bahrain consist of six persons, the total number of effected citizens can be estimated as more than half of the total number of Bahrainis.
According to the assistant undersecretary at the ministry of housing, shortage of lands is the main obstacle for housing projects currently and in the future, while 90% of Bahrain lands, is privately owned[3]. The ministry did not mention that these lands are mainly seized by the royal court and members of the ruling family.
As in other countries in the region, the problem of transparency and engagement of civil society remain as main concerns. That results sometimes in misleading information even in reports by UN bodies.
We applaud the initiative by the “United Nations Human Settlements Programme” to assign an award related to achievements in human settlements. Surprisingly, this award will be given this year to the prime minister of Bahrain.
The Bahrain Center for Human Rights and other NGO’s have addressed the UN Secretary General to review the criteria and nomination procedures for such award to make sure that it is not given to officials who are well known for corruption and human rights abuses.
Finally,
We highly applaud the work of the UN Special Rapporteur on adequate housing and call upon him, and other related UN Bodies, to be more engaged in reporting on housing issue in Bahrain and the Middle East and to develop dialogues with Governments and civil society that will help identify possible policy suggestions from a housing rights perspective.
Thank you Mr. President.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[1] Minister of Housing, Akhbar-Alkhaleej, 12 May 2004.
[2] According to an MP, Alwasat, 12 May 2004
[3] Assistant undersecretary at the ministry of housing, Alwasat newspaper.
The Bahrain Center for Human Rights ( BCHR)
P. O. Box: 21005, Kingdom of Bahrain
www.bahrainrights.org
H. E. Ban Ki-moon,
Secretary General,
The United Nations, New York, USA.
Subject: UN’s Award To The Prime Minister Of Bahrain Sends A Wrong Message To Oppressors And Corrupt Officials Around The World:
It came to our knowledge through the Bahrain press , that on July 2, 2007, your excellency, as the secretary general of the United Nations, is going to award the prime minister of Bahrain, Shaikh Khalifa Bin Salman Alkhalifa, the UN award for habitat and housing development during the meeting of the UN Economic and Social Council.
Since the independence of Bahrain in 1971, the ever-since powerful prime minister has been THE symbol of corruption and oppression in Bahrain and the Gulf region. Therefore, to be awarded by the United Nation is a clear contradiction with UN ethics and norms, a disappointment for the disadvantaged and a wrong message to oppressors and corrupt officials around the world.
The prime minister of Bahrain played the major role in abolishing the national assembly in 1975 and ruled the country for 25 years, with his brother the late Emir, by decrees in total absence of democracy and under the rule of State Security Measures. During that period the united Nations itself has documented gross human rights violations including extra-judicial killings, systematic torture, arbitrary detention and sectarian discrimination. All these cases has never been investigated by the authorities and thousands of victims were denied legal rights and redress. Despite recent political reforms declared by the new king, security apparatus, is systematically targeting activists and human rights defenders using harassment, physical assault, arbitrary detention and unfair trials . Furthermore, during the period in post as prime minister, he has become among the wealthiest persons in the region as a result of misuse of power.
As for housing development, the budget spent on housing projects by the government is very small compared to the national income and the need of the people. That is why the housing issue remains one of the main problems in the country despite the boom in national income as a result of the raise in oil prices especially in the seventies and recent years. According to Ministry of housing, 44 thousands Bahraini low-income families have been on the waiting list to get loans or subsidized houses. The number could be increased to 80 thousands in the coming years . Some of these applicants have been waiting for as long as 12 years . Moreover, there are thousands of families who cannot even apply for loans and subsidized housing because they do not have stable income. Since the average family in Bahrain consist of six persons, the total number of citizens can be estimated as 360,000 out of 450,000 which is the total number of Bahrainis.
According to the assistant undersecretary at the ministry of housing, shortage of lands is the main obstacle for housing projects currently and in the future, while 90% of Bahrain lands, is privately owned . mainly seized by the royal court and members of the ruling family. The prime minister himself seized vast areas of land all around the country, including his huge palaces, the land abstracted from Zayed city (north of ministry of labor), lands in Al-Seef business area and the land on which the huge Financial Harbor project is under construction. He also seized for himself one of the large islands “Jedah” on which no citizen can put a foot. The total area of land seized by the prime minister is larger than all lands allocated for housing projects .
Based on the aforementioned, we call upon your excellency:
• To conduct a quick research on the allegations of corruption and Human rights violations against the prime minister of Bahrain,
• to review the reward decision and call off the ceremony, or as a way out, to reduce the level and size of the ceremony and direct the reward to Bahrain as a country rather than to the prime minister as a person,
• To conduct a thorough investigation in the basis for the nomination and the intentions of the responsible UN stuff who nominated the prime minister of Bahrain for the award, and
• To review the standards and process of nomination for UN rewards in general.
Looking forward to hearing from your excellency, or from the relevant UN body, soon.
Abdulhadi Alkhawaja
President
Bahrain Center for Human Rights
Abdulhadi61@hotmail.com
Fax: +973 17 553445